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

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

The company reported $0.42 EPS 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.88 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.55 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.750-1.850 EPS.

Albertsons Companies Announces Dividend

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

Albertsons Companies News Summary

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 Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently weighed in on ACI. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Albertsons Companies from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. UBS Group lowered their price target 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. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $21.00 to $18.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Albertsons Companies from $22.00 to $20.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their target price on shares of Albertsons Companies from $22.00 to $17.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 29th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $20.25.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Twin Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 1.7% during the 1st quarter. Twin Capital Management Inc. now owns 43,912 shares of the company’s stock worth $748,000 after purchasing an additional 721 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia lifted its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 5.4% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 14,041 shares of the company’s stock valued at $302,000 after purchasing an additional 723 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC lifted its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 103.5% in 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. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its holdings 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 purchasing an additional 774 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NBC Securities Inc. boosted its holdings in Albertsons Companies by 91.2% in the fourth quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 1,855 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 885 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.35% of the company’s stock.

Albertsons Companies Price Performance

The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $15.04 and its 200 day simple moving average is $16.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.64, a P/E/G 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.