UBS Group Lowers Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Price Target to $23.00

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) had its target price cut by research analysts at UBS Group from $25.00 to $23.00 in a research note issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the stock. UBS Group’s target price indicates a potential upside of 37.96% from the stock’s current price.

Several other research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Albertsons Companies in a research report on Thursday. They set a “hold” rating for the company. Tigress Financial upped their price objective on Albertsons Companies from $28.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Barclays cut their price objective on Albertsons Companies from $19.00 to $17.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Albertsons Companies from $23.00 to $21.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Finally, BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on shares of Albertsons Companies from $25.00 to $23.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $22.85.

Albertsons Companies Stock Up 0.3%

Albertsons Companies stock opened at $16.67 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.36. Albertsons Companies has a 1-year low of $15.80 and a 1-year high of $23.20. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $17.51 and a 200 day simple moving average of $18.74. The company has a market cap of $8.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.76, a price-to-earnings-growth 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 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.67 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $19.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.18 billion. Albertsons Companies had a net margin of 1.06% and a return on equity of 38.00%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.71 EPS. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2025 guidance at 2.080-2.16 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Albertsons Companies will post 2.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Albertsons Companies

In related news, EVP Michael T. Theilmann sold 100,000 shares of Albertsons Companies stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $19.35, for a total transaction of $1,935,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 338,429 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,548,601.15. The trade was a 22.81% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Anuj Dhanda sold 230,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 16th. The shares were 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 owned 300,577 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,786,107.25. This trade represents a 43.35% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 1.35% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Albertsons Companies during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $320,613,000. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al bought a new position in Albertsons Companies during the 2nd quarter worth $81,463,000. Voya Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Albertsons Companies by 6,541.5% in the 1st quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 3,723,616 shares of the company’s stock valued at $81,882,000 after acquiring an additional 3,667,550 shares in the last quarter. Sound Shore Management Inc CT bought a new stake in shares of Albertsons Companies during the 2nd quarter valued at $65,530,000. Finally, LSV Asset Management grew its holdings in shares of Albertsons Companies by 34.4% during the 2nd quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 10,578,407 shares of the company’s stock worth $227,542,000 after purchasing an additional 2,705,368 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.35% of the company’s stock.

Albertsons Companies News Roundup

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.