ACI

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Energizer Holdings (ENR). Shares have lost about 7.2% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Energizer due for a breakout? Well, first let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for Energizer Holdings, Inc. before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late. Energizer posted third-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings of 75 cents per share, down 33.6% year over year and missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 86 cents by 12.8%. Lower gross margins, unfavorable product mix and increased promotional investments weighed on profitability.Net sales rose 1.2% to $734.1 million but missed the consensus mark of $737 million by 0.4%. Organic net sales increased 2.7%, supported by distribution gains, product innovation and strong refrigerant demand. Organic growth included a 1.9% volume contribution from global distribution gains and new products in the Batteries & Lights segment. Auto Care contributed 2.2% growth, primarily reflecting higher refrigerant distribution in North America.These gains were partly offset by a 1.4% pricing decline stemming from increased promotional investments in Batteries & Lights. The expiration of an acquired brand license related to Advanced Power Solutions (APS) reduced reported sales by $17.2 million, representing a 2.4% acquisition-related headwind, while favorable currency contributed a 1% benefit. In the fiscal third quarter, adjusted gross profit declined 8.8% year over year to $287.7 million, while the adjusted gross margin contracted 560 basis points to 39.2%. The decline primarily reflected unfavorable product mix, increased promotional investments and the absence of prior-year out-of-period production credits. Excluding those credits, adjusted gross margin declined approximately 200 basis points. These pressures were partially offset by favorable currency impacts. The reported gross margin fell to 38.2% from 55.1%, with the year-ago result benefiting from $112.4 million of production credits, including $78.5 million tied to fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2024 production.Cost discipline remained a focus during the quarter. Adjusted Selling, General and Administrative Expense (SG&A) expenses declined 1.2% year over year to $122.1 million and, as a percentage of net sales, improved 40 basis points to 16.6%. The improvement was driven by approximately $8 million in Project Momentum savings and lower stock compensation expense, partly offset by higher legal costs.Advertising and promotion expenses decreased 3.9% year over year to $41.9 million. Advertising and promotion expenses were 5.7% of net sales in the fiscal third quarter compared with 6% in the year-ago period.Adjusted EBITDA declined 8.8% year over year to $138.7 million as lower gross margins more than offset benefits from lower SG&A, advertising and Research and Development (R&D) spending. Excluding out-of-period production credits, the decline was 8.6%. The adjusted EBITDA margin contracted about 210 basis points to 18.9%. Net sales in the Batteries and Lights segment declined 2% year over year to $524.2 million. Organic net sales increased 0.3%, supported by expanded distribution, innovation and continued market share gains despite the APS license expiration. Favorable currency also aided reported sales.Segment profit declined 19.5% year over year to $127.9 million. The decline primarily reflected the absence of prior-year out-of-period production credits, along with lower gross margins driven by unfavorable product mix and increased promotional investments.Management highlighted continued category outperformance supported by innovation, including the launch of Energizer Ultimate Child Shield, the world's only coin lithium battery designed to help prevent ingestion burns if swallowed, along with expanded distribution across key retail customers. The Auto Care segment generated net sales of $209.9 million, up 10.4% year over year. Organic net sales increased 9.5%, driven by strong refrigerant demand and higher distribution in North America.Segment profit declined 14.1% year over year to $20.7 million, as robust growth in lower-margin refrigerant products pressured profitability.Management noted that while refrigerants drove third-quarter performance, premium Appearance products remain a significant long-term growth opportunity. The company continues expanding its premium Armor All Podium Series portfolio to strengthen its competitive position and improve portfolio quality. For the first nine months of fiscal 2026, Energizer generated $156 million in operating cash flow and $105 million in free cash flow, representing 4.9% of net sales. The company continued to prioritize cash generation as a key component of its long-term value creation strategy.Debt reduction remained the company's highest capital allocation priority. Through the third quarter, Energizer reduced debt by more than $80 million and continues to expect fiscal 2026 debt repayment of $150-$200 million. The company paid a quarterly dividend of 30 cents per share, returning $20.6 million to shareholders during the quarter and approximately $65 million during the first nine months of fiscal 2026.Management expects free cash flow to strengthen further as Project Momentum cash costs decline, capital expenditures normalize by roughly $30 million annually and the company collects the remaining $53 million of IEEPA tariff recoveries. The APS acquisition continued to affect reported results during the third quarter.Energizer completed the APS acquisition on May 2, 2025, and sold batteries under an acquired brand license through Dec. 31, 2025. The expiration of that license reduced reported net sales by $17.2 million, representing a 2.4% headwind. However, sales generated as customers transitioned to Energizer's legacy brands were included within organic sales, contributing to the company's 2.7% organic sales growth.Management said the APS transition remains an important element of its portfolio strategy as it strengthens its branded portfolio and expands distribution while migrating customers to Energizer's core brands. Looking ahead, Energizer expects fourth-quarter organic net sales to be flat to down low single digits year over year, reflecting muted battery category trends and some refrigerant demand shifting into the third quarter.The company expects fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.25-$1.35 per share, representing approximately 25% year-over-year growth at the midpoint, driven by productivity initiatives, supply chain optimization and actions taken throughout the year to strengthen profitability.For fiscal 2026, Energizer expects organic net sales to decline low single digits compared with its previous expectation of roughly flat organic sales with growth returning in the second half.The company also expects adjusted earnings per share at the low end of its previously guided range of $3.30-$3.60, versus its earlier expectation for the high end of the range. Likewise, adjusted EBITDA is expected at the low end of the prior $580-$610 million range rather than the high end previously anticipated.Management expects continued investments in distribution expansion, innovation, operational improvements and customer transitions to support continued outperformance versus the battery category, strengthen its competitive position and drive long-term earnings and free cash flow growth despite a challenging consumer environment. It turns out, estimates review have trended downward during the past month. The consensus estimate has shifted -9.01% due to these changes. Currently, Energizer has a poor Growth Score of F, however its Momentum Score is doing a bit better with a D. However, the stock was allocated a score of A on the value side, putting it in the top quintile for value investors. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of C. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Energizer has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Energizer is part of the Zacks Consumer Products - Staples industry. Over the past month, Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI), a stock from the same industry, has gained 5.3%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended May 2026 more than a month ago. Albertsons Companies reported revenues of $24.94 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +0.2%. EPS of $0.42 for the same period compares with $0.55 a year ago. Albertsons Companies is expected to post earnings of $0.33 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -25%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.5%. The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) for Albertsons Companies. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of A. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Energizer Holdings, Inc. (ENR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Albertsons Companies stock has delivered a steep decline over the past five years, yet on broad valuation checks it still screens as more expensive than many investors might hope for after such a pullback. The share price story and the current valuation signals are not fully aligned, which is what makes Albertsons interesting to reassess now. Over the past five years, Albertsons Companies stock has fallen about 41%, which means long term holders are still sitting on sizeable losses. Future value for Albertsons may hinge on how consistently it can turn supermarket revenue into cash flow, while pressure on margins and execution in a low growth, competitive grocery market remains an ongoing risk. On Simply Wall St’s broader checks, Albertsons Companies scores 2 out of 6 on valuation, which points to a stock that currently leans expensive rather than a clear bargain. The issue now is whether Albertsons Companies’ current price fairly reflects these mixed signals or leaves investors paying too much after a difficult multi year share price run. Broaden your watchlist beyond Albertsons Companies by scanning a curated list of sturdier balance sheet plays using our solid balance sheet and fundamentals stocks screener (52 results) for contrast. The P/E ratio is a useful lens for Albertsons Companies because earnings quality and consistency tend to matter a lot in mature grocery businesses. Right now, Albertsons trades on a P/E of about 92.2x, which is far above the Consumer Retailing industry average of roughly 17.2x and above the peer average near 16.6x. The fair P/E ratio estimate for Albertsons Companies based on its profile is about 33.0x. That is still much lower than the current 92.2x, which suggests investors are paying a sizeable premium to the earnings that Albertsons currently generates. For a sector where pricing is usually tight and competition is intense, such a gap is hard to ignore if you are comparing options within grocery and broader retail. On this P/E yardstick, Albertsons Companies stock currently screens as overvalued compared with both tailored and industry benchmarks. See what the numbers say about this price — find out in our valuation breakdown. Simply Wall St Narratives pick up where the Albertsons Companies valuation puzzle leaves off and explain which assumptions on growth, margins and earnings would need to hold for the stock to be worth materially more or less than it is today on the market. Each Narrative links a clear story about Albertsons Companies' potential catalysts and risks to a specific view of fair value so you can monitor over time which version of events appears to be taking shape on the Community page. Community views on Albertsons Companies sit wide apart, with some investors treating the stock as reset value and others focusing on execution and restructuring risk. Bull case: 12% undervalued Read the full Bull Case to see why Albertsons Companies could be undervalued Bear case: 25% overvalued Read the full Bear Case to see why Albertsons Companies could be overvalued Do you think there's more to the story for Albertsons Companies? Head over to our Community to see what others are saying! Albertsons Companies looks overvalued on current market multiples, especially given how high its P/E sits relative to peers. Broader checks do not yet point to an obvious discount that compensates you for the execution and margin risks highlighted earlier. From here, the key question is whether Albertsons can defend and grow earnings enough to justify that premium multiple or whether the market eventually resets expectations closer to the wider grocery group. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include ACI. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected]

Interested in Mama's Creations, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. Strong financial growth: Fiscal Q2 revenue rose 55% to $54.6 million, while net income more than doubled to $2.6 million and adjusted EBITDA increased 68.9% to $5.5 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded to 10.1% from 9.3%. Retail expansion is accelerating: Mama’s launched or secured new placements with Kroger, Costco, Sam’s Club, Albertsons and BJ’s, while its products reached more than 2,300 Walmart stores. Chicken-bottom products accounted for more than 60% of new second-quarter placements. Capacity and acquisition flexibility improved: Bay Shore still has significant available capacity, East Rutherford storage expansion is expected to reduce logistics costs, and the company ended the period with $138.6 million in cash and just $4.8 million in debt to support potential strategic acquisitions. MAMA Says a Fresh High Could Come Before Mid-Year Mama's Creations (NASDAQ:MAMA) reported fiscal second-quarter revenue growth of 55% and said expanded retail distribution, contributions from the Bay Shore acquisition and new product launches helped drive operating leverage and higher profitability. For the quarter, revenue increased to $54.6 million from $35.2 million a year earlier. Net income more than doubled to $2.6 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, from $1.3 million, or $0.03 per diluted share. Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, rose 68.9% to $5.5 million, while adjusted EBITDA margin expanded to 10.1% from 9.3% in the prior-year quarter. → Boarding Call: EHang Secures First-Mover Altitude Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Adam O'Michaels said the results reflected the company's strategy of investing in product launches before realizing greater scale and leverage. “Every single bottom-line metric grew faster than revenue,” O'Michaels said, citing income from operations, adjusted EBITDA and net income. Gross profit rose 49.1% to $13.1 million. Gross margin was 24.0%, compared with 24.9% in the year-ago period but up from 23.6% in the fiscal first quarter. Chief Financial Officer Anthony Gruber said the sequential improvement reflected new packaging technologies and protein form factors moving toward steady-state production following first-quarter launches. → Medtronic’s Stars Are Aligning for a Price Recovery Management said it continues to target corporate gross margins in the mid- to high-20% range. O'Michaels said progress toward that goal will depend in part on increasing sales of chicken “bottom” products, which allow the company to use more of its chicken inputs and reduce trimming costs, as well as further improvement at the Bay Shore facility. Operating expenses rose in dollars to $10.1 million from $7.1 million, largely due to the Bay Shore acquisition, but declined as a percentage of revenue. Operating expenses represented 18.5% of revenue, down 160 basis points from 20.1% a year earlier. → Dutch Bros Sell-Off Creates a Growth Opportunity During the question-and-answer session, O'Michaels said the company intentionally shifted about $500,000 of marketing spending into trade promotions during the quarter because it was seeing stronger returns. He said Mama's spent more than $1 million more on trade activity than it did in the prior-year period. Mama's announced its first launch with Kroger, beginning next month in the retailer's Louisville division. The initial rollout will cover more than 100 stores and include four products, including three chicken-bottom stock-keeping units. O'Michaels said the company plans to begin in one division and expand over time if product performance supports additional distribution. The company also said it was approved for Costco's second-half multi-vendor mailer promotion across all eight U.S. regions. O'Michaels said the promotion is forecast to be larger than the prior-year program and is expected to run around the last two weeks of December or early January, although Costco rotations had already begun in several regions. At Sam's Club, Mama's recently launched a breaded panko chicken breast product in 300 clubs, O'Michaels said. The company also cited new launches or placements at Albertsons, BJ's and more than a dozen other customers. More than 60% of new placements launched during the second quarter used chicken-bottom products, according to management. Walmart remained a key growth driver. O'Michaels said Mama's products are now in more than 2,300 Walmart stores, above the approximately 2,000 stores initially discussed for the rollout. He said grilled chicken products were performing particularly well, while sausage and peppers and meatloaf were showing lower velocities than beef meatballs and cheese-stuffed chicken meatballs. The company said it is reviewing the assortment proactively and may replace slower-moving products with higher-velocity items. Management said the Bay Shore facility was instrumental in supporting recent Walmart and Sam's Club launches. O'Michaels said the site is improving toward gross-margin levels achieved at Mama's East Rutherford and Farmingdale operations as volume increases and fixed costs are absorbed over more production. The company said it still has available capacity at Bay Shore, which is not operating seven days a week or around the clock in all areas. O'Michaels said Mama's could “pretty much double” its business from the prior year using its existing facilities, though he emphasized that product mix and automation will affect capacity utilization. Mama's also completed an expansion at its East Rutherford, New Jersey, site that nearly doubled frozen and refrigerated storage capacity. The company expects the expansion to lower outside storage costs and improve logistics flexibility. It has added two Proseal machines to increase production efficiency, according to O'Michaels. On procurement, management said supplier diversification avoided a potential 12% materials increase for packaging. The company also added three beef suppliers and said changes to supply planning are supporting additional safety-stock levels for its top products. Cash and cash equivalents totaled $138.6 million as of July 31, up from $20 million at the end of fiscal 2026. Gruber said the increase was primarily driven by $108.6 million of net proceeds from a July common-stock offering and $11.9 million of operating cash flow generated during the first six months of the fiscal year. Total debt stood at $4.8 million. O'Michaels said the larger cash balance and low debt give Mama's greater flexibility to pursue acquisitions that add capacity, capabilities or customer access. He said the company is less interested in acquisitions of approximately $25 million in revenue than it may have been previously, given the work required to integrate a business, but stressed that management will remain disciplined on valuation and strategic fit. The company also said it sees seafood as a potential longer-term opportunity, either through internal capabilities or acquisitions, though O'Michaels said Mama's has substantial room to expand its existing beef, chicken and vegetable offerings. Mama's Creations, Inc engages in the marketing, manufacturing, and distribution of beef meatballs with sauce, turkey meatballs with sauce, beef meat loaf, sausage and peppers, chicken parmesan, and other similar meats and sauces. Its products include beef meatballs, turkey meatballs, stuffed meatballs, lasagna roll ups, retail ready meals, bulk deli, single-size pasta bowls, and packaged refrigerated products. Its brands include MamaMancini's, Creative Salads, and The Olive Branch. The company was founded by Daniel Dougherty on July 22, 2009 and is headquartered in East Rutherford, NJ. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. The article "Mama's Creations Q2 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. View MarketBeat's top stocks for September 2026.

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Clorox (CLX). Shares have lost about 9.3% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Clorox due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. Clorox delivered mixed fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with the top and bottom lines surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. However, sales and earnings per share declined year over year due to unfavorable comparison with ERP-related shipments in the prior-year quarter, lower volume and significant gross margin pressure from higher commodity, manufacturing and logistics costs. Clorox posted adjusted earnings of $1.66 per share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, falling 42% year over year but beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.64 by 1.2%. Lower sales and gross margin weighed on the bottom line.Net sales declined 2% to $1.95 billion but surpassed the consensus mark of $1.91 billion by 1.8%. The GOJO acquisition contributed about 10 percentage points to sales, while organic sales fell 13% due mainly to the ERP-related shipment comparison. Gross profit declined 13% to $804 million from $924 million a year ago. The gross margin declined 520 basis points (bps) year over year to 41.3%. Lower volume, GOJO inventory step-up costs, higher commodity expenses, and elevated manufacturing and logistics costs more than offset savings initiatives.The comparison with incremental shipments ahead of the prior-year ERP transition reduced the margin by about 150 bps. The GOJO inventory step-up created another roughly 150-bps drag. The adjusted gross margin, excluding acquisition and integration costs, was 42.8%. Selling and administrative expenses increased 0.7% year over year to $298 million from $296 million in the year-ago quarter. These expenses represented 15.3% of net sales and included $21 million of GOJO integration costs.Advertising costs rose 26.3% year over year to $216 million from $171 million, and represented 11.1% of sales. Research and development expenses were unchanged at $32 million. Health and Wellness sales increased 16% year over year to $860 million. The GOJO acquisition contributed about 28 percentage points to growth. Organic sales declined 12% because of the ERP-related shipment comparison, while segment adjusted EBIT fell 15% to $206 million.Household sales decreased 18% to $524 million, led by a 16-point volume decline and two points of unfavorable price mix. The decrease reflected the ERP comparison and shipments ahead of consumption in the fiscal third quarter. Segmental adjusted EBIT plunged 56% to $69 million amid lower sales and higher commodity costs.Lifestyle sales declined 17% year over year to $280 million. Volume fell 14 points, while unfavorable price mix reduced growth by another three points. Segment adjusted EBIT decreased 60% to $38 million, mainly because of lower revenues.International sales increased 4% to $281 million, primarily supported by favorable foreign exchange rates. Organic sales rose 1%. Segment adjusted EBIT advanced 17% to $27 million on higher sales and cost savings. For fiscal 2027, CLX expects net sales growth of 13-14%, including 9.5 percentage points from GOJO. Organic sales are projected to rise 3.5-4.5%, including more than 3.5 points of benefit from lapping the ERP-related inventory drawdown.The company expects a gross margin of 42%, as stronger-than-normal inflation and unfavorable mix are anticipated to more than offset cost savings. Selling and administrative expenses are projected at 16% of sales, while advertising spending is expected to be 10%.Adjusted earnings are forecast between $5.70 and $6.00 per share, implying growth of 3-8% year over year. Reported earnings are expected between $5.41 and $5.71 per share, including 29 cents of GOJO transaction-related costs. The fiscal 2026 operating cash flow decreased 38% year over year to $612 million due to the Glad Venture Agreement termination payment. Management expects the fiscal 2027 free cash flow to be 11-13% of net sales. Clorox ended fiscal 2026 with $143 million in cash and cash equivalents. Long-term debt rose to $3.98 billion from $2.48 billion a year earlier, while notes and loans payable increased to $1.09 billion from $4 million following the GOJO transaction. In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates. The consensus estimate has shifted -21.06% due to these changes. At this time, Clorox has a subpar Growth Score of D, however its Momentum Score is doing a lot better with an A. However, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for value investors. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of C. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. It's no surprise Clorox has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months. Clorox belongs to the Zacks Consumer Products - Staples industry. Another stock from the same industry, Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI), has gained 3.2% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended May 2026. Albertsons Companies reported revenues of $24.94 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +0.2%. EPS of $0.42 for the same period compares with $0.55 a year ago. Albertsons Companies is expected to post earnings of $0.33 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -25%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.5%. The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) for Albertsons Companies. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of A. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Clorox Company (CLX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

By Sinéad Carew and Avinash P Aug 20 (Reuters) - The three main U.S. equity indexes closed lower on Thursday as rising Treasury yields dented risk appetite while disappointing results from retail bellwether Walmart soured investors on the consumer sector and rallying oil prices fanned inflation worries. Walmart shares tumbled ‌9.2% after the world's largest traditional retailer missed Wall Street expectations for quarterly comparable sales as rising gasoline prices had shoppers reining in spending. The ‌report dragged down the S&P 500 consumer staples and consumer discretionary sectors, which were among the weakest of the benchmark's 11 major industry indexes. Rival retailers such as Costco, Dollar Tree and Albertsons followed Walmart ​lower with losses between 1% and 2.6%. The increase in U.S. crude oil above $87 compounded concerns about the health of the U.S. consumer, according to Mona Mahajan, head of investment strategy at Edward Jones. She noted that investors were already anxious after recent weaker-than-expected retail sales and labor market data for July. "There is some question about how resilient the consumer can be with ongoing elevated gas prices and inflationary pressures," Mahajan said. The strategist also highlighted pressure from rising bond yields on equities. Wall Street indexes had risen on Wednesday ‌after the U.S. Treasury Department said it would spend more ⁠than double the expected amount on buying back bonds in a bid to slow a recent surge in yields. On Thursday, however, stocks declined as yields advanced again. Yields on the 30-year and 10-year bonds pared gains briefly after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said ⁠he may again increase the volume of Treasury bonds the government will repurchase. But yields resumed their upward trend. "There are a couple of headwinds that the markets woke up to today," said Mahajan. "One was a resumption in the increase in bond yields across the curve that came despite yesterday's Treasury move ... it reversed very quickly, within 24 hours." The Dow Jones Industrial Average ​fell 703.84 ​points, or 1.32%, to 52,759.21, the S&P 500 lost 66.82 points, or 0.87%, to 7,641.16 and the ​Nasdaq Composite lost 263.92 points, or 1.00%, to 26,067.17. The S&P ended ‌about 2% below its most recent record close, reached last week, while the Nasdaq was more than 3% below its June 2 record finish. Consumer staples fell 1.93% and was the biggest percentage loser among the S&P 500's major sectors, followed by healthcare, which fell 1.93%. The S&P 500 consumer discretionary sector sank 1.8% with megacap Amazon among its biggest index-point drags. Big percentage decliners in the sector included Royal Caribbean Group and Carnival Corp, which lost more than 4% each as they are sensitive to fuel prices. The S&P 500 energy index rose 0.4% as oil gained for the fifth consecutive session due to stalled U.S.-Iran peace talks and Middle East supply disruptions. Real ‌estate was the only other sector gainer, adding 0.15%. Meanwhile, cryptocurrency-related companies such as Strategy and exchange ​operator Coinbase Global rallied more than 7% a day after U.S. President Donald Trump called on ​Congress to pass a crypto bill. Healthcare's biggest decliner was biotech company Moderna, ​which finished down 23.5% after it surged nearly 177% on Wednesday. Deere shares closed up 6.9% after a full-year net income forecast raise ‌from the world's largest farm-equipment manufacturer. Shares in Coty sank 9.2% after ​the CoverGirl cosmetics brand owner forecast current-quarter earnings ​below expectations and withheld its annual outlook, while Advance Auto Parts tumbled 24.5% after issuing a weaker annual sales forecast. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.94-to-1 ratio on the NYSE, where there were 156 new highs and 132 new lows. On the Nasdaq, 1,672 stocks rose and 3,217 fell as declining issues outnumbered ​advancers by a 1.92-to-1 ratio. The S&P 500 posted 16 new 52-week ‌highs and 3 new lows while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 67 new highs and 104 new lows. On U.S. exchanges about 9.61 billion shares changed ​hands compared with the 16.64 billion average for the last 20 sessions. (Reporting by Sinéad Carew in New York, Avinash P and Purvi Agarwal ​in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Koyena Das; Editing by Pooja Desai and David Gregorio)

Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St. Albertsons Companies stock has fallen sharply over the past few years, yet current valuation checks and recent news on leadership and strategy leave the market debate open on whether the shares are now cheap or still pricing in too much risk. Albertsons Companies shareholders have seen the stock decline 38.8% over the past 3 years, which raises the question of whether the current price already reflects the market's concerns. The push into AI powered shopping tools, such as the Safeway plugin in ChatGPT, can support the case for better long term customer engagement. At the same time, uncertainty around the CEO position and a significant debt load may weigh on how investors price the stock. With a value score of 2 out of 6, Albertsons Companies does not screen as a clear bargain on the broader set of valuation checks. The issue now is whether the current share price of Albertsons Companies fairly reflects these risks and opportunities or still leans expensive for new investors. Find out why Albertsons Companies' -34.7% return over the last year is lagging behind its peers. P/E is usually the first stop when you look at a mature retailer like Albertsons Companies because it ties the share price directly to the earnings that support it. Right now the stock trades on a P/E of about 89.6x, which is far higher than the Consumer Retailing industry average of 20.0x and above the peer group average of 18.5x. That indicates the market is putting a much richer price on each dollar of Albertsons Companies earnings than on most comparable retailers. The fair P/E ratio from the broader model is 35.1x, which already reflects the company’s specific mix of margins, scale and risk. Compared with that benchmark, the current P/E is more than double what the model suggests would be reasonable. Despite the recent focus on AI tools like the Safeway plugin in ChatGPT and the ACI Edge efficiency push, the earnings multiple still sits at a substantial premium to both peers and the tailored fair ratio. On this P/E yardstick, Albertsons Companies stock appears significantly overvalued. See what the numbers say about this price — find out in our valuation breakdown. Simply Wall St Narratives pick up where the P/E puzzle around Albertsons Companies leaves off and explain which assumptions about future growth, margins and earnings would need to hold for the stock to be worth materially more or less than today's price. All of this is hosted on Simply Wall St's Community page. Each Narrative treats Albertsons Companies' fair value as a thesis about the business that you can revisit over time, rather than a single static number. You can be one of the first voices in the Simply Wall St community to set out a clear, number driven narrative on Albertsons Companies' stock, including a view on whether the CEO uncertainty and new AI powered shopping tools like the Safeway plugin in ChatGPT shift the story from here. Publish your thesis, track how it holds up as new results and news arrive, and refine your case as Albertsons Companies' execution becomes clearer. Do you think there's more to the story for Albertsons Companies? Head over to our Community to see what others are saying! Albertsons Companies currently trades on a market multiple that screens as overvalued, even after a difficult 3 year share price run. The valuation asks you to pay a premium for its earnings while broader checks remain weak, so the market is already giving meaningful credit for execution and new initiatives like AI powered shopping tools. The crux for investors is whether Albertsons Companies can strengthen profitability and manage its debt profile enough to grow into this higher P/E, or whether the current premium leaves limited room for disappointment. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include ACI. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected]

Albertsons Companies, Inc. ACI entered fiscal 2026 with two clear strengths: digital sales growth and pharmacy resilience. Those positives were not enough to offset softer core grocery trends. The first-quarter earnings shortfall, reduced outlook and launch of ACI Edge now frame fiscal 2026 as a reset year. The company is trying to move faster, sharpen value and improve store-level execution while protecting cash returns. Net sales and other revenues increased 0.2% year over year to $24.94 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2026. Identical sales declined 0.8%, showing that reported sales growth was not supported by broad-based demand strength. Adjusted earnings fell to 42 cents per share from 55 cents a year earlier. Digital sales increased 13%, and pharmacy remained a source of growth, but softer industry unit trends and a more cautious consumer weighed on core grocery performance. Albertsons Companies, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Albertsons Companies, Inc. Quote ACI Edge reduces Albertsons’ structure from 11 divisions to four regions and centralizes center-store merchandising under one enterprise team. The goal is to simplify operations and improve accountability. The new model is designed to speed decision-making, strengthen banner consistency and better align supplier relationships with enterprise scale. The Kroger Co. KR remains a relevant food-retail benchmark, as investors also watch how pricing, pharmacy and private-label execution shape supermarket demand. Walmart Inc. WMT adds another competitive reference point, especially on value, where grocers must protect traffic without giving up too much margin. Albertsons now expects identical sales to decline 1.5% to 0.5% in fiscal 2026 compared with its prior expectation of flat to 1% growth. Adjusted EBITDA is projected to be in the range of $3.550 billion to $3.625 billion. Adjusted earnings are now expected to be $1.75 to $1.85 per share, down from the prior $2.22 to $2.32 range. The revision reflects a decision to accelerate customer-value investments before expected productivity benefits fully materialize. Albertsons spent $522.1 million on capital expenditures in the first quarter. That included 15 remodels, four new stores and continued investment in digital and technology platforms. Shareholder returns remain part of the plan. The board raised the quarterly dividend 13% to 17 cents per share, while Albertsons repurchased 13.4 million shares for $226.5 million and had a $2.0-billion remaining authorization. ACI trades at 5.33X forward 12-month earnings, close to its one-year low of 5.08X and well below its one-year median of 8.35X. That gap is large enough to draw attention from investors focused on depressed consumer staples names. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The stock also trades at a deep discount to the Zacks sub-industry at 18.93X. Still, a low multiple does not automatically mean undervaluation. In ACI’s case, the market is also pricing in lower earnings visibility. The bottom line is that ACI’s reset carries both urgency and risk. Digital and pharmacy momentum show that the model still has productive assets, but weaker grocery units, lower guidance and investment pressure make fiscal 2026 harder to underwrite. The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). It also has a Value Score of A, a Momentum Score of A and a VGM Score of A, alongside a Growth Score of C. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Those scores point to favorable valuation and market-characteristic signals, while the Growth Score reflects a more mixed earnings-growth profile. For now, ACI’s setup favors patience as investors wait for clearer evidence that ACI Edge can convert reinvestment into steadier sales and margin performance. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Walmart Inc. (WMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Kroger Co. (KR) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Track your investments for FREE with Simply Wall St, the portfolio command center trusted by over 7 million individual investors worldwide. The latest update on Albertsons Companies cuts the fair value estimate from US$20.25 to US$15.31, which is a reduction of about 24%. This shift lines up with more cautious analyst commentary following the recent earnings miss, guidance reset, and leadership changes, while some analysts still highlight potential upside if execution improves. In the sections that follow, you will see how this price target change fits into the split analyst narrative and what to watch as the story develops from here. Stay updated as the Fair Value for Albertsons Companies shifts by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Albertsons Companies. Some firms still see valuation support in Albertsons Companies after the earnings reset. Roth Capital, RBC Capital and JPMorgan all cut price targets but kept positive or overweight views, pointing to what they describe as already discounted expectations in the current share price. Roth Capital highlights that the weaker Q1, guidance cut and leadership changes are already reflected in its lower US$17 target. The firm still keeps a Buy rating, which signals belief that execution improvements or stabilization could matter for longer term value. A broad group of firms including UBS, Citi, Wells Fargo, Telsey, BMO, Barclays, Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley have moved to more cautious stances with Neutral, Hold, Equal Weight, Market Perform or Underweight ratings and lower price targets in the US$10 to US$13 range in many cases. Key concerns center on execution risk, higher price positioning versus peers, integration of Albertsons Companies' divisional consolidation, market share pressure and leadership turnover. Several firms also flag a tougher competitive backdrop and industry headwinds that could keep growth and profit recovery uncertain. Do your thoughts align with the Bull or Bear Analysts? Perhaps you think there's more to the story. Head to the Simply Wall St Community to discover more perspectives! We've flagged 5 risks for Albertsons Companies. See which could impact your investment. Albertsons Companies cut its fiscal 2026 outlook after a first quarter earnings miss, guiding identical sales to decline 0.5% to 1.5% and reducing adjusted EPS guidance to US$1.75 to US$1.85 from US$2.22 to US$2.32, with shares falling over 20% to the lowest level since the 2020 IPO. The company launched its ACI Edge restructuring program, which consolidates 11 operating divisions into four regional units and centralizes center store merchandising to use supplier partnerships to support pricing, in stock levels, and customer experience across stores and digital channels. Albertsons Companies reported fiscal 2025 fourth quarter revenue of US$19.12b that matched analyst expectations, with strong adjusted EBITDA in the context of pharmacy related headwinds, while the stock declined about 15% to 17% after the report. Levi & Korsinsky LLP began an investigation into potential securities law violations related to Albertsons financial disclosures following the earnings shortfall and guidance cuts. Fair value has been cut from US$20.25 to US$15.31, which is a reduction of about 24%. Revenue growth has been reduced from 63.65% to 16.29%, which is a very sharp step down in projected growth. Profit margin has moved from a very large 120.61% to 93.23%, which still implies very high modeled profitability. Future P/E has shifted slightly higher from 10.47x to 10.69x. The discount rate has risen from 10.01% to 11.08%, which signals a higher required return for Albertsons Companies in the updated model. Narratives link Albertsons Companies' business story to a set of financial forecasts and a fair value anchor that evolves over time. They refresh as new data, guidance, and analyst views come through so you can see how the thesis changes. Head over to the Simply Wall St Community and follow the Narrative on Albertsons Companies to stay up to date on: How growth in digital channels, e commerce and loyalty programs is used to support customer retention and overall sales momentum. How technology investments, private label expansion, health and pharmacy offerings, and omnichannel integration are intended to improve margins and competitive positioning. Key risks including e commerce profitability challenges, rising labor costs and union negotiations, competitive pricing pressure, pharmacy mix headwinds, and slower than expected cost savings. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include ACI. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected]

Interested in BrightSpire Capital, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. BrightSpire reported a weak GAAP result: a second-quarter net loss of $18.3 million, or $0.15 per share, despite $16.8 million in adjusted distributable earnings. Net book value fell to $6.81 per share, pressured by higher CECL reserves and real estate impairments. The loan portfolio expanded significantly: BrightSpire originated 10 loans totaling $319 million, growing its portfolio to approximately $2.9 billion across 106 loans. Management aims to reach $3.5 billion by year-end and nearly $4 billion by mid-2027, with greater multifamily exposure and less office concentration. Asset sales will support capital recycling but delay dividend coverage: the planned $300 million sale of the Albertsons investment is expected to free about $100 million for higher-return lending, while delaying full dividend coverage by roughly two quarters. The company also raised its CECL reserve to $100 million and held $131 million in liquidity. BrightSpire Capital (NYSE:BRSP) reported a second-quarter GAAP net loss attributable to common stockholders of $18.3 million, or $0.15 per share, while adjusted distributable earnings totaled $16.8 million, or $0.13 per share. Distributable earnings were $15.8 million, or $0.12 per share. The company ended the quarter with GAAP net book value of $6.81 per share and undepreciated book value of $8.10 per share. Chief Financial Officer Frank Saracino said the declines from the prior quarter were driven mainly by higher CECL reserves and real estate impairments, partly offset by the effect of share repurchases. → This Tiny AI Supplier Could Be More Important Than the Chipmakers CEO Mike Mazzei said BrightSpire had an active quarter of lending activity, completing 10 loans totaling $319 million. After quarter-end, the company closed three additional loans totaling $117 million and had four loans totaling $178 million in execution. BrightSpire's loan portfolio stood at approximately $2.9 billion across 106 loans as of June 30, an increase of nearly $200 million from the prior quarter. President and Chief Operating Officer Andy Witt said the portfolio's weighted-average loan balance was $27 million and its weighted-average risk ranking was 3.0. → Refiner Stocks Are Near Record Highs—Can Iran-Driven Margins Keep Them There? Year to date, the company committed $892 million across 24 loans, with an average loan balance of $37 million. Witt said BrightSpire expects its average loan size going forward to be in a range of roughly $30 million to $35 million, while generally avoiding loans below $20 million. Mazzei said BrightSpire expects to grow its loan book to about $3.5 billion by year-end and toward $4 billion by the middle of 2027. The company is seeking to shift its portfolio toward more multifamily loans, less office exposure, smaller average loan sizes and a greater share of loans originated after interest-rate increases. → Innovative ETF Strategies That Are Paying Off This Summer Management said multifamily whole-loan spreads continue to center around roughly 250 basis points over SOFR. BrightSpire sees an active lending environment, with its year-to-date pipeline volume running ahead of 2025. Witt said the company had seen about $57 billion of opportunities through the top of its origination funnel and could reach $110 billion to $120 billion by year-end if current trends continue. BrightSpire agreed to sell its Albertsons triple-net equity investment for $300 million, including the assumption of $200 million in CMBS debt. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter and will eliminate refinancing risk associated with the property's 2028 debt maturity. Mazzei said the debt carried a 4.77% interest rate, and refinancing it at current market rates could have resulted in a higher borrowing cost, reduced loan proceeds and a need for additional equity. The sale is expected to free approximately $100 million of capital that BrightSpire intends to deploy at a higher return on equity. While management previously expected to reach full dividend coverage by year-end, Mazzei said the Albertsons sale is likely to delay that objective by about two quarters. He said the company expects stronger dividend coverage during the second or third quarter of 2027 as capital is redeployed into loans. BrightSpire also repurchased more than 3.8 million shares for approximately $21 million during the quarter, at an average price of $5.46 per share. Saracino said the buyback increased undepreciated book value by $0.08 per share. The company had about $29 million remaining under its repurchase authorization. The company resolved three watchlist loans totaling $99 million during the quarter, producing a net reduction of $30 million in watchlist exposure after two loans were added. BrightSpire's watchlist consisted of four loans totaling $136 million at quarter-end. The additions included an $11 million Denver office loan that management expects to sell in the near term and a $57 million Las Vegas multifamily loan. Witt said leasing improved at an Austin multifamily property, which was operating near stabilized occupancy, while a Dallas office property was approaching 70% occupancy. BrightSpire held six REO properties with a gross book value of $330 million. Two multifamily assets with combined net asset value of $62 million were under contract for sale, including a Mesa, Arizona, property expected to close in the third quarter. The company recorded a $3.8 million GAAP impairment on that property based on expected net sale proceeds, along with an estimated $6.5 million reduction in undepreciated book value. The company expects two other multifamily REO assets, with combined net asset value of $84 million, to reach the market over the next several quarters. Management continues to target a 2027 resolution for its San Jose hotel property and said it remains patient with a Santa Clara multifamily pre-development asset as Bay Area rents improve. Second-quarter results also included approximately $9 million of operating real estate impairments related to two legacy retail triple-net assets and an REO multifamily property. Saracino said the retail impairments had an immaterial effect on undepreciated book value because the investments had been written down two years earlier. BrightSpire increased its general CECL reserve to $100 million, or 327 basis points of total loan commitments, from $87 million, or 306 basis points, in the first quarter. Mazzei said the increase was roughly split between loan-specific factors and broader economic conditions. Management said it expects to issue a second CRE CLO in 2026, which would be the first time BrightSpire has completed two CLO transactions in one year. Mazzei said the anticipated fourth-quarter CLO would provide higher leverage than the company's existing loan-book financing. As of the call date, BrightSpire reported approximately $131 million of liquidity, including $45 million of cash, $30 million available under its credit facility and about $56 million of approved but undrawn warehouse borrowings. The company's debt-to-assets ratio was 70%, while its debt-to-equity ratio was 2.7 times. BrightSpire Capital Inc (NYSE: BRSP) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in commercial real estate debt. The company primarily originates, acquires and manages a diversified portfolio of mortgage loans, mezzanine loans and preferred equity investments secured by office, retail, industrial, multifamily and hospitality assets across the United States. By focusing on income-producing credit instruments, BrightSpire seeks to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns to its shareholders through regular dividend distributions. BrightSpire’s investment strategy spans the capital structure of commercial real estate, with an emphasis on senior mortgages that offer more stable cash flows and downside protection. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. The article "BrightSpire Capital Q2 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. 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