Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Reaches New 1-Year Low – Should You Sell?

Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI)’s stock price reached a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $15.35 and last traded at $15.3310, with a volume of 1556129 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $15.66.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have commented on ACI. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and set a $21.00 price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research report on Monday, April 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Albertsons Companies from $23.00 to $22.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 15th. UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $23.00 to $20.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Albertsons Companies from $26.00 to $22.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut Albertsons Companies from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Ten 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. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $21.31.

Albertsons Companies Stock Performance

The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $16.56 and its 200-day moving average price is $17.13. The company has a market capitalization of $7.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 0.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.58, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a current ratio of 0.86.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 14th. The company reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.43 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $20.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $20.49 billion. Albertsons Companies had a return on equity of 42.75% and a net margin of 0.26%.Albertsons Companies’s revenue was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.46 earnings per share. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.220-2.320 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Albertsons Companies, Inc. will post 2.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Albertsons Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 8th. Investors of record on Friday, April 24th were given a $0.17 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, April 24th. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.4%. This is a boost from Albertsons Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. Albertsons Companies’s payout ratio is presently 212.50%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ACI. CWM LLC raised its position in Albertsons Companies by 103.5% during the fourth quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,435 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 730 shares during the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 185.1% in the fourth quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 1,628 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 1,057 shares during the last quarter. NBC Securities Inc. grew its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 91.2% in the fourth quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 1,855 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing 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 4th quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,062 shares of the company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 1,306 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Elevation Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Albertsons Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $46,000. 71.35% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.