Albertsons Companies’ (ACI) Neutral Rating Reiterated at UBS Group

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI)‘s stock had its “neutral” rating reissued by equities research analysts at UBS Group in a report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $12.00 price target on the stock, down from their previous price target of $20.00. UBS Group’s target price indicates a potential upside of 5.49% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other analysts have also weighed in on ACI. Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $11.00 price objective (down from $17.00) on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Monday. Barclays reduced their target price on Albertsons Companies from $17.00 to $12.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of Albertsons Companies from $24.00 to $16.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company cut shares of Albertsons Companies from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $18.00 to $11.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $20.00 to $13.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $15.31.

Albertsons Companies Stock Up 3.1%

NYSE ACI opened at $11.38 on Tuesday. Albertsons Companies has a twelve month low of $10.86 and a twelve month high of $20.05. The stock has a market cap of $5.57 billion, a PE ratio of 142.19, a PEG ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 0.42. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $14.72 and a 200 day simple moving average of $16.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.22, a quick ratio of 0.21 and a current ratio of 0.84.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The company reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.54 by ($0.12). The firm had revenue of $24.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.84 billion. Albertsons Companies had a net margin of 0.08% and a return on equity of 45.59%. The company’s revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.55 earnings per share. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.750-1.850 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Albertsons Companies will post 2.11 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Albertsons Companies by 14.9% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 39,330,507 shares of the company’s stock valued at $675,305,000 after buying an additional 5,110,777 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Albertsons Companies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $388,089,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in shares of Albertsons Companies by 11.8% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 15,013,525 shares of the company’s stock worth $255,855,000 after acquiring an additional 1,583,741 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings 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 worth $200,678,000 after acquiring an additional 5,873,759 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LSV Asset Management grew its position in Albertsons Companies by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 11,130,407 shares of the company’s stock worth $191,109,000 after acquiring an additional 183,900 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.35% of the company’s stock.

More Albertsons Companies News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Unusual options activity provided a limited bullish signal, with investors purchasing 4,588 ACI call options—about 41% above typical call volume. This may indicate that some traders expect a rebound following the recent selloff.
• Positive Sentiment: One Seeking Alpha analysis upgraded Albertsons, arguing that the company’s turnaround potential may already be more than reflected in the depressed share price. Albertsons: The Turnaround Is Priced For Failure
• Neutral Sentiment: Albertsons is advancing its ACI Edge regional operating model and Merch United initiatives, which management says are intended to improve execution and merchandising. These efforts could support longer-term performance, but their financial impact has not yet been demonstrated. Albertsons Advances the ACI Edge
• Neutral Sentiment: Tom Thumb, Albertsons and Randalls launched a back-to-school campaign with CeeDee Lamb to combat childhood hunger. The initiative enhances community engagement but is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Back-to-School Nourishing Neighbors Campaign
• Negative Sentiment: Albertsons reported quarterly EPS of $0.42, below the $0.54 consensus estimate, while revenue of $24.94 billion narrowly exceeded forecasts. The company also reduced its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS outlook to $1.75–$1.85, citing weaker consumers and a challenging operating environment. Albertsons Cuts Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Citigroup reaffirmed a “Neutral” rating but cut its price target to $11 from $17, saying Albertsons needs additional operational improvements. Citi Downgrades Albertsons to Neutral
• Negative Sentiment: Several law firms announced investigations into whether Albertsons adequately disclosed risks surrounding its fiscal 2026 guidance and quarterly performance. These notices do not establish wrongdoing, but they add legal and reputational uncertainty for investors. Albertsons Investigation Notice

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.