Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI – Get Free Report) saw unusually large options trading activity on Monday. Investors purchased 4,588 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of 41% compared to the average daily volume of 3,259 call options.
Albertsons Companies Trading Up 2.3%
NYSE:ACI opened at $11.63 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $14.61 and a 200 day moving average of $16.28. Albertsons Companies has a 52 week low of $10.86 and a 52 week high of $20.02. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $5.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 145.44, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.42.
Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The company reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.54 by ($0.12). The firm had revenue of $24.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $24.84 billion. Albertsons Companies had a net margin of 0.08% and a return on equity of 45.59%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.55 EPS. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.750-1.850 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Albertsons Companies will post 2.11 earnings per share for the current year.
Albertsons Companies Dividend Announcement
Insider Buying and Selling
In other news, EVP Thomas M. Moriarty bought 170,500 shares of Albertsons Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 27th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $11.51 per share, with a total value of $1,962,455.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the executive vice president directly owned 308,946 shares in the company, valued at $3,555,968.46. The trade was a 123.15% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 1.18% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Trading of Albertsons Companies
Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. CWM LLC raised its position in Albertsons Companies by 103.5% during the 4th quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,435 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 730 shares during the last quarter. NBC Securities Inc. grew its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 91.2% in the 4th quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 1,855 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 885 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 172.8% during the fourth quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,062 shares of the company’s stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 1,306 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP increased its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 64.5% during the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 2,799 shares of the company’s stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 1,097 shares during the period. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp raised its holdings in shares of Albertsons Companies by 44.2% during the fourth quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 4,412 shares of the company’s stock valued at $76,000 after acquiring an additional 1,353 shares in the last quarter. 71.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Albertsons Companies News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Albertsons Companies this week:
- Positive Sentiment: ACI Edge could generate $200 million in savings. Albertsons’ technology and operating initiative is expected to improve efficiency and reduce costs, offering a potential earnings benefit if successfully implemented. Albertsons’ ACI Edge will produce $200M in savings
- Positive Sentiment: Options activity indicates some speculative interest. Traders purchased 4,588 ACI call options Monday, approximately 41% above typical call volume. This may reflect expectations for a rebound, although options activity alone does not establish a fundamental improvement.
- Neutral Sentiment: Albertsons is advancing its ACI Edge operating model. The company announced a new regional structure and its Merch United initiative, which could support better execution and merchandising over time. Albertsons advances ACI Edge with new regional operating model
- Negative Sentiment: UBS cut its ACI price target to $12 from $20 while maintaining a Neutral rating. The sharply lower target signals reduced confidence in Albertsons’ near-term recovery and leaves limited implied upside. UBS rating update
- Negative Sentiment: Citigroup also maintained Neutral but lowered its target to $11 from $17. Citi said additional fixes are needed, reinforcing concerns about execution and profitability. Citi downgrades Albertsons to Neutral
- Negative Sentiment: The core catalyst remains Albertsons’ earnings miss and reduced fiscal 2026 outlook. Quarterly EPS came in below expectations, and management lowered its full-year adjusted EPS guidance amid consumer weakness. The company’s high leverage and very thin net margin add to investor concerns.
- Negative Sentiment: Several law firms announced investigations into Albertsons. The inquiries focus on whether investors were misled regarding fiscal 2026 sales and earnings guidance after the disappointing results and outlook reduction. These notices add legal and reputational risk, though they do not represent proven wrongdoing. Albertsons investigation notice
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated a “market perform” rating and issued a $13.00 price objective (down from $22.00) on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Friday, July 24th. Wells Fargo & Company cut Albertsons Companies from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $18.00 to $11.00 in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. BMO Capital Markets downgraded Albertsons Companies from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $23.00 to $12.00 in a research report on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their target price on Albertsons Companies from $24.00 to $16.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on shares of Albertsons Companies from $20.00 to $14.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $15.31.
View Our Latest Research Report on Albertsons Companies
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.
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