Its stock rose nearly 2 percent in premarket trading Friday.
The Cincinnati company earned $279.1 million, or 51 cents per share. That's down from $280.8 million, or 46 cents per share, a year ago. It had fewer outstanding shares in the current quarter.
Revenue, including fuel, climbed 4 percent to $21.73 billion.
Analysts expected earnings of 49 cents per share on revenue of $21.89 billion.
Kroger Co. now anticipates fiscal 2012 earnings of $2.35 to $2.42 per share, up from $2.33 to $2.40 per share.
Analysts predict $2.38 per share.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)