Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Lowered to “Strong Sell” Rating by Zacks Research

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

Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Albertsons Companies from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on shares of Albertsons Companies from $20.00 to $13.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Albertsons Companies from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and decreased their price target for the company from $18.00 to $11.00 in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Citigroup restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $11.00 price objective (down from $17.00) on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research report on Monday. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $12.00 price objective (down from $20.00) on shares of Albertsons Companies in a research note on Tuesday. Five investment 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. According to MarketBeat.com, Albertsons Companies has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $15.31.

Albertsons Companies Price Performance

Shares of ACI opened at $12.07 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $5.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 150.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 0.42. Albertsons Companies has a 1 year low of $10.86 and a 1 year high of $20.02. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $14.51 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $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 announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The company reported $0.42 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.54 by ($0.12). The company had revenue of $24.94 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.84 billion. Albertsons Companies had a net margin of 0.08% and a return on equity of 45.59%. The business’s revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.55 earnings per share. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.750-1.850 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Albertsons Companies will post 1.64 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Albertsons Companies

In related news, EVP Thomas M. Moriarty acquired 170,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 27th. The stock was bought at an average price of $11.51 per share, with a total value of $1,962,455.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 308,946 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,555,968.46. The trade was a 123.15% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal 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 Investors Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ACI. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Albertsons Companies by 109.5% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,542,468 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,919,000 after purchasing an additional 806,336 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new position in shares of Albertsons Companies during the first quarter worth about $1,090,000. M&T Bank Corp grew its holdings in shares of Albertsons Companies by 21.4% during the second quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 14,364 shares of the company’s stock worth $308,000 after buying an additional 2,528 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Albertsons Companies by 39.3% during the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 504,944 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,861,000 after buying an additional 142,457 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Nova Scotia raised its position in Albertsons Companies by 5.4% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 14,041 shares of the company’s stock valued at $302,000 after buying an additional 723 shares during the last quarter. 71.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Albertsons Companies

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

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.