Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Receives “Neutral” Rating from Citigroup

Citigroup restated their neutral rating on shares of Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) in a research note released on Monday morning, Marketbeat.com reports. The brokerage currently has a $11.00 target price on the stock, down from their previous target price of $17.00.

Several other research firms have also issued reports on ACI. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated a “market perform” rating and set a $13.00 target price (down from $22.00) on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Friday. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on Albertsons Companies from $20.00 to $13.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday. UBS Group lowered their price target on Albertsons Companies from $23.00 to $20.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Barclays dropped their price objective on Albertsons Companies from $17.00 to $12.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Albertsons Companies from $20.00 to $14.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $15.92.

Albertsons Companies Price Performance

NYSE ACI opened at $11.38 on Monday. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $14.72 and its 200-day moving average is $16.31. The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.22. The company has a market capitalization of $5.57 billion, a PE ratio of 142.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 0.42. Albertsons Companies has a 12-month low of $10.86 and a 12-month high of $20.05.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The company reported $0.42 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.54 by ($0.12). Albertsons Companies had a return on equity of 45.59% and a net margin of 0.08%.The business had revenue of $24.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.84 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.55 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.750-1.850 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Albertsons Companies will post 2.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Albertsons Companies Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a $0.17 dividend. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. Albertsons Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 850.00%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in ACI. Fifth Third Bancorp raised its stake in Albertsons Companies by 2,707.5% in the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 123,867 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,111,000 after purchasing an additional 119,455 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Albertsons Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $388,089,000. Strategic Global Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Albertsons Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $2,858,000. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in Albertsons Companies by 14.9% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 39,330,507 shares of the company’s stock worth $675,305,000 after buying an additional 5,110,777 shares in the last quarter. Finally, III Capital Management increased its stake in Albertsons Companies by 78.9% during the 4th quarter. III Capital Management now owns 215,370 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,698,000 after acquiring an additional 95,000 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 71.35% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Albertsons Companies

Here are the key news stories impacting Albertsons Companies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Albertsons announced a new regional operating model and its “Merch United” initiative, which management says are intended to improve execution, merchandising, and the company’s competitive position. Investors may view these changes as potential longer-term turnaround catalysts. Albertsons Advances the ACI Edge With New Regional Operating Model
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually high call-option activity—4,588 calls purchased versus typical daily volume of 3,259—suggests some traders are positioning for a rebound, although options activity does not guarantee a fundamental improvement.
• Neutral Sentiment: Tom Thumb, Albertsons, and Randalls launched a back-to-school campaign with CeeDee Lamb to raise funds for childhood hunger. The initiative supports the brands’ community image but is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Back-to-School Nourishing Neighbors Campaign
• Negative Sentiment: Citi reaffirmed a Neutral rating but cut its price target to $11 from $17, while Barclays, RBC, and Goldman Sachs also lowered their expectations. The revisions reinforce concerns that more operational fixes are needed. Citi Downgrades Albertsons to Neutral
• Negative Sentiment: An investor-law-firm investigation is examining whether Albertsons adequately disclosed risks surrounding its sales and earnings guidance. Such notices can add headline and litigation risk, though they do not establish wrongdoing. Albertsons Investigation Notice

Albertsons Companies Company Profile

Albertsons Companies, Inc (NYSE: ACI) is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, operating a diversified portfolio of grocery store banners. Founded in 1939 by Joe Albertson in Boise, Idaho, the company has grown through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. Its core business activities encompass the sale of fresh produce, meat, bakery items, deli offerings, pharmacy services, and general merchandise. The company’s retail operations are complemented by an in-house private-label program, featuring brands such as O Organics, Open Nature, and Lucerne, which cater to a range of customer preferences and price points.

Throughout its history, Albertsons Companies has pursued growth via mergers and partnerships.