Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Research Coverage Started at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft

Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) in a report published on Thursday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm issued a hold rating on the stock.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Telsey Advisory Group cut their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $24.00 to $22.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Monday, December 29th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their target price on Albertsons Companies from $25.00 to $23.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Albertsons Companies from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, November 2nd. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $22.85.

Albertsons Companies Stock Up 0.3%

NYSE:ACI opened at $16.67 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.36, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.20. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $17.51 and its 200-day moving average price is $18.72. The company has a market capitalization of $8.57 billion, a PE ratio of 10.76, a P/E/G ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.48. Albertsons Companies has a 1-year low of $15.80 and a 1-year high of $23.20.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 7th. The company reported $0.72 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.67 by $0.05. Albertsons Companies had a net margin of 1.06% and a return on equity of 38.00%. The business had revenue of $19.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.18 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.71 earnings per share. Albertsons Companies’s quarterly revenue was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2025 guidance at 2.080-2.16 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Albertsons Companies will post 2.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Albertsons Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 23rd will be paid a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 23rd. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.6%. Albertsons Companies’s dividend payout ratio is 38.71%.

Insider Activity at Albertsons Companies

In other news, EVP Michael T. Theilmann sold 100,000 shares of Albertsons Companies stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $19.35, for a total value of $1,935,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 338,429 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,548,601.15. The trade was a 22.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Anuj Dhanda sold 230,000 shares of Albertsons Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $19.25, for a total value of $4,427,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 300,577 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,786,107.25. The trade was a 43.35% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 1.35% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Albertsons Companies

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ACI. West Oak Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Albertsons Companies in the 2nd quarter worth about $30,000. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Albertsons Companies by 130.4% in the third quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 1,461 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 827 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB increased its stake in Albertsons Companies by 185.1% in the fourth quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 1,628 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 1,057 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP increased its stake in Albertsons Companies by 98.4% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,702 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 844 shares during the period. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC bought a new stake in Albertsons Companies during the 2nd quarter valued at about $43,000. 71.35% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More Albertsons Companies News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 earnings beat — Albertsons reported $0.72 EPS vs. $0.67 expected, which supports the case that operating performance is holding up. Earnings Call Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend & yield — Board declared a $0.15 quarterly dividend (ex‑div Jan 23), yielding roughly 3.5–3.6%, which supports income‑oriented investors and underpins the value case.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts keep bullish ratings despite cuts — Multiple firms cut targets (JPMorgan, UBS, BMO, Telsey, Wells Fargo) but maintained buy/overweight/outperform stances, implying sizable upside from current levels. Analyst Notes
• Positive Sentiment: Value thesis & retail‑media optionality — MarketBeat and other analysts highlight deep valuation (single‑digit P/E vs. peers), institutional accumulation and growth potential from the company’s retail media network as catalysts for a multi‑quarter rebound. MarketBeat Article
• Neutral Sentiment: New coverage: Deutsche Bank initiated coverage with a “hold” — adds another voice but not a clear directional catalyst.
• Neutral Sentiment: Technical setup — Several pieces note ACI is oversold and could be ripe for a trend reversal; that reduces downside risk but timing is uncertain. Zacks Technical Note
• Negative Sentiment: Tepid / narrowed guidance — Management narrowed FY guidance and warned FY sales/profit will be hurt by lower Medicare drug pricing and a SNAP reimbursement impact; that’s the main driver of the recent negative re‑rating. Guidance Article
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure & pricing investments weighed on the stock — Even with an EPS beat, investors reacted to margin compression from pricing investments and lower pharmacy mix, driving a pullback after results. Zacks Earnings Reaction
• Negative Sentiment: Some bearish analyst moves — Barclays cut its target to $17 and moved to underweight, adding a lower‑end view that could pressure sentiment if others follow. Barclays Note

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.