Sectors & IndustriesConsumer DefensiveGrocery Stores

Best Grocery Store Stocks to Buy Now (2026)

Top grocery store stocks in 2026 ranked by overall Zen Rating. "A" Rated stocks have returned an average of +32.52% per year, and are the best grocery store stocks to buy now. Learn More.

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best grocery store stocks to buy right now are:

Village Super Market (NASDAQ:VLGEA) is the #1 top grocery store stock out of 12 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +32.52% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Village Super Market (NASDAQ:VLGEA) is: Value: A, Growth: B, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: C, Financials: B, and AI: C.

Village Super Market (NASDAQ:VLGEA) has a Due Diligence Score of 42, which is 7 points higher than the grocery store industry average of 35.

VLGEA passed 15 out of 38 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Village Super Market has seen its stock return 24.59% over the past year, overperforming other grocery store stocks by 42 percentage points.

Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) is the #2 top grocery store stock out of 12 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +19.88% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) is: Value: C, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: B, Financials: B, and AI: C.

Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) has a Due Diligence Score of 29, which is -6 points lower than the grocery store industry average of 35. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates KR as a "B".

KR passed 10 out of 38 due diligence checks and has average fundamentals. Kroger Co has seen its stock lose -1.18% over the past year, overperforming other grocery store stocks by 16 percentage points.

Kroger Co has an average 1 year price target of $74.20, an upside of 8.04% from Kroger Co's current stock price of $68.68.

Kroger Co stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 10 analysts covering Kroger Co, 20% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 20% have issued a Buy, 60% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Ingles Markets (NASDAQ:IMKTA) is the #3 top grocery store stock out of 12 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +19.88% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Ingles Markets (NASDAQ:IMKTA) is: Value: C, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: A, Financials: B, and AI: C.

Ingles Markets (NASDAQ:IMKTA) has a Due Diligence Score of 41, which is 6 points higher than the grocery store industry average of 35.

IMKTA passed 14 out of 38 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Ingles Markets has seen its stock return 40.37% over the past year, overperforming other grocery store stocks by 58 percentage points.

Out of 7 grocery store stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 grocery store stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) has an annual dividend yield of N/A, which is N/A percentage points lower than the grocery store industry average of 2.14%.

Krispy Kreme's dividend payout ratio of 0% indicates that its dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) has an annual dividend yield of 3.64%, which is 1 percentage points higher than the grocery store industry average of 2.14%. Albertsons Companies's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Albertsons Companies's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Albertsons Companies's dividend payout ratio of 155% indicates that its dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Natural Grocers By Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) has an annual dividend yield of 2.35%, which is the same as the grocery store industry average of 2.14%. Natural Grocers By Vitamin Cottage's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% one times in the last 10 years. Natural Grocers By Vitamin Cottage's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Natural Grocers By Vitamin Cottage's dividend payout ratio of 25.8% indicates that its dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Grocery store stocks were down -1.5% in the last day, and up 1.26% over the last week.

We couldn't find a catalyst for why grocery store stocks are down.

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued grocery store stocks right now are:

Village Super Market (NASDAQ:VLGEA) is the most undervalued grocery store stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Village Super Market has a valuation score of 43, which is 13 points higher than the grocery store industry average of 30. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Village Super Market's stock has gained 24.59% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the grocery store industry by 42 percentage points.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) is the second most undervalued grocery store stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Albertsons Companies has a valuation score of 14, which is -16 points higher than the grocery store industry average of 30. It passed 1 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates ACI a Valuation Rating of "B".

Albertsons Companies's stock has dropped -22.43% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the grocery store industry by -5 percentage points.

Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) is the third most undervalued grocery store stock based on its Valuation Rating of C. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Kroger Co has a valuation score of 14, which is -16 points higher than the grocery store industry average of 30. It passed 1 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Kroger Co's stock has dropped -1.18% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the grocery store industry by 16 percentage points.

50% of grocery store stocks rated by analysts are a buy right now. On average, analysts expect grocery store stocks to rise by 26.5% over the next year.

9.09% of grocery store stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 18.18% of grocery store stocks are rated B (Buy), 72.73% are rated C (Hold), 0% are rated D (Sell), and 0% are rated F (Strong Sell).