Albertsons Companies Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NYSE:ACI)

Key Points

• Albertsons Companies saw unusual options activity on Thursday, with traders buying 21,151 call options. That was about 890% above the stock’s average daily call volume.
• The stock rose 2.4% to $14.31 amid below-average share volume, while shares remain well off their 52-week high of $22.49. Albertsons also has a market cap of about $7.01 billion and a beta of 0.42.
• Analysts have generally softened their targets in recent reports, though the stock still carries a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $20.54. The company also recently raised its quarterly dividend to $0.17 per share, or $0.68 annualized.

Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI - Get Free Report) saw unusually large options trading on Thursday. Stock traders acquired 21,151 call options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 890% compared to the average daily volume of 2,137 call options.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ACI has been the topic of several recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Albertsons Companies from $22.00 to $20.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Citigroup cut their target price on shares of Albertsons Companies from $22.00 to $17.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 29th. UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of Albertsons Companies from $23.00 to $20.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 15th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of Albertsons Companies from $21.00 to $18.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 29th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an "outperform" rating and set a $21.00 price target on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research note on Monday, April 6th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Albertsons Companies presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $20.54.

Albertsons Companies Trading Up 2.4%

NYSE:ACI traded up $0.33 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $14.31. The company had a trading volume of 1,558,850 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,280,129. 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 has a fifty-two week low of $13.16 and a fifty-two week high of $22.49. The firm has a market cap of $7.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 44.73, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 0.42. The business's fifty day moving average is $15.34 and its two-hundred day moving average is $16.61.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results 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. Albertsons Companies had a return on equity of 42.75% and a net margin of 0.26%.The company had revenue of $20.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.49 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.46 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.220-2.320 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Albertsons Companies will post 2.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Albertsons Companies Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 8th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 24th were issued a $0.17 dividend. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.8%. This is a boost from Albertsons Companies's previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. The ex-dividend date was Friday, April 24th. Albertsons Companies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 212.50%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ACI. CWM LLC lifted its holdings 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 in the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its stake in 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 acquiring an additional 1,057 shares during the period. NBC Securities Inc. increased its holdings 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 worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 885 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 172.8% during the fourth 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 during the period. Finally, Elevation Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Albertsons Companies during the fourth quarter worth about $46,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.35% of the company's stock.

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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