Kroger Crushes Earnings Estimates

Kroger (NYSE: KR  ) reported earnings on March 7. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Feb. 2 (Q4), Kroger met expectations on revenues and crushed expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue grew. GAAP earnings per share grew.

Gross margins dropped, operating margins increased, net margins expanded.

Revenue details
Kroger logged revenue of $24.15 billion. The 17 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ predicted sales of $24.00 billion on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 13% higher than the prior-year quarter's $21.41 billion.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
EPS came in at $0.88. The 22 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ forecast $0.69 per share. GAAP EPS were $0.88 for Q4 versus -$0.54 per share for the prior-year quarter.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

Margin details
For the quarter, gross margin was 20.9%, 240 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 3.4%, 80 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 1.9%, 330 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $30.09 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.87.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $99.79 billion. The average EPS estimate is $2.69.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 618 members out of 690 rating the stock outperform, and 72 members rating it underperform. Among 195 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 185 give Kroger a green thumbs-up, and 10 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Kroger is outperform, with an average price target of $28.11.

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