Kroger’s CEO search seems to have come to an end, with the grocer reportedly zeroing in on an executive who turned Walmart’s U.S. business around.
- Last year, Kroger announced that CEO Rodney McMullen was resigning following a board investigation.
- Kroger named lead director Ronald "Ron" Sargent as chairman and interim CEO in March.
- According to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, Foran is likely to become Kroger's next CEO, and the announcement could come on Monday.
Shares of Kroger Co. jumped nearly 3% in overnight trading heading into Monday after reports that the grocer is considering former Walmart executive Greg Foran as its next chief executive officer.
The stock rose 1.2% on Friday and gained more than 7% last week, marking its best weekly performance since June 2025. Kroger shares are up about 8% so far this year and are on track for a ninth consecutive year of gains if the momentum holds.
Kroger CEO Change
Last year, Kroger said that CEO Rodney McMullen was resigning from his post following a board investigation into his personal conduct, unrelated to the business.
The company said in March that McMullen’s personal conduct “was inconsistent with Kroger's policy on business ethics.” McMullen was Kroger’s CEO for more than a decade and had been with the grocer since 1978. This was on the heels of Kroger terminating its $25 billion merger effort with Albertsons. Kroger named lead director Ronald Sargent as chairman and interim CEO.
According to The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, the announcement of Foran becoming Kroger's next CEO is expected to land as early as Monday. Foran is known for turning around Walmart's U.S. business, where he served as CEO from 2014 to 2019. He later became CEO of Air New Zealand, but resigned in March 2025 and departed the airline in October.
Kroger has been grappling with increasingly price-conscious consumers who have become more selective in their purchases amid rising product prices linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on global trading partners.
How KR Retail Traders Feel
Retail sentiment on Kroger was in the ‘bearish’ territory, compared to ‘Neutral’ a month ago, with message volumes at ‘high’ levels, according to data from Stocktwits.
Shares of Kroger have gained more than 3% in the last 12 months.
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