Comparison
Kroger vs Walmart Stock: Grocery Comparison
Compare Kroger and Walmart stock, grocery market share, margins, and which retailer is the better investment.
Kroger vs Walmart Overview
Kroger is America’s largest pure-play supermarket chain while Walmart is the overall retail leader with grocery as its largest segment. Both compete intensely for grocery market share.
Company Comparison
| Metric |
Kroger |
Walmart |
| Market Cap |
~$45B |
~$650B |
| Total Revenue |
~$150B |
~$680B |
| U.S. Grocery Sales |
~$150B |
~$280B |
| U.S. Stores |
~2,700 |
~4,700 |
| Founded |
1883 |
1962 |
U.S. Grocery Market Share
| Retailer |
Market Share |
| Walmart |
~25% |
| Kroger |
~10% |
| Costco |
~7% |
| Albertsons |
~5% |
| Amazon/Whole Foods |
~3% |
Business Segments
Kroger
| Segment |
Revenue % |
| Supermarkets |
~85% |
| Fuel Centers |
~10% |
| Specialty (pharmacies, jewelry) |
~5% |
Walmart U.S.
| Segment |
Revenue % |
| Grocery |
~55% |
| General Merchandise |
~30% |
| Health & Wellness |
~15% |
Financial Comparison
| Metric |
Kroger |
Walmart |
| Revenue Growth |
~3% |
~5% |
| Gross Margin |
~22% |
~24% |
| Operating Margin |
~3% |
~4% |
| Net Margin |
~2% |
~3% |
| ROIC |
~13% |
~15% |
Valuation
| Metric |
Kroger |
Walmart |
| P/E Ratio |
~13x |
~30x |
| P/S Ratio |
~0.3x |
~0.95x |
| EV/EBITDA |
~6x |
~14x |
| Dividend Yield |
~2% |
~1.3% |
Kroger trades at a significant discount to Walmart.
Competitive Strategies
Kroger
- Strong private label brands (Simple Truth, Kroger)
- Personalization through loyalty data
- Digital/delivery expansion
- Smaller format stores
- Fuel rewards program
Walmart
- Everyday low price (EDLP)
- Massive scale advantages
- Walmart+ membership
- Store pickup and delivery
- International presence
E-Commerce & Delivery
| Factor |
Kroger |
Walmart |
| Online Sales |
~$15B |
~$80B+ |
| Delivery Coverage |
~90% of U.S. |
~80% of U.S. |
| Pickup Locations |
2,500+ |
4,500+ |
| Membership Model |
Boost |
Walmart+ |
Private Label Strength
| Metric |
Kroger |
Walmart |
| Private Label Sales |
~$30B |
~$100B+ |
| % of Sales |
~28% |
~20% |
| Key Brands |
Simple Truth, Kroger |
Great Value, Equate |
Private label drives higher margins for both.
Proposed Kroger-Albertsons Merger
Kroger’s attempted merger with Albertsons would:
- Create $200B+ grocery giant
- Improve scale vs. Walmart
- Face significant regulatory hurdles
- Require divestitures
Risks
| Risk |
Kroger |
Walmart |
| Competition |
High |
Medium |
| Margin pressure |
High |
Medium |
| Amazon/online |
High |
Medium |
| Labor costs |
High |
High |
Which Stock to Buy?
| Preference |
Choose |
| Lower valuation |
Kroger |
| Scale and diversification |
Walmart |
| Pure grocery play |
Kroger |
| Omnichannel leader |
Walmart |
| Higher dividend yield |
Kroger |
| Lower risk |
Walmart |
Walmart offers more stability while Kroger provides value potential.
Stock data as of early 2026. This comparison is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.