Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Price Target Cut to $22.00 by Analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) had its price objective decreased by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $23.00 to $22.00 in a research note released on Wednesday morning,Benzinga reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has an overweight rating on the stock.

Several other research firms have also recently commented on ACI. Evercore reduced their price target on Albertsons Companies from $21.00 to $20.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 23rd. UBS Group reduced their price objective on Albertsons Companies from $25.00 to $23.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Albertsons Companies from $23.00 to $21.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on Albertsons Companies in a report on Thursday, January 8th. They set a “hold” rating for the company. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $21.31.

Albertsons Companies Stock Up 1.7%

ACI opened at $16.62 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.58, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.20. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $17.51 and a 200-day simple moving average of $17.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.92, a P/E/G ratio of 0.47 and a beta of 0.45. Albertsons Companies has a 12 month low of $15.80 and a 12 month high of $22.78.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 14th. The company reported $0.48 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.43 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $20.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $20.49 billion. Albertsons Companies had a return on equity of 42.75% and a net margin of 0.26%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.46 EPS. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.220-2.320 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Albertsons Companies will post 2.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Albertsons Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 24th will be given a dividend of $0.17 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 24th. This is a positive change from Albertsons Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.1%. Albertsons Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 38.71%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Mason Investment Advisory Services Inc. increased its position in Albertsons Companies by 0.8% during the third quarter. Mason Investment Advisory Services Inc. now owns 79,188 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,387,000 after buying an additional 602 shares in the last quarter. 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 in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its position in Albertsons Companies by 32.9% during the third quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 2,524 shares of the company’s stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 625 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia increased its position in Albertsons Companies by 5.4% during the second quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 14,041 shares of the company’s stock worth $302,000 after buying an additional 723 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC grew its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 103.5% in the fourth quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,435 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 730 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other 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: Q4 earnings: EPS beat estimates ($0.48 vs. $0.43), driven by margin gains and digital/loyalty strength. This supports near-term earnings momentum. Albertsons Beats on Q4 Earnings Despite IRA Pharmacy Headwinds
• Positive Sentiment: FY26 guidance raised: Albertsons set adjusted EPS guidance of $2.22–$2.32, above consensus — a constructive signal for forward earnings. Albertsons forecasts $2.22-$2.32 adjusted EPS in fiscal 2026 while raising dividend 13% and resetting $2B buyback
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns boosted: board raised the quarterly dividend 13% to $0.17 and reset a ~$2B buyback — both typically support valuation and investor sentiment. Albertsons® Companies Announces 13% Increase in Common Stock Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish flows: unusual call option buying and coverage maintaining buy/overweight ratings suggest continued investor interest and conviction despite headline noise.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst target trims: UBS, Citi and JPM lowered price targets (e.g., to $20–$22) but kept buy/overweight stances — still showing meaningful upside from current levels.
• Neutral Sentiment: Positive long‑term analyst pieces highlight private‑label, data and cash‑return potential that underpin a value case for investors. Albertsons—Is It the Best Buy in the Grocery Aisle?
• Negative Sentiment: Opioid settlement: Albertsons reached a $774M settlement framework; the charge widened Q4 GAAP loss and raises legal/cash outflow risk in the near term. Albertsons Reaches $774 Million Opioid Settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Top‑line softness: Q4 revenue missed estimates and management warned FY sales will be below some Street forecasts amid competitive price pressure — a risk to margin/traffic if competition intensifies. Grocer Albertsons forecasts annual sales below estimates

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.