Kroger Co ( KR ) shares are trading higher by 2.39% to $73.69 Monday afternoon. The company last week reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter earnings. The company also received a number of analyst rating updates following the earnings print.

What To Know: Adjusted EPS came in at $1.49, topping the $1.46 consensus estimate, while identical sales excluding fuel rose 3.2%, exceeding projections despite ongoing consumer spending headwinds.

Quarterly revenue totaled $45.12 billion, slightly below expectations, but gross margin improved to 23% from 22% a year ago, aided by the sale of Kroger Specialty Pharmacy and lower supply chain costs.

CFO David Kennerley noted strong momentum, prompting Kroger ( KR ) to raise its full-year identical sales guidance (ex-fuel) from 2%-3% to 2.25%-3.25%, while maintaining conservative profit projections due to macroeconomic uncertainty.

Telsey Advisory Group analyst Joseph Feldman reiterated an Outperform rating and lifted his price target from $73 to $82, citing the company's strong execution, robust loyalty program, digital enhancements and brand strength. Other analysts also boosted their price targets, with Deutsche Bank, UBS, Guggenheim, and Morgan Stanley all raising their views.

Feldman expects continued growth and market share gains through expanded geography, personalized offerings and paid memberships, positioning Kroger ( KR ) well for 2025 and beyond.

According to data from Benzinga Pro, KR has a 52-week high of $74.11 and a 52-week low of $49.04.

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How To Buy KR Stock

Besides going to a brokerage platform to purchase a share – or fractional share – of stock, you can also gain access to shares either by buying an exchange traded fund (ETF) that holds the stock itself, or by allocating yourself to a strategy in your 401(k) that would seek to acquire shares in a mutual fund or other instrument.

For example, in Kroger’s case, it is in the Consumer Staples sector. An ETF will likely hold shares in many liquid and large companies that help track that sector, allowing an investor to gain exposure to the trends within that segment.

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