Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Sets New 1-Year Low on Disappointing Earnings

Shares of Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI) hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Thursday following a dissappointing earnings announcement. The stock traded as low as $11.68 and last traded at $11.6860, with a volume of 3511678 shares. The stock had previously closed at $14.60.

The company reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.55 by ($0.13). Albertsons Companies had a return on equity of 42.75% and a net margin of 0.26%.The company had revenue of $24.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.88 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.55 earnings per share. The firm’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.

Albertsons Companies Announces Dividend

The company 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 dividend of $0.17 per share. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. Albertsons Companies’s dividend payout ratio is 212.50%.

More Albertsons Companies News

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

• Negative Sentiment: Albertsons reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 EPS of $0.42, missing analyst expectations of $0.55 and down from $0.55 a year ago, signaling weaker-than-expected earnings performance. View Press Release
• Negative Sentiment: The company cut its fiscal 2026 sales outlook, saying grocery shoppers are becoming more cautious and are tightening budgets, which raises concern about near-term revenue growth. Albertsons Cuts FY Sales View as Grocery Shoppers Grow Cautious
• Negative Sentiment: Albertsons also lowered FY 2026 EPS guidance to $1.75-$1.85, below the $2.14 consensus estimate, which suggests analysts and investors may need to reset expectations lower.
• Neutral Sentiment: The company announced a new regional operating model and an updated Merch United merchandising approach, which could support longer-term efficiency but does not appear to offset the weaker earnings and guidance in the near term. Albertsons® Companies Advances the ACI Edge with New Regional Operating Model and Merch United
• Neutral Sentiment: President and CFO Sharon McCollam plans to retire later this year, creating an executive transition that investors may watch for signs of continuity in financial strategy. Albertsons® Companies Announces Retirement of President and Chief Financial Officer Sharon McCollam

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $21.00 price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research note on Monday, April 6th. Weiss Ratings lowered Albertsons Companies from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Albertsons Companies from $21.00 to $18.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 29th. UBS Group cut their price target on Albertsons Companies from $23.00 to $20.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $22.00 to $20.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Albertsons Companies presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $20.25.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Albertsons Companies during the fourth quarter worth $388,089,000. Morgan Stanley raised its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 101.0% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 11,687,694 shares of the company’s stock valued at $200,678,000 after buying an additional 5,873,759 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in Albertsons Companies by 62.4% in the fourth quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 13,429,784 shares of the company’s stock worth $230,595,000 after purchasing an additional 5,159,905 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 14.9% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 39,330,507 shares of the company’s stock valued at $675,305,000 after purchasing an additional 5,110,777 shares during the period. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership grew its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 113.0% in the 4th quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 4,749,331 shares of the company’s stock valued at $81,546,000 after purchasing an additional 2,519,432 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.35% of the company’s stock.

Albertsons Companies Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.58. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $15.04 and a 200-day moving average price of $16.43. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.64, a PEG ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 0.42.

About Albertsons Companies

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.