The Kroger Co (LTS:0JS2) Free Cash Flow: $2,832 Mil (TTM As of Apr. 2026)

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LTS:0JS2 The Kroger Co LTS:0JS2
69 GF Score
Price $56.61
GF Value $67.38
Valuation Modestly Undervalued
! 2 Warning Signs
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What is The Kroger Co Free Cash Flow?

The Kroger Co LTS:0JS2 -1.27% 69 Free Cash Flow is $2,832 Mil as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus rates LTS:0JS2 with a GF Score™ of 69/100 and a GF Value™ of $67.38 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review.

The Kroger Co's total free cash flow for the months ended in Apr. 2026 was $481 Mil. Its total free cash flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $2,832 Mil.

The Kroger Co's Free Cash Flow per Share for the months ended in Apr. 2026 was $0.78. Its free cash flow per share for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $4.44.

During the past 12 months, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate of The Kroger Co was 63.80% per year. During the past 3 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 39.30% per year. During the past 5 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was -2.90% per year. During the past 10 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 18.30% per year. Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the Free Cash Flow Growth Rate using Free Cash Flow per Share data.

During the past 13 years, The Kroger Co's highest 3-Year average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 96.40% per year. The lowest was -47.90% per year. And the median was 1.60% per year.


The Kroger Co  (LTS:0JS2) Free Cash Flow Explanation

Free Cash Flow is very close to Warren Buffett's definition of Owner's Earnings, except that in Warren Buffett's Owner's Earnings, the spending for Property, Plant, and Equipment is only for maintenance (replacement), while in the Free Cash Flow calculation, the cost of new Property, Plant, and Equipment due to business expansion is also deducted. There, Free Cash Flow is more conservative than Owner's Earnings.

In Don Yacktman's calculation of forward rate of return, he uses Free Cash Flow for the calculation. 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.

This is what Yacktman said in his March 2012 interview - when the S&P 500 was at 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).

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 because research shows that five years is the length of the typical business cycle.

Therefore, as of Apr26, The Kroger Co's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is

Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % (Apr26)=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.


Be Aware

Free Cash Flow within a report period can be affected by management's decisions of capital spending. Therefore, it is important to look at long term when it comes to Free Cash Flow.


The Kroger Co Free Cash Flow Related Terms


The Kroger Co Free Cash Flow Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for The Kroger Co's Free Cash Flow 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 Free Cash Flow Chart

The Kroger Co Annual Data
Trend Jan17 Jan18 Jan19 Jan20 Jan21 Jan22 Jan23 Jan24 Jan25 Jan26
Free Cash Flow
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 3,576.00 1,420.00 2,884.00 1,777.00 3,456.00

The Kroger Co Quarterly Data
Jul21 Oct21 Jan22 Apr22 Jul22 Oct22 Jan23 Apr23 Jul23 Oct23 Jan24 Apr24 Jul24 Oct24 Jan25 Apr25 Jul25 Oct25 Jan26 Apr26
Free Cash Flow Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 1,105.00 615.00 29.00 1,707.00 481.00
LTS:0JS2
69GF Score
The Kroger Co LTS:0JS2
Free Cash Flow is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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The Kroger Co Free Cash Flow Calculation

Free Cash Flow is considered one of the most important parameters to measure a company's earnings power by value investors because it is not subject to estimates of Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization (DDA). However, when we look at the Free Cash Flow, we should look from a long term perspective, because any year's Free Cash Flow can be drastically affected by the spending on Property, Plant, & Equipment (PPE) of the business in that year. Over the long term, Free Cash Flow should give pretty good picture on the real earnings power of the company.

The Kroger Co's Free Cash Flow for the fiscal year that ended in Jan. 2026 is calculated as

Free Cash Flow (A: Jan. 2026 )=Cash Flow from Operations+Capital Expenditure
=7311+-3855
=3,456

The Kroger Co's Free Cash Flow for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 is calculated as

Free Cash Flow (Q: Apr. 2026 )=Cash Flow from Operations+Capital Expenditure
=1774+-1293
=481

Free Cash Flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $2,832 Mil.

* 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.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Free Cash Flow →
What does a Free Cash Flow of $2,832 Mil mean?
The Kroger Co (LTS:0JS2) has a Free Cash Flow of $2,832 Mil as of Apr. 2026. Free cash flow represents the total amount of cash a company has on hand following operating and capital expenditures. View historial data for The Kroger Co and its competitors.
Is The Kroger Co's Free Cash Flow too high?
The Kroger Co's current Free Cash Flow is $2,832 Mil. Overall, The Kroger Co has a GF Score™ of 69/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The Kroger Co's Free Cash Flow compare to SFM and ACI?
The Kroger Co's Free Cash Flow of $2,832 Mil can be compared against companies in the Retail - Defensive industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Free Cash Flow for a Retail - Defensive company?
A good Free Cash Flow depends on the Retail - Defensive industry context. However, Free Cash Flow should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Free Cash Flow mean?
A high Free Cash Flow can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Free cash flow represents the total amount of cash a company has on hand following operating and capital expenditures. View historial data for The Kroger Co and its competitors. The Kroger Co's current Free Cash Flow is $2,832 Mil. 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 $67.38, compared to a current price of $56.61 — trading 16% below its estimated fair value. The current Free Cash Flow is $2,832 Mil. The Kroger Co's overall GF Score™ is 69/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Free Cash Flow calculated?
Free Cash Flow is calculated from a company's financial statements. For The Kroger Co (LTS:0JS2), the current Free Cash Flow is $2,832 Mil 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 $56.61 is trading 16% below its estimated GF Value™ of $67.38. GuruFocus considers The Kroger Co to be Modestly Undervalued.

Key valuation signals for LTS:0JS2:

  • Free Cash Flow: $2,832 Mil
  • GF Value™: $67.38 vs. price of $56.61 (16% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 69/100 with 2 warning signs

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.


The Kroger Co Business Description

Address 1014 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 45202-1100
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.
69GF Score

Get the complete analysis for LTS:0JS2

Free Cash Flow is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$56.61
Price
$67.38
GF Value