Kroger (NYSE: KR) has mostly missed out on the retailing boom that has helped push customer traffic to new highs at rivals like Walmart (NYSE: WMT) and Target (NYSE: TGT). The supermarket chain has been predicting faster gains ahead, though, since its shift to a multichannel posture is only just starting while these peers are further along in their rebound projects.
Kroger's second-quarter report this week contained hopeful signs of progress in its recovery initiatives. However, it still showed stubborn market-share losses that suggest intense competition over grocery store shoppers.
Here's a look at how the latest results stacked up against the prior year period: