The Kroger Co. (KR) director updates holdings with new phantom stock grant

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

The Kroger Co. director reported updates to her equity holdings. As of a transaction dated 12/01/2025, she directly owned 31,025 shares of Kroger common stock.

She also acquired 124.002 phantom stock incentive shares at a reference price of $67.55 through dividend reinvestment under a Kroger deferred compensation plan. After this transaction, she held a total of 24,056.387 phantom stock units, each representing the right to receive one Kroger common share when amounts are distributed from her deferred compensation account.

The phantom stock will be distributed after her service as an independent director ends, meaning these awards track Kroger’s stock value for compensation purposes but are settled in shares at a later date rather than immediately.

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Gates Anne

(Last) (First) (Middle)

THE KROGER CO.

1014 VINE STREET

(Street)

CINCINNATI OH 45202

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
KROGER CO [ KR ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

X	Director		10% Owner
	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/01/2025

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock								31,025	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Phantom Stock - Incentive Shares	(1)	12/01/2025		A		124.002(2)		(3)	(3)	Common Stock	124.002	$67.55	24,056.387	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Each phantom share represents the right to receive one common share upon distribution from the deferred compensation account.

2. Represents phantom stock acquired in dividend reinvestment transactions under a deferred compensation plan of The Kroger Co.

3. Shares of phantom stock will be distributed following termination of the reporting person's services as an Independent Director of The Kroger Co.

	/s/ Anne Gates, by Dorothy D. Roberts, Attorney-in-Fact	12/02/2025
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
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