E-commerce business turned profitable this quarter.
Reported gross margin was 23.04%, reinforcing the quarter's better-than-guided profitability.
Kroger's new CEO Greg Foran outlined a strategy focused on operational efficiency, cost savings, and measured price investments, while reaffirming full-year guidance. Q1 results showed 1% identical sales growth (ex-fuel), e-commerce turning profitable, and a 30% ahead-of-plan cost savings start. The company announced new partnerships with DoorDash, Uber Eats, Google, and TikTok, while closing three fulfillment centers (likely Ocado) to improve e-commerce economics. Q1 identical sales (ex-fuel) grew 1%, with traffic up and loyal households growing 17 consecutive quarters.
Kroger's new CEO Greg Foran outlined a strategy focused on operational efficiency, cost savings, and measured price investments, while reaffirming full-year guidance. Q1 results showed 1% identical sales growth (ex-fuel), e-commerce turning profitable, and a 30% ahead-of-plan cost savings start. The company announced new partnerships with DoorDash, Uber Eats, Google, and TikTok, while closing three fulfillment centers (likely Ocado) to improve e-commerce economics. Q1 identical sales (ex-fuel) grew 1%, with traffic up and loyal households growing 17 consecutive quarters.
Reported gross margin was 23.04%, reinforcing the quarter's better-than-guided profitability.
Reported gross margin was 23.04%, reinforcing the quarter's better-than-guided profitability.
Guidance tone
New CEO Greg Foran set a confident but realistic tone, emphasizing the need for cost discipline and execution to close the gap, while highlighting positive signs like e-commerce profitability and market share gains.
Management mentioned applying AI across the business to improve efficiency and expanding AI-powered capabilities for real-time optimization in the media business.
Customer under pressure from high gas and SNAP cuts.. New CEO Greg Foran set a confident but realistic tone, emphasizing the need for cost discipline and execution to close the gap, while highlighting positive signs like e-commerce profitability and market share gains.
New CEO Greg Foran set a confident but realistic tone, emphasizing the need for cost discipline and execution to close the gap, while highlighting positive signs like e-commerce profitability and market share gains.
“Our e-commerce business, including media, turned profitable this quarter. That's a real step up and we intend to keep building on it.”
“Transportation was an unexpected headwind, resulting in 15 basis points of pressure in the quarter as higher oil prices impacted our fuel costs.”
Kroger's e-commerce business turned profitable this quarter ahead of schedule, driven by store-based fulfillment and media growth, signaling a shift that may pressure pure-play grocery delivery models. — Improving e-commerce economics at a major grocer could intensify competition for third-party delivery platforms and reduce their long-term growth prospects.
“Our new third-party partnerships with DoorDash and Uber Eats allow us to leverage our store network, provide faster delivery, and reach new customers.”
… fuel reward promotions, helping customers save at the pump in an environment where value matters more than ever, while driving incremental traffic to our stores. As a result, fuel reward redemptions were up 10% compared to last year. As noted earlier, we delivered a strong e-commerce performance in the quarter. Growth was led by convenience orders delivered in under an hour, which represented approximately 50% of our digital growth. Our new third-party partnerships with DoorDash and Uber Eats allow us to leverage our store network, provide faster delivery, and reach new customers. We gain share across every third-party platform where we operate, another proof point that we are beginning to pull away from traditional grocery. As part of the continued evolution of our hybrid fulfillment model, we closed three fulfillment centers at the end of the last quarter. In markets where we have a store presence, we retained nearly all of those households and successfully converted them to store-based delivery and pickup. These actions are already translating into better profitability. Our e-commerce business, including media, became profitable this quarter ahead of schedule. We expect …
Alphabet strengthens its advertising platform by integrating Kroger's first-party retail data, enhancing targeting capabilities.
“With Google's Display and Video 360 platform, advertisers can now use KPM's retail signals to reach audiences across YouTube and YouTube TV with SKU-level conversion reporting available for the first time.”
… a larger contributor to margin expansion over time. Our e-commerce results are also creating momentum for our media business, which delivered over 20% growth this quarter. This combination of Kroger's customer data, loyalty ecosystem, and expanded reach through partners is creating new opportunities for brands to engage customers in more targeted and effective ways. Recently, we deepened several partnerships. With Google's Display and Video 360 platform, advertisers can now use KPM's retail signals to reach audiences across YouTube and YouTube TV with SKU-level conversion reporting available for the first time. We're also the first retail media network set to launch a self-service collaboration with TikTok, giving brands direct access to KPM audiences within one of today's most influential platforms. Looking ahead, we are expanding our AI-powered capabilities to support real-time optimization, predictive budget allocation, and faster audience creation, positioning AI as a key enabler of both performance and scalability. We're encouraged by the progress we are seeing in media and believe we remain in the early stages of a long-term growth opportunity. None of the progress we …
TikTok gains a significant retail media partnership, expanding its advertising offerings with robust purchase data.
“We're also the first retail media network set to launch a self-service collaboration with TikTok, giving brands direct access to KPM audiences within one of today's most influential platforms.”
… customer data, loyalty ecosystem, and expanded reach through partners is creating new opportunities for brands to engage customers in more targeted and effective ways. Recently, we deepened several partnerships. With Google's Display and Video 360 platform, advertisers can now use KPM's retail signals to reach audiences across YouTube and YouTube TV with SKU-level conversion reporting available for the first time. We're also the first retail media network set to launch a self-service collaboration with TikTok, giving brands direct access to KPM audiences within one of today's most influential platforms. Looking ahead, we are expanding our AI-powered capabilities to support real-time optimization, predictive budget allocation, and faster audience creation, positioning AI as a key enabler of both performance and scalability. We're encouraged by the progress we are seeing in media and believe we remain in the early stages of a long-term growth opportunity. None of the progress we are making would be possible without our associates who are at the heart of everything we do. A great customer experience begins with a motivated, engaged, well-supported team, which is why we continue …
Kroger reported an unexpected 15 bps gross margin headwind from higher diesel costs, indicating transportation cost pressures are spreading broadly in the supply chain. — Rising fuel costs are squeezing margins across logistics-heavy industries; competitors and carriers may face similar headwinds.
… excluding rent, depreciation and amortization, fuel and adjustment items decreased nine basis points in the first quarter compared to the same period last year. The change in rates was primarily driven by higher than expected transportation costs, the deflationary impacts from eggs and planned pricing investments. These headwinds were partially offset by favourable mix in pharmacy, improved e-commerce profitability and sourcing benefits. Transportation was an unexpected headwind, resulting in 15 basis points of pressure in the quarter as higher oil prices impacted our fuel costs. We are managing this closely and expect some pressure to persist while oil markets remain elevated. Despite these near-term pressures, we continue to expect our FIFO gross margin rate to be positive on a full-year basis, with cost-saving initiatives ramping up throughout the year. Our operating, general and administrative rate, excluding fuel and adjustment items, increased 16 basis points in the first quarter, compared to the same period last year. The increase primarily reflects intentional investments in our associates, additional store hours, training, and new uniforms. These pressures were partially …