KR
The Kroger Co. Consumer Staples - Grocery Investor Relations →
The Kroger Co. (KR) closed at $67.50 as of 2026-02-02, trading 28.3% above its 200-week moving average of $52.61. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from 19.6% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 58, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 3296 weeks of data, KR has crossed below its 200-week moving average 28 times. On average, these episodes lasted 28 weeks. Historically, investors who bought KR at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +31.7%.
With a market cap of $44.7 billion, KR is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 5.7%, which is healthy. Return on equity stands at 8.0%. The stock trades at 5.5x book value.
The company has been aggressively buying back shares, reducing its share count by 9.3% over the past three years.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in KR would have grown to $4383, compared to $2849 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 12.1% vs 10.6% for the index — confirming KR as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -20.8% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Growth of $100: KR vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After KR Crosses Below the Line?
Across 18 historical episodes, buying KR when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +13.8% after 12 months (median +15.0%), compared to +6.1% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 56% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +31.5% vs +19.8% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment KR crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
KR has crossed below its 200-week MA 28 times with an average 1-year return of +31.7% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1966 | Apr 1968 | 104 | 29.8% | -16.5% | +186632.7% |
| May 1968 | May 1968 | 2 | 2.3% | +57.4% | +185055.7% |
| Jan 1970 | Feb 1970 | 1 | 1.9% | +49.5% | +175096.7% |
| May 1970 | May 1970 | 1 | 7.0% | +70.3% | +180658.5% |
| Jun 1970 | Jul 1970 | 4 | 3.6% | +66.2% | +173706.3% |
| Sep 1971 | Sep 1971 | 1 | 0.2% | -29.2% | +139527.1% |
| Oct 1971 | Dec 1971 | 10 | 12.7% | -31.7% | +141243.8% |
| Feb 1972 | Jan 1975 | 154 | 42.7% | -21.8% | +141800.7% |
| Oct 1975 | Dec 1975 | 9 | 10.5% | +46.0% | +187167.6% |
| Oct 1988 | Nov 1988 | 1 | 32.8% | +384.6% | +23684.9% |
| Jun 1992 | Jan 1993 | 29 | 25.8% | +20.2% | +5056.1% |
| Dec 1999 | May 2000 | 22 | 26.6% | +53.3% | +1093.7% |
| May 2000 | Jun 2000 | 3 | 8.4% | +31.6% | +909.2% |
| Oct 2000 | Oct 2000 | 1 | 0.0% | +15.0% | +813.1% |
| Apr 2001 | Apr 2001 | 4 | 2.3% | -0.5% | +766.8% |
| Sep 2001 | Sep 2001 | 1 | 0.9% | -34.0% | +723.3% |
| Dec 2001 | Jun 2005 | 184 | 44.8% | -26.5% | +834.9% |
| Jan 2009 | Feb 2011 | 109 | 19.4% | -3.1% | +725.1% |
| Aug 2011 | Oct 2011 | 10 | 4.2% | +1.0% | +682.1% |
| Nov 2011 | Nov 2011 | 2 | 1.6% | +11.5% | +688.3% |
| May 2012 | Jun 2012 | 4 | 2.4% | +65.1% | +699.1% |
| Jul 2012 | Jul 2012 | 2 | 2.4% | +84.6% | +711.8% |
| Aug 2012 | Aug 2012 | 1 | 0.0% | +75.5% | +695.0% |
| Mar 2017 | Apr 2017 | 4 | 2.1% | -14.8% | +181.7% |
| Apr 2017 | May 2017 | 5 | 2.4% | -12.2% | +173.8% |
| Jun 2017 | Aug 2018 | 61 | 33.6% | +18.5% | +262.8% |
| Sep 2018 | Nov 2019 | 63 | 25.0% | -3.6% | +183.6% |
| Jan 2020 | Feb 2020 | 1 | 0.3% | +31.2% | +185.5% |
| Average | 28 | — | +31.7% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02