Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Receives "Neutral" Rating from UBS Group

Key Points

• UBS reaffirmed its “Neutral” rating on Albertsons but cut its price target to $12 from $20, implying roughly 5.5% upside. Other analysts also reduced targets, bringing the consensus rating to “Hold” with a $15.31 average target.
• Albertsons reported quarterly EPS of $0.42, missing the $0.54 consensus estimate, while revenue of $24.94 billion slightly exceeded forecasts. The company’s fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance was set at $1.75–$1.85 amid weaker consumer conditions.
• Shares opened at $11.38, near their 12-month low of $10.86, after a significant decline in analyst price targets. Institutional investors own 71.35% of the stock, while the company faces additional uncertainty from announced investigations into its disclosures and guidance.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "neutral" rating reaffirmed by UBS Group in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $12.00 price objective on the stock, down from their prior price objective of $20.00. UBS Group's price objective would suggest a potential upside of 5.49% from the stock's current price.

A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. Barclays reduced their price target on Albertsons Companies from $17.00 to $12.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Citigroup reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $11.00 price objective (down from $17.00) on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research note on Monday. BMO Capital Markets lowered Albertsons Companies from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $23.00 to $12.00 in a report on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on Albertsons Companies from $24.00 to $16.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company downgraded Albertsons Companies from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and lowered their price target for the company from $18.00 to $11.00 in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Albertsons Companies has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $15.31.

Albertsons Companies Stock Performance

Shares of ACI opened at $11.38 on Tuesday. The company's fifty day moving average is $14.72 and its 200-day moving average is $16.31. Albertsons Companies has a 12 month low of $10.86 and a 12 month high of $20.05. The firm has a market cap of $5.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 142.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.22.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 business had revenue of $24.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.84 billion. Albertsons Companies had a net margin of 0.08% and a return on equity of 45.59%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.55 EPS. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.750-1.850 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Albertsons Companies will post 2.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Albertsons Companies

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. CWM LLC increased its position in Albertsons Companies by 103.5% in the 4th quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,435 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 730 shares during the period. NBC Securities Inc. boosted 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 acquiring an additional 885 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 172.8% in the fourth quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,062 shares of the company's stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 1,306 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP grew its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 64.5% in the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 2,799 shares of the company's stock worth $49,000 after acquiring an additional 1,097 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp grew its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 44.2% in the fourth quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 4,412 shares of the company's stock worth $76,000 after acquiring an additional 1,353 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.35% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Albertsons Companies

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

Albertsons Companies Company Profile

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.

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