But while Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN ) acquiring Whole Foods really soured that sentiment, it wasn't as if Kroger stock was on fire before that mid-2017 announcement. With a lack of food inflation - which admittedly could pick up pace - Kroger has a harder time raising prices in the store. So as competitive pressures heat up or the company ratchets up spending to expand growth initiatives, there's not much wiggle room on the bottom line.