ACI Stock: Insider Activity, Filings & Research
Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI) — Drillr’s hub for ACI insider activity, SEC filings, earnings signals and AI research. Over the trailing 3 months, ACI insiders filed 0 open-market buys and 19 sales (SEC Form 4).
ACI insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 2026 | MORRIS SUSANdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Grant | 410 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | Mensah Sarahdirector | Grant | 114 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | Fennebresque Kim Sdirector | Grant | 234 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | Rainwater Evanofficer: EVP, Supp. Chain, Mfg. & Sourc | Grant | 266 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | Wille Scottdirector | Grant | 114 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | MORRIS SUSANdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Grant | 3,569 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | DHANDA ANUJofficer: Chief Tech &Transformation Off | Grant | 243 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | MORRIS SUSANdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Grant | 1,850 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | Withers Michaelofficer: EVP Retail Operations West | Grant | 502 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | Rainwater Evanofficer: EVP, Supp. Chain, Mfg. & Sourc | Grant | 567 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | Larson Michelleofficer: Chief Merchandising Officer | Grant | 70 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | Larson Michelleofficer: Chief Merchandising Officer | Grant | 260 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | Larson Robert Bruceofficer: SVP & Chief Accounting Officer | Grant | 243 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | Allen Sharon L.director | Grant | 114 | — |
| May 12, 2026 | Withers Michaelofficer: EVP Retail Operations West | Grant | 121 | — |
Source: ACI SEC Form 4 filings, latest May 12, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
Albertsons Companies, Inc. company profile
Overview
Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI) is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, operating over 2,200 stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia. Founded in 1860 by Joe Albertson in Boise, Idaho, the company has grown through numerous acquisitions to become the second-largest traditional supermarket chain in America. The company went public in June 2020, marking its return to public markets after being taken private in 2006. Today, Albertsons operates under 20 well-known regional banners including Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, and Shaw's, serving millions of customers through both physical stores and digital platforms.
Business
Albertsons operates in the traditional grocery retail industry, which involves selling food, beverages, health and beauty products, general merchandise, and pharmacy services to consumers. The grocery retail industry is characterized by high volume, low margins, and intense competition, where success depends on operational efficiency, customer loyalty, and strategic location of stores. The company's core business revolves around operating food and drug stores that serve as neighborhood anchors, providing essential goods and services to local communities. These stores typically range from 40,000 to 60,000 square feet and offer a full assortment of products including fresh produce, meat, seafood, dairy, bakery items, deli products, packaged goods, health and beauty care items, and general merchandise. Albertsons generates revenue through several complementary business segments: 1. Traditional Grocery Operations (~85% of revenue): This includes sales of food and general merchandise through physical store locations. The company emphasizes fresh products, with significant focus on produce, meat, seafood, and prepared foods that typically carry higher margins than packaged goods. 2. Pharmacy Services (~8-10% of revenue): Operating over 1,700 pharmacies within stores, this segment has shown strong growth, particularly with specialty medications like GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight management. Pharmacy services provide higher margins and increase customer visit frequency. 3. Digital and E-commerce (~7% of grocery revenue): This rapidly growing segment includes online grocery ordering, delivery, and pickup services. The company offers services like "Drive Up & Go" curbside pickup and home delivery through partnerships and its own delivery network. 4. Fuel Centers (~5% of revenue): The company operates over 400 fuel stations adjacent to stores, which serve as traffic drivers and provide additional convenience to customers. 5. Retail Media and Advertising (emerging segment): Through the Albertsons Media Collective, the company monetizes its customer data and store real estate by offering advertising opportunities to consumer packaged goods manufacturers. The company also operates 20 manufacturing facilities that produce Own Brands products - private label items that carry higher margins and represent about 25% of total sales. These products range from basic store brands to premium specialty items, allowing the company to offer value while maintaining better profit margins than national brand products.
Revenue model
Albertsons makes money primarily through retail product sales with customers paying at checkout for groceries, pharmacy items, fuel, and general merchandise. The company operates on a traditional retail model where it purchases products from suppliers at wholesale prices and sells them to consumers at retail prices, capturing the margin difference. The company's revenue streams include: 1. Product Sales Revenue: The bulk of revenue comes from selling groceries, health and beauty products, and general merchandise. Gross margins vary by category, with fresh products (produce, meat, bakery) typically offering higher margins of 25-35%, while packaged goods operate on thinner margins of 15-25%. 2. Pharmacy Revenue: Prescription drug sales generate higher margins and recurring revenue, as customers typically need regular refills. This segment has grown 13-18% annually, driven by an aging population and specialty medications. 3. Fuel Sales: While operating on very thin margins (typically 1-3%), fuel serves as a traffic driver and convenience offering that encourages store visits. 4. Service Fees and Commissions: The company earns fees from services like money transfers, gift card sales, and commissions from third-party delivery partnerships. 5. Advertising Revenue: Through Albertsons Media Collective, the company monetizes its customer data and in-store advertising space, selling promotional opportunities to suppliers. Several factors significantly impact the company's margins and profitability. Commodity price inflation in food products can squeeze margins if the company cannot pass through price increases to customers quickly enough. Labor costs represent a major expense, with unionized workforce in many locations creating both wage pressures and operational constraints. Competition from discount retailers like Walmart, warehouse clubs like Costco, and online players like Amazon puts pressure on pricing power. Real estate costs vary significantly by market, with prime urban locations commanding higher rents but also generating higher sales volumes. Supply chain efficiency directly impacts margins, with the company investing heavily in automation and distribution center optimization to reduce costs. Customer loyalty and digital engagement can improve margins by increasing basket size, visit frequency, and enabling more targeted promotions that reduce waste in marketing spend.
Competitive moat
Albertsons operates in a highly competitive industry with relatively weak structural moats, though the company does possess some defensive characteristics that provide modest competitive advantages. The company's primary moat comes from geographic market density and local scale. In many metropolitan areas, Albertsons has achieved sufficient store density to create operational efficiencies in distribution, advertising, and management oversight. This local scale allows for more efficient supply chain operations and better negotiating power with suppliers in specific regions. However, this advantage is not insurmountable, as competitors can and do enter these markets. Customer loyalty and habit formation provide another modest defensive moat. Grocery shopping is a high-frequency, routine activity where customers often develop shopping patterns based on convenience, familiarity, and satisfaction. The company's loyalty program with 45 million members creates some switching costs through personalized offers and accumulated benefits. However, customer loyalty in grocery retail is generally considered weak, as price-conscious consumers will readily switch for better value. The company's real estate locations offer some protection, particularly in dense urban markets where prime grocery store sites are limited. Established stores in good locations with existing customer bases create barriers for new entrants. However, this advantage varies significantly by market and can erode over time as demographics and shopping patterns change. Supplier relationships and private label capabilities provide incremental advantages through better terms, exclusive products, and higher-margin own-brand items. The company's scale allows for meaningful negotiations with suppliers, though this advantage is shared with other large retailers. The company faces significant competitive threats that limit its moat strength. Walmart and other discount retailers compete aggressively on price with superior scale advantages. Warehouse clubs like Costco offer compelling value propositions for bulk purchases. Online grocery delivery from Amazon and others threatens the convenience factor that traditionally protected physical stores. Dollar stores and convenience retailers capture share in fill-in trips and impulse purchases. Specialty retailers like Whole Foods compete for higher-income customers seeking premium products. Overall, Albertsons operates in a structurally challenging industry with limited moat strength, relying primarily on operational execution, local market knowledge, and incremental competitive advantages rather than strong structural barriers to competition.
Risks & safety
Albertsons presents moderate financial risk with several areas of concern regarding margin of safety. **Overall Assessment**: The company operates with high leverage and modest cash generation, creating vulnerability to economic downturns or competitive pressures. **Debt and Solvency Risk**: • Debt-to-equity ratio of 4.19x indicates high leverage • Total debt of approximately $7-8 billion against $3.4 billion in shareholder equity • Interest coverage appears adequate with EBITDA of $4.1 billion covering interest expenses • Current ratio of 0.90x shows working capital constraints, typical for grocery retail • Quick ratio of 0.22x reflects inventory-heavy business model **Cash Generation and Burn**: • Operating cash flow of $2.7 billion provides reasonable coverage of capital needs • Free cash flow of $749 million after $1.9 billion in capital expenditures • Capital intensive business requiring ongoing store maintenance and technology investments • Cash position of $294 million is relatively low for company size **Valuation Metrics**: • P/E ratio of 12.4x appears reasonable for mature retailer • EV/EBITDA of 6.3x suggests modest valuation • Price-to-book of 3.5x reflects asset-heavy business model • Graham number suggests potential undervaluation **Other Considerations**: • Mature industry with limited growth prospects • High fixed costs create operational leverage risk during downturns • Union workforce may limit flexibility in cost management • Competitive pressures on margins from multiple retail formats
Recent development
Over the past few years, Albertsons has undergone significant strategic transformation focused on digital capabilities and operational efficiency. The company has made digital transformation its primary strategic priority, investing heavily in four key digital platforms: e-commerce and delivery services, loyalty program expansion, pharmacy and health services, and mobile app integration for in-store engagement. The company's e-commerce growth has been particularly impressive, with digital sales growing 23-28% annually and now representing approximately 7% of total grocery revenue. Albertsons has expanded its "Drive Up & Go" curbside pickup service to over 2,000 stores and offers delivery services to 74% of U.S. households through various partnerships and its own delivery network. Pharmacy services expansion has emerged as a major growth driver, with pharmacy revenue growing 13-18% annually. The company has capitalized on trends like GLP-1 medications for diabetes and weight management, administered millions of COVID-19 vaccinations, and positioned pharmacy services as a key differentiator that increases customer lifetime value and visit frequency. The company launched Albertsons Media Collective, a retail media advertising platform that monetizes customer data and in-store real estate. This emerging revenue stream allows consumer packaged goods manufacturers to advertise directly to Albertsons customers through targeted digital and in-store promotions. Productivity and cost optimization has become a central focus, with management targeting $1.5 billion in productivity savings over three years (2025-2027). These initiatives include supply chain automation, centralized national buying to leverage scale, workforce optimization, and technology investments to improve operational efficiency. A significant leadership transition occurred with CEO Vivek Sankaran retiring and Susan Morris, a 40-year company veteran, taking over as CEO. This change represents continuity in strategic direction while bringing deep institutional knowledge to the leadership role. The company has also focused on Own Brands expansion, with private label products now representing 25.4% of sales. This strategy improves margins while offering customers value alternatives to national brands. Additionally, Albertsons has continued store fleet optimization, closing underperforming locations while investing in store remodels and technology upgrades in core markets.
ACI company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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