Zacks Research Downgrades Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) to Strong Sell

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) was downgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

ACI has been the subject of a number of other reports. Citigroup reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $11.00 price objective (down from $17.00) on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research note on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on shares of Albertsons Companies from $20.00 to $14.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 24th. BMO Capital Markets cut shares of Albertsons Companies from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $23.00 to $12.00 in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and issued a $13.00 price target (down from $22.00) on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $20.00 to $13.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $15.31.

Albertsons Companies Price Performance

Shares of ACI stock opened at $12.07 on Tuesday. Albertsons Companies has a twelve month low of $10.86 and a twelve month high of $20.02. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 150.94, a P/E/G ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 0.42. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $14.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $16.25. The company has a current ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.22.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The company reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.54 by ($0.12). The firm had revenue of $24.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.84 billion. Albertsons Companies had a return on equity of 45.59% and a net margin of 0.08%.Albertsons Companies’s quarterly revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.55 EPS. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.750-1.850 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Albertsons Companies will post 1.64 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Albertsons Companies

In related news, EVP Thomas M. Moriarty bought 170,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, July 27th. The shares were bought at an average price of $11.51 per share, for a total transaction of $1,962,455.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the executive vice president directly owned 308,946 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,555,968.46. This trade represents a 123.15% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 1.18% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Albertsons Companies

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of ACI. CWM LLC raised its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 103.5% during the 4th quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,435 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 730 shares in the last quarter. NBC Securities Inc. boosted its stake in Albertsons Companies by 91.2% in the fourth quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 1,855 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 885 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Albertsons Companies by 172.8% in the fourth quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,062 shares of the company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 1,306 shares during the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its holdings in Albertsons Companies by 2,406.4% in the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 5,113 shares of the company’s stock worth $69,000 after purchasing an additional 4,909 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp increased its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 44.2% during the fourth quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 4,412 shares of the company’s stock worth $76,000 after purchasing an additional 1,353 shares in the last quarter. 71.35% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Albertsons Companies News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Insider buying provided a confidence signal. Executive Vice President Thomas Moriarty purchased 170,500 shares for approximately $2.0 million at an average price of $11.51, more than doubling his direct stake. Thomas Moriarty buys Albertsons shares
• Positive Sentiment: Cost-saving and digital initiatives offer potential upside. ACI Edge is expected to generate about $200 million in savings, while Albertsons is using artificial intelligence, digital sales and its 51.2 million-member loyalty program to improve personalization and efficiency. Execution will determine whether these investments translate into stronger earnings. Albertsons ACI Edge savings Albertsons AI digital and loyalty strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation is attracting deep-value interest. ACI trades near multi-year valuation lows after a steep 2026 sell-off, but investors remain divided over whether the discount adequately reflects weaker profitability and execution risks. Albertsons deep-value analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains cautious. UBS downgraded Albertsons to Hold and cut its price target to $12 from $20, while Citigroup reaffirmed Neutral. The analyst actions reflect uncertainty about the company’s recovery and leave limited near-term upside.
• Negative Sentiment: The earnings reset remains the primary overhang. Albertsons reported quarterly EPS of $0.42 versus the $0.54 consensus estimate and reduced fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $1.75–$1.85 from $2.22–$2.32. Margin pressure, weak grocery trends, high leverage and a 0.08% net margin further complicate the turnaround. Albertsons fiscal 2026 reset
• Negative Sentiment: Investor investigations add legal risk. Law firms, including Levi & Korsinsky, announced investigations into whether investors were misled about sales and earnings guidance. The notices do not establish wrongdoing but may increase reputational and litigation concerns. Albertsons investor investigation alert

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.