Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI) Given Average Recommendation of “Hold” by Brokerages

Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI) has been given an average recommendation of “Hold” by the seventeen research firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $21.9231.

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Albertsons Companies from $19.00 to $17.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. They issued a “hold” rating on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “underweight” rating and issued a $14.00 price target (down previously from $20.00) on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on Albertsons Companies from $25.00 to $23.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 8th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Albertsons Companies news, EVP Michael T. Theilmann sold 49,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.63, for a total transaction of $863,870.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 289,429 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,102,633.27. This represents a 14.48% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 1.35% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Albertsons Companies

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Mason Investment Advisory Services Inc. increased its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Mason Investment Advisory Services Inc. now owns 78,586 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,690,000 after purchasing an additional 524 shares during the last quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Albertsons Companies by 3.4% during the second quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 17,870 shares of the company’s stock worth $384,000 after purchasing an additional 592 shares during the period. Okabena Investment Services Inc. increased its position in Albertsons Companies by 1.0% during the third quarter. Okabena Investment Services Inc. now owns 63,122 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,105,000 after buying an additional 602 shares during the last quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in Albertsons Companies by 0.8% during the second quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 83,260 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,791,000 after buying an additional 623 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. raised its stake in Albertsons Companies by 32.9% in the third quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 2,524 shares of the company’s stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 625 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 71.35% of the company’s stock.

Albertsons Companies Stock Down 0.8%

NYSE:ACI opened at $17.05 on Monday. Albertsons Companies has a 1 year low of $15.80 and a 1 year high of $23.20. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $17.42 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $18.38. The stock has a market cap of $8.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.00, a PEG ratio of 0.51 and a beta of 0.48. 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 (NYSE:ACI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 7th. The company reported $0.72 earnings per share 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 business had revenue of $19.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.18 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.71 EPS. Albertsons Companies’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2025 guidance at 2.080-2.16 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Albertsons Companies will post 2.14 earnings per share for the current year.

Albertsons Companies Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 6th. Investors of record on Friday, January 23rd will be given a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 23rd. Albertsons Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 38.71%.

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.