WarrenAI's latest Investing Pro-driven ranking of supermarket equities spots four names that embody different investment profiles across valuation, momentum and balance-sheet strength. Using Investing Pro's Fair Value, Pro Score, technical indicators, analyst price targets and a range of other metrics, the model highlights Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market, Weis Markets and Albertsons as the top supermarket picks for 2026 - each for distinct reasons.
The list underscores competing investment themes within the grocery sector: incumbent scale and management change, rapid but volatile growth narratives, reliable dividend payers with low leverage, and deep-value opportunities complicated by elevated debt.
Kroger (KR) - Sector giant reinvents under new leadership
Kroger tops the ranking with a 12.5% fair value upside, a Pro Score of 2.32 and a 2.0% dividend yield. The company reported $147.12 billion in revenue, and EPS growth is forecast at 35.9%. Kroger's dividend history shows an average annual increase of 13% since 2006. The stock's one-year price return stands at 7.4%, outpacing the sector average.
The company's management transition - the appointment of Greg Foran, formerly head of Walmart U.S., as CEO - has prompted varied analyst commentary. Wolfe Research has reiterated an Outperform rating with a $75 price target, while Evercore ISI places fair value at $84. Jefferies has reiterated a Buy rating, and BMO Capital maintains a Market Perform rating. Technical signals are mixed: short-term technicals read weak, but weekly and monthly charts show long-term bullishness with strong buy signals.
Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM) - Volatile growth with high upside potential
Sprouts ranks second with the highest Pro Score among the group at 3.16 and a 13.3% fair value upside. Analysts carry a consensus target of $100.93, which the ranking notes is nearly 50% above the current share price referenced by the model. Despite the lofty targets, the stock has plunged 61.5% over the past year amid sector rotation and valuation pressure.
Revenue growth is forecast at 14.1% and EPS growth at 42.6%, reflecting elevated growth expectations. The company carries a 127% debt-to-equity ratio and does not pay a dividend. Technicals are mixed: short-term indicators show a sell signal, while the potential for longer-term momentum exists if earnings surprises materialize. Several analysts - including UBS, Evercore ISI and Jefferies - have lowered price targets in response to concerns about consumer trends and competitive pressures; Evercore ISI specifically trimmed its target to $83, highlighting near-term risk despite long-term thematic tailwinds tied to healthy eating trends.
Weis Markets (WMK) - Quiet, consistent performer
Weis Markets presents a lower-profile, steady option with a 2.1% dividend yield, an 11.3% fair value upside and a Pro Score of 2.57. Its one-year return is positive at 3.4% and the company has low leverage, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 12% and a financial health score rated "GOOD." Revenue is listed at $4.79 billion, EPS growth is forecast at 16.1%, and market capitalization is $1.80 billion.
Technically, Weis shows strength across timeframes: major technical indicators are flashing buy or strong buy, and the stock is trading close to its fair value. Recent dividend increases are cited as a sign of management confidence, suggesting steady cash flow and shareholder returns as central pillars of the investment case.
Albertsons (ACI) - Value pick with structural debt concerns
Albertsons is positioned as the deep-value name on the list, offering a 2.9% dividend yield and trading at a 7.9x forward price-to-earnings multiple. The Pro Score recorded is 2.23. Revenue totals $80.39 billion and EPS growth is forecast at 39.8%.
Despite the attractive multiples, Albertsons carries significant leverage with a 418.9% debt-to-equity ratio. The stock has underperformed over the past year, showing a negative 9.0% one-year return and only a 4.2% fair value upside. Both short-term and long-term technical indicators flash sell, though the ranking notes that initiatives such as AI-driven advertising could potentially alter market sentiment.
Collectively, the WarrenAI rankings emphasize that the supermarket sector in 2026 is a tapestry of divergent risk-reward profiles: scalable incumbents undergoing leadership change, high-upside but high-volatility growth names, compact regional operators with stable dividends and low leverage, and balance-sheet-constrained firms priced for recovery. The rankings rely explicitly on Investing Pro inputs - fair value, Pro Score, technicals, analyst price targets and other metrics - without adding forward-looking claims beyond those data points.