Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) Given “Outperform” Rating at Royal Bank Of Canada

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI)‘s stock had its “outperform” rating reiterated by equities research analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada in a report issued on Monday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $21.00 target price on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 18.48% from the company’s current price.

ACI has been the subject of a number of other reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Albertsons Companies in a report on Thursday, January 8th. They issued a “hold” rating for the company. Telsey Advisory Group decreased their price target on Albertsons Companies from $24.00 to $22.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on Albertsons Companies from $25.00 to $23.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Barclays lowered their target price on Albertsons Companies from $19.00 to $17.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Albertsons Companies from $24.00 to $23.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $21.58.

Albertsons Companies Stock Up 1.6%

Albertsons Companies stock opened at $17.72 on Monday. Albertsons Companies has a fifty-two week low of $15.80 and a fifty-two week high of $22.78. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $17.47 and a 200 day moving average price of $17.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.36, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a current ratio of 0.91. The company has a market capitalization of $9.11 billion, a PE ratio of 11.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 0.45.

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 7th. The company reported $0.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.67 by $0.05. Albertsons Companies had a net margin of 1.06% and a return on equity of 38.00%. The firm had revenue of $19.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.18 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.71 earnings per share. The firm’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. Research analysts expect that Albertsons Companies will post 2.14 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Albertsons Companies news, EVP Michael T. Theilmann sold 49,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.63, for a total transaction of $863,870.00. Following the sale, 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 1.35% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Albertsons Companies

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. AlphaQuest LLC bought a new stake in shares of Albertsons Companies during the third quarter worth $1,492,000. Towle & Co. boosted its holdings in Albertsons Companies by 674.2% in the third quarter. Towle & Co. now owns 339,227 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,940,000 after acquiring an additional 295,413 shares during the last quarter. AGF Management Ltd. bought a new position in Albertsons Companies in the third quarter valued at about $2,955,000. Savoir Faire Capital Management L.P. increased its position in Albertsons Companies by 261.1% in the third quarter. Savoir Faire Capital Management L.P. now owns 375,653 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,578,000 after purchasing an additional 271,620 shares during the period. Finally, Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC acquired a new stake in Albertsons Companies in the third quarter worth about $2,307,000. 71.35% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.