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The Kroger CoLTS:0JS2 +1.22%63 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 10.65% as of Apr. 2026, which is 19% below its 10-year median of 13.11. GuruFocus rates LTS:0JS2 with a GF Score™ of 63/100 and a GF Value™ of $67.24 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 221 Retail - Defensive companies, The Kroger Co ranks worse than 57.47% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. The Kroger Co's forward rate of return for was 10.65%.
The historical rank and industry rank for The Kroger Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
LTS:0JS2'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 9.66 Med: 13.11 Max: 22.91
Current: 11.71
During the past 13 years, The Kroger Co's highest Forward Rate of Return was 22.91. The lowest was 9.66. And the median was 13.11.
LTS:0JS2's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked worse than 57.47% of 221
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 14.27
vs LTS:0JS2: 11.71
Unlike the Earnings Yield %, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
The Kroger Co (LTS:0JS2) Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Explanation
Unlike the Earnings Yield, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is to make it comparable to the growth rate.
Be Aware
In the Forward Rate of Return calculation, the growth rate is added directly to today's free cash flow yield. Therefore the calculation is reliable only if the company can grow at the same rate in the future as it did in the past. Investors should pay close attention to this when researching growth stocks. A more accurate measurement for return is Return on Capital.
The Kroger Co Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
The Kroger Co Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for The Kroger Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
The Kroger Co Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
LTS:0JS2 vs SFM, ACI, WMK: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Grocery Stores subindustry, The Kroger Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
The Kroger Co Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, The Kroger Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where The Kroger Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
The Kroger Co Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Calculation
Forward Rate of Return is a concept that Don Yacktman uses in his investment approach. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. He said in the interview (March 2012, when the S&P 500 was at about 1400):
If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.
The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).
The Kroger Co's Forward Rate of Return of Apr. 2026 is
Forward Rate of Return
=
Normalized Free Cash Flow
/
Price
+
5-Year EBITDA Growth Rate
=
3.67009524
/
68.12
+
0.0526
=
10.65 %
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
What does a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 10.65% mean?
The Kroger Co (LTS:0JS2) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 10.65% as of Apr. 2026. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on The Kroger Co and its competitors. This is 19% below median its historical median of 13.11. Over the past decade, The Kroger Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 9.66 to 22.91. According to the industry distribution chart, The Kroger Co ranks #127 out of 221 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 57.5%.
Is The Kroger Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
The Kroger Co's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 10.65% is 19% below median its 10-year median of 13.11. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 9.66 to a high of 22.91. The Retail - Defensive industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 14.27. The Kroger Co's value of 10.65% is 25.4% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, The Kroger Co ranks #127 out of 221 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, The Kroger Co has a GF Score™ of 63/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The Kroger Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to SFM and ACI?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, The Kroger Co ranks #127 out of 221 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places The Kroger Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 14.27. The Kroger Co's value of 10.65% is 25.4% below this benchmark. Historically, The Kroger Co's own Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 9.66 to 22.91 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 13.11 vs. the industry median of 14.27, The Kroger Co has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Retail - Defensive companies is 14.27, based on 221 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. The Kroger Co's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 10.65% is 25.4% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % mean?
A high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on The Kroger Co and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 14.27 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. The Kroger Co's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 10.65%, which is 19% below median its own 10-year median of 13.11. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is The Kroger Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The Kroger Co (LTS:0JS2) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $67.24, compared to a current price of $56.46 — trading 16% below its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 10.65%, which is 19% below median its 10-year median of 13.11 and 25.4% below the Retail - Defensive industry median of 14.27. The Kroger Co's overall GF Score™ is 63/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % calculated?
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For The Kroger Co (LTS:0JS2), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 10.65% as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is The Kroger Co (LTS:0JS2) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The Kroger Co stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $56.46 is trading 16% below its estimated GF Value™ of $67.24.
GuruFocus considers The Kroger Co to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for LTS:0JS2:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 10.65% (19% below median its 10-year median of 13.11)
GF Value™: $67.24 vs. price of $56.46 (16% below fair value)
Industry Position: 25.4% below the Retail - Defensive median (#127 of 221)
No single metric tells the full story. See the LTS:0JS2 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Founded in 1883, Kroger is the largest pure-play supermarket operator in the United States, operating roughly 2,700 stores across more than 30 banners. Kroger's business is primarily grocery-led (roughly 78% of sales), spanning fresh food and private-label offerings, complemented by fuel centers (9%) and pharmacies (12%). The firm also generates income from advertising, data analytics, and manufacturing.
63GF Score
Get the complete analysis for LTS:0JS2
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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