Capstone Holding Corp. lowers convertible note conversion price to $1.00
Investing.com - Citi maintained its Buy rating and $26.00 price target on Albertsons Companies Inc. (NYSE:ACI), a prominent player in the Consumer Staples sector with over $80 billion in annual revenue, ahead of its upcoming first-quarter earnings report on July 15. According to InvestingPro data, the company currently trades at an attractive P/E ratio of 13.5x and maintains a GOOD financial health score.
The investment bank projects Albertsons will report first-quarter earnings per share of $0.57, exceeding the FactSet consensus estimate of $0.53, with comparable store sales growth of 3.0% compared to consensus expectations of 2.1%. Based on InvestingPro’s Fair Value analysis, the stock appears slightly overvalued at current levels, though additional insights and detailed valuation metrics are available in the comprehensive Pro Research Report.
Citi anticipates Albertsons will raise its fiscal 2025 EPS guidance from the current range of $2.03-2.16 to $2.07-2.20, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.10, following the expected first-quarter earnings beat.
Traffic data analyzed by Citi shows an acceleration for Albertsons in the first quarter, with traffic increasing 2.3% compared to 1.0% growth in the fourth quarter, potentially indicating consumers are responding positively to the company’s price investments.
With shares trading at 5.0x fiscal 2025 estimated EV/EBITDA, Citi views the risk/reward profile as favorable, noting Albertsons has self-help opportunities from initiatives following its disallowed merger.
In other recent news, Albertsons Companies Inc. is set to report its first-quarter earnings, with RBC Capital projecting identical store sales growth of 2.2%, slightly above the consensus estimate. RBC also anticipates a 7% decline in adjusted EBITDA to $1.10 billion, marginally higher than the consensus estimate. BMO Capital Markets has upgraded Albertsons’ stock rating to Outperform from Market Perform, raising the price target to $25.00, citing a positive outlook for the company’s valuation growth. Meanwhile, Tigress Financial Partners has increased the 12-month price target to $28.00 and maintained a Buy rating, highlighting the company’s effective use of digital media and loyalty programs. UBS has maintained a Neutral rating on Albertsons, with concerns over pricing pressures and competition from Kroger (NYSE:KR). In product news, Albertsons launched Chef’s Counter, a new line of marinated meats, as part of its Own Brands portfolio. This initiative is aimed at providing convenient, restaurant-quality meal options for home cooking. Albertsons’ strategic focus on its "Customers for Life" program and digital capabilities is expected to bolster its competitive edge in the grocery sector.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.