BMO Capital Markets Lowers Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Price Target to $23.00

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) had its price target reduced by investment analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $25.00 to $23.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “outperform” rating on the stock. BMO Capital Markets’ target price would indicate a potential upside of 37.96% from the company’s current price.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on ACI. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Albertsons Companies from $27.00 to $24.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $27.00 to $23.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 7th. Telsey Advisory Group reduced their target price on Albertsons Companies from $24.00 to $22.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. Bank of America lowered their price target on Albertsons Companies from $24.00 to $22.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 15th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $22.85.

Albertsons Companies Trading Up 0.3%

Shares of NYSE:ACI opened at $16.67 on Thursday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $17.51 and its 200 day moving average is $18.74. 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 has a 1 year low of $15.80 and a 1 year high of $23.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.76, a P/E/G ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.48.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 7th. The company reported $0.72 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.67 by $0.05. Albertsons Companies had a return on equity of 38.00% and a net margin of 1.06%.The business had revenue of $19.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.18 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.71 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2025 guidance at 2.080-2.16 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Albertsons Companies will post 2.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Anuj Dhanda sold 230,000 shares of Albertsons Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $19.25, for a total transaction of $4,427,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 300,577 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,786,107.25. This trade represents a 43.35% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Michael T. Theilmann sold 100,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $19.35, for a total value of $1,935,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 338,429 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,548,601.15. The trade was a 22.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 1.35% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in ACI. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its holdings in Albertsons Companies by 303.4% during the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 181,644 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,119,000 after buying an additional 136,618 shares in the last quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Albertsons Companies in the fourth quarter worth about $46,000. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 19.2% in the fourth quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 93,162 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,594,000 after acquiring an additional 15,024 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB boosted its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 185.1% during the 4th quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 1,628 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,057 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 148.0% during the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 4,431 shares of the company’s stock valued at $76,000 after acquiring an additional 2,644 shares during the period. 71.35% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Albertsons Companies

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 earnings beat — Albertsons reported $0.72 EPS vs. $0.67 expected, which supports the case that operating performance is holding up. Earnings Call Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend & yield — Board declared a $0.15 quarterly dividend (ex‑div Jan 23), yielding roughly 3.5–3.6%, which supports income‑oriented investors and underpins the value case.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts keep bullish ratings despite cuts — Multiple firms cut targets (JPMorgan, UBS, BMO, Telsey, Wells Fargo) but maintained buy/overweight/outperform stances, implying sizable upside from current levels. Analyst Notes
• Positive Sentiment: Value thesis & retail‑media optionality — MarketBeat and other analysts highlight deep valuation (single‑digit P/E vs. peers), institutional accumulation and growth potential from the company’s retail media network as catalysts for a multi‑quarter rebound. MarketBeat Article
• Neutral Sentiment: New coverage: Deutsche Bank initiated coverage with a “hold” — adds another voice but not a clear directional catalyst.
• Neutral Sentiment: Technical setup — Several pieces note ACI is oversold and could be ripe for a trend reversal; that reduces downside risk but timing is uncertain. Zacks Technical Note
• Negative Sentiment: Tepid / narrowed guidance — Management narrowed FY guidance and warned FY sales/profit will be hurt by lower Medicare drug pricing and a SNAP reimbursement impact; that’s the main driver of the recent negative re‑rating. Guidance Article
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure & pricing investments weighed on the stock — Even with an EPS beat, investors reacted to margin compression from pricing investments and lower pharmacy mix, driving a pullback after results. Zacks Earnings Reaction
• Negative Sentiment: Some bearish analyst moves — Barclays cut its target to $17 and moved to underweight, adding a lower‑end view that could pressure sentiment if others follow. Barclays Note

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.