A federal judge has blocked supermarket chain Kroger Co.'s merger deal with rival Albertsons Cos., saying it would stifle competition, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.
A U.S. judge blocked the pending $25 billion merger of U.S. grocery chains Kroger KR.N and Albertsons on Tuesday, siding with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in a win for the Biden administration.
I reiterate my buy rating for Kroger (KR), confident it will return to normalized growth and margins within two years. KR's underlying demand remains solid, with identical supermarket sales growth recovering to pre-COVID levels. Strategic initiatives like private label expansion, AI-driven margin optimization, and new store openings are key drivers for future growth and profitability.
In 3Q24, Kroger generated $33.91 billion in sales, posting a 0.17% year-on-year gain. The company revised guidance upwards and expects full-year topline growth to range between 1.20% and 1.50%. Kroger's potential merger with Albertsons could bring $1.5 billion in synergies, enhancing shareholder returns beyond the traditional 8-11% range. Operational efficiency initiatives, including RFID tags and AI, are expected to improve margins and drive substantial shareholder value.
Value investing in The Kroger Co. proves resilient despite mixed Q3 results, with shares up 8.2% since September and 201% since 2017. Revenue fell short of expectations, but excluding fuel and Specialty Pharmacy sales, revenue increased by 2.7% year-over-year. Adjusted earnings per share rose to $0.98, aligning with analyst expectations, while operating cash flow nearly doubled to $926 million.
Despite Kroger's third-quarter results taking a slight a dip, digital growth is still making a splash. Kroger's digital transformation continues to show promising results as digital sales surged by 11%, driven by strong performance in customer fulfillment centers (CFCs) and a boost in delivery sales, which grew by 18%.
Kroger (KR) reported mixed third quarter results, with revenue falling short of Wall Street estimates. The big question for investors remains: Will the company's merger with Albertsons (ACI) be approved?
The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR ) Q3 2024 Earnings Conference Call December 5, 2024 10:00 AM ET Company Participants Robert Quast - Senior Director, Investor Relations Rodney McMullen - Chairman and CEO Todd Foley - Interim Chief Financial Officer Conference Call Participants Simeon Gutman - Morgan Stanley Rupesh Parikh - Oppenheimer Leah Jordan - Goldman Sachs Ken Goldman - JPMorgan Ed Kelly - Wells Fargo Michael Lasser - UBS John Heinbockel - Guggenheim Partners Michael Montani - Evercore ISI Robert Dickerson - Jefferies Jacob Aiken-Phillips - Melius Research Chuck Cerankosky - Northcoast Research Operator Good morning. And welcome to The Kroger Co. Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call.
Rodney McMullen, Kroger chairman and CEO, joins 'Money Movers' to discuss McMullen's thoughts on the proposed merger with Albertsons, if there are any regrets about the pursuit of acquisition, and much more.
Kroger delivers adjusted earnings of 98 cents per share, matching the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Identical sales without fuel rise 2.3%.
Shares Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) are trading flat at $59.84 at last glance, after the company reported mixed third-quarter results before today's opening bell.
Kroger (KR) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.98 per share, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. This compares to earnings of $0.95 per share a year ago.