Albertsons Companies Inc - Class A
Q4 2026 Earnings
Market Reaction
S&P 500 over the same 30 days: +7.73%.
Did ACI Beat Earnings? Q4 2026 Results
Albertsons Companies posted a mixed but ultimately encouraging set of Q4 fiscal 2026 results, beating Wall Street's earnings expectations for the fourth consecutive quarter even as revenue came in slightly below forecasts. The Boise-based grocer earned an adjusted $0.48 per share, clearing the $0.41 consensus estimate by 17.07%, while revenue of $20.25 billion grew 7.7% year over year but fell short of the $20.71 billion analysts had anticipated. The quarter's defining event, however, was a $773.80 million pre-tax opioid settlement charge that swung the company to a GAAP net loss of $480.80 million, compared to net income of $171.80 million a year ago. Beneath that headline noise, underlying trends were constructive: digital sales surged 16%, loyalty membership climbed 12% to 51.2 million members, and identical sales rose 0.7%. Looking ahead, management guided fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.22 to $2.32 and Adjusted EBITDA of $3.85 billion to $3.93 billion, while cautioning that IRA Medicare drug pricing reforms will create an estimated 150 basis point headwind to identical sales growth.
- Identical sales increased 0.7% driven primarily by pharmacy sales
- Digital sales increased 16% in Q4
- Loyalty members grew 12% to 51.2 million
- Extra (53rd) week contributed an estimated $68 million in incremental Adjusted EBITDA and $0.03 per adjusted share
- Pharmacy gross margins improved driven by IRA-related pricing changes
- Productivity initiatives and cost discipline offset lower-than-expected pharmacy sales
“Fiscal 2025 was a year of disciplined execution and resilience, as we closed the year with a solid fourth quarter that delivered strong Adjusted EBITDA despite meaningful top-line pharmacy‑related headwinds.”
Albertsons CEO, on the earnings call
Forward Guidance & Outlook
For fiscal 2026, the company expects identical sales growth of 0.0% to 1.0% (reflecting an estimated 150 basis point headwind from the IRA's Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program effective January 1, 2026), Adjusted EBITDA of $3.850 billion to $3.925 billion, adjusted net income per share of $2.22 to $2.32, an effective income tax rate of 24% to 25%, and capital expenditures of $2.0 billion to $2.2 billion.
ACI YoY Financials
Figures from SEC filings and company reports. Not investment advice.