Kroger reported second-quarter sales of $34.621 billion and adjusted earnings of $1.09 per share, exceeding Wall Street estimates of $34.580 billion and $1.06, respectively. Identical sales excluding fuel rose 0.2%, supported by higher store and online traffic, while adjusted e-commerce sales increased 20% for a second consecutive quarter of profitable growth. Kroger said a Cyclospora outbreak reduced identical sales by about 35 basis points, lower pharmacy drug prices created another roughly 140-basis-point drag, and higher fuel prices, SNAP benefit cuts and cautious spending pushed consumers toward need-based purchases. The grocer lowered its full-year 2026 identical-sales forecast excluding fuel to 0.2%-0.8% from 1%-2%, while reaffirming adjusted EPS guidance of $5.10-$5.30. Kroger repurchased about $1.2 billion of stock during the first half under a $2 billion authorization and expects to complete the remaining repurchases in the second half. Shares were up 3.04% at $58.68 at publication Friday.