Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 1.750-1.850 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 2.140. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have weighed in on ACI. Weiss Ratings cut Albertsons Companies from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup dropped their target price on Albertsons Companies from $22.00 to $17.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, June 29th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Albertsons Companies from $21.00 to $18.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of Albertsons Companies from $22.00 to $20.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $21.00 price target on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research report on Monday, April 6th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $20.25.

Albertsons Companies Trading Down 21.5%

Shares of ACI traded down $3.14 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $11.46. The stock had a trading volume of 8,824,051 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,236,342. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.58, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.20. The business’s fifty day moving average is $15.04 and its 200 day moving average is $16.43. Albertsons Companies has a 52-week low of $11.50 and a 52-week high of $20.81. The firm has a market cap of $5.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.78, a P/E/G ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 0.42.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The company reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.55 by ($0.13). The business had revenue of $24.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.88 billion. Albertsons Companies had a return on equity of 42.75% and a net margin of 0.26%.Albertsons Companies’s revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.55 EPS. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.750-1.850 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Albertsons Companies will post 2.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Albertsons Companies Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be given a dividend of $0.17 per share. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. Albertsons Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 212.50%.

Key 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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Atlas Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Albertsons Companies in the fourth quarter valued at $84,000. Parallel Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 44.2% during the fourth quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 5,382 shares of the company’s stock worth $92,000 after buying an additional 1,650 shares in the last quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Albertsons Companies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $93,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in Albertsons Companies by 11.8% in the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 7,326 shares of the company’s stock worth $126,000 after acquiring an additional 774 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 1,728.3% in the 2nd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 6,582 shares of the company’s stock valued at $139,000 after purchasing an additional 6,222 shares during the last quarter. 71.35% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.