Albertsons Companies, Inc. $ACI Holdings Cut by Trium Capital LLP

Key Points

• Trium Capital trimmed its Albertsons stake by 45.8% in Q4, selling 547,119 shares and leaving 647,653 shares (about 8.6% of Trium’s portfolio) worth roughly $11.1 million, making ACI its third-largest holding.
• Analysts have a consensus "Hold" rating on Albertsons with an average price target of $21.58, amid mixed recent notes including Morgan Stanley's underweight call and a $14 price target.
• EVP Michael T. Theilmann sold 49,000 shares at $17.63 (a 14.48% reduction in his stake); ACI trades near $17.44 and recently reported quarterly EPS $0.72, beating estimates by $0.05.

Trium Capital LLP trimmed its position in Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI - Free Report) by 45.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 647,653 shares of the company's stock after selling 547,119 shares during the period. Albertsons Companies comprises about 8.6% of Trium Capital LLP's investment portfolio, making the stock its 3rd largest position. Trium Capital LLP owned about 0.13% of Albertsons Companies worth $11,120,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AlphaQuest LLC purchased a new position in shares of Albertsons Companies during the 3rd quarter worth $1,492,000. Towle & Co. lifted its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 674.2% during the 3rd quarter. Towle & Co. now owns 339,227 shares of the company's stock worth $5,940,000 after purchasing an additional 295,413 shares during the period. AGF Management Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Albertsons Companies during the 3rd quarter worth $2,955,000. Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC purchased a new position in shares of Albertsons Companies during the 3rd quarter worth $2,307,000. Finally, Savoir Faire Capital Management L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 261.1% during the 3rd quarter. Savoir Faire Capital Management L.P. now owns 375,653 shares of the company's stock worth $6,578,000 after purchasing an additional 271,620 shares during the period. 71.35% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on Albertsons Companies in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. They set a "hold" rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley reiterated an "underweight" rating and set a $14.00 price objective (down from $20.00) on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Evercore cut their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $21.00 to $20.00 and set an "in-line" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, December 23rd. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $25.00 to $23.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $21.00 price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Monday. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Albertsons Companies has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $21.58.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Albertsons Companies news, EVP Michael T. Theilmann sold 49,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.63, for a total value of $863,870.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 289,429 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,102,633.27. This trade represents a 14.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 1.35% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Albertsons Companies Trading Down 1.6%

NYSE:ACI opened at $17.44 on Friday. The business's 50-day moving average is $17.55 and its two-hundred day moving average is $17.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.36, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.20. Albertsons Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $15.80 and a 12 month high of $22.78. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.96 billion, a PE ratio of 11.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 0.45.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 7th. The company reported $0.72 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.67 by $0.05. Albertsons Companies had a return on equity of 38.00% and a net margin of 1.06%.The company had revenue of $19.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.18 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.71 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Albertsons Companies, Inc. will post 2.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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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