Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Stock Price Down 5.1% – Should You Sell?

Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI)’s share price traded down 5.1% on Thursday . The company traded as low as $15.93 and last traded at $16.1750. 885,401 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 87% from the average session volume of 7,076,117 shares. The stock had previously closed at $17.05.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $23.00 to $22.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. UBS Group cut their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $23.00 to $20.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Citigroup cut their price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies from $26.00 to $22.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Albertsons Companies from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $21.00 price objective on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Monday, April 6th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $21.31.

Albertsons Companies Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.58. The company’s fifty day moving average is $16.88 and its two-hundred day moving average is $17.31. The stock has a market cap of $8.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.92, a P/E/G ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.43.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 14th. The company reported $0.48 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.43 by $0.05. Albertsons Companies had a net margin of 0.26% and a return on equity of 42.75%. The firm had revenue of $20.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.49 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.46 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. Albertsons Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.220-2.320 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Albertsons Companies, Inc. will post 2.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Albertsons Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 8th. Investors of record on Friday, April 24th were issued a $0.17 dividend. This is a boost from Albertsons Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. The ex-dividend date was Friday, April 24th. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.2%. Albertsons Companies’s payout ratio is 212.50%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. CWM LLC boosted its position in Albertsons Companies by 103.5% in the 4th quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,435 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 730 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB lifted its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 185.1% during the 4th quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 1,628 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 1,057 shares during the last quarter. NBC Securities Inc. lifted its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 91.2% during the 4th quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 1,855 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 885 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 172.8% during the 4th 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. Finally, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Albertsons Companies by 32.9% during the 3rd quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 2,524 shares of the company’s stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 625 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 71.35% of the company’s stock.

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.