KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR), headquartered in New York, is a private equity and real estate investment firm specializing in direct and fund-of-fund investments. Valued at $91.4 billion by market cap, the leading global investment firm manages investments such as private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, credit strategies, and hedge funds.
Shares of this private equity gianthave notably underperformed the broader market over the past year. KKR has declined 15.8% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied nearly 31%. In 2026, KKR stock is down 22%, compared to the SPX’s 8.3% rise on a YTD basis.
Narrowing the focus, KKR’s underperformance is also apparent compared to Invesco Global Listed Private Equity ETF (PSP). The exchange-traded fund has declined about 5.5% over the past year. Moreover, the ETF’s 8.6% dip on a YTD basis outshine the stock’s double-digit losses over the same time frame.
On May 5, KKR shares closed down more than 1% after reporting its Q1 results. Its adjusted EPS came in at $1.39, up 20.9% year over year. The company’s fee related earnings increased 23.6% from the year-ago quarter to $10.2 billion.
For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect KKR’s EPS to grow 28% to $5.40 on a diluted basis. The company’s earnings surprise history is mixed. It beat the consensus estimate in two of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on two other occasions.
Among the 20 analysts covering KKR stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on 14 “Strong Buy” ratings, two “Moderate Buys,” three “Holds,” and one “Strong Sell.”
This configuration is less bullish than a month ago, with an overall “Strong Buy” rating.
On May 7, Barclays PLC (BCS) kept an “Overweight” rating on KKR and lowered the price target to $122, implying a potential upside of 22.7% from current levels.
The mean price target of $124.79 represents a 25.5% premium to KKR’s current price levels. The Street-high price target of $153 suggests an ambitious upside potential of 53.8%.
On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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