Albertsons Companies, Inc. $ACI Shares Purchased by KBC Group NV

Key Points

• KBC Group NV increased its stake in Albertsons by 214.3% in the first quarter, ending with 174,687 shares valued at about $2.98 million.
• Albertsons reported first-quarter EPS of $0.42, below analysts’ expectations, even though revenue of $24.94 billion slightly beat estimates. Management also pointed to continued growth in digital and pharmacy but noted pressure in core grocery sales.
• The company cut its fiscal 2026 guidance and warned that consumers are pulling back on grocery spending, which has weighed on the stock. In response, several brokerages lowered their price targets, reflecting a more cautious outlook.

KBC Group NV boosted its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI - Free Report) by 214.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 174,687 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 119,109 shares during the quarter. KBC Group NV's holdings in Albertsons Companies were worth $2,977,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of ACI. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Albertsons Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $388,089,000. Morgan Stanley lifted its stake 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 valued at $200,678,000 after purchasing an additional 5,873,759 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Albertsons Companies by 62.4% during the fourth quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 13,429,784 shares of the company's stock worth $230,595,000 after buying an additional 5,159,905 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in Albertsons Companies by 14.9% during 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 during the period. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership grew its position in Albertsons Companies by 113.0% during the fourth quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 4,749,331 shares of the company's stock valued at $81,546,000 after buying an additional 2,519,432 shares during the period. 71.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Albertsons Companies News Roundup

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

• Neutral Sentiment: Albertsons delivered first-quarter EPS of $0.42, missing expectations, while revenue of $24.94 billion was slightly ahead of estimates. The company also highlighted continued growth in digital and pharmacy, but core grocery sales showed pressure.
• Negative Sentiment: Management cut fiscal 2026 guidance, now projecting adjusted EPS of $1.75-$1.85 and lower sales growth, citing cautious consumers and weaker grocery spending. The company also signaled fiscal 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $3.55 billion-$3.625 billion, alongside $200 million in expected ACI Edge run-rate benefits as it pushes a turnaround plan. Albertsons Companies, Inc. Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2026 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Albertsons warned that consumers are pulling back on grocery spending, and multiple reports described softer same-store grocery demand as the main reason for the stock decline. Albertsons warns of softer grocery demand as consumers pull back
• Negative Sentiment: Several brokerages reduced price targets after the results, including Goldman Sachs to $16, JPMorgan to $14, Barclays to $12, RBC to $13, Telsey to $13, and Wells Fargo to $11, reflecting more cautious expectations for near-term performance.

Albertsons Companies Stock Down 3.9%

ACI stock opened at $10.99 on Friday. Albertsons Companies, Inc. has a 52 week low of $10.86 and a 52 week high of $20.47. The company has a quick ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.22. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $14.83 and a 200-day simple moving average of $16.36. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 137.44, a P/E/G ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 0.42.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The company reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.54 by ($0.12). Albertsons Companies had a net margin of 0.08% and a return on equity of 45.59%. The company had revenue of $24.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $24.84 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.55 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.750-1.850 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Albertsons Companies, Inc. will post 2.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Albertsons Companies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced 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 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. Albertsons Companies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 850.00%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. UBS Group decreased their price objective 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. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Albertsons Companies from $20.00 to $14.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Friday. Telsey Advisory Group reissued a "market perform" rating and issued a $13.00 price objective (down from $22.00) on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company cut Albertsons Companies from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and cut their price objective for the company from $18.00 to $11.00 in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Citigroup reduced their target price on Albertsons Companies from $22.00 to $17.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 29th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Albertsons Companies currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $16.38.

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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