Recession Resistant Investing: 10 Best Grocery Stocks To Buy Now

4. The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 60

The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) is a food and drug retailer that operates supermarkets, fulfillment centers, and multi-department stores. It offers a range of organic food items. Its brand portfolio includes Smart Way, Big K, Heritage Farm, Simple Truth Organic, and Simple Truth. The company operates approximately 2,722 supermarkets, 2,257 pharmacies, and 1,665 fuel centers in 35 US states and the District of Columbia.

On April 3, Guggenheim analyst John Heinbockel raised the firm’s price target on the company to $73 from $71 and kept a Buy rating on the shares. The analyst opined that Kroger Co.’s (NYSE:KR) rising operating momentum from the ESI network re-entry, maturing Media business, and incremental KR Delivery growth should allow the recent multiple expansion to hold.

Kroger Co.’s (NYSE:KR) financials are also showing signs of improvement, which is why it ranks on our list of the best grocery store stocks to buy now. It delivered an 11% growth in digital sales in fiscal Q4 2024, and a 2.4% growth in identical sales without fuel. Operating profit for the quarter reached $912 million. The company’s management is confident in its plans for 2025, and expressed commitment to deliver a total shareholder return of 8% to 11% over time.