Extra costs weigh on Albertsons

Article Excerpt

ALBERTSONS COMPANIES INC. $13 is a hold. The company (New York symbol ACI; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 479.0 million; Market cap: $6.2 billion; No dividend paid; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.albertsonscompanies.com) is one of the largest food retailers in the U.S. with 2,252 stores in 34 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Its grocery store brands include Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, and many others. In June 2020, the company completed an IPO at $16.00 a share. Investment firm Cerberus Capital Management is Albertsons’ largest shareholder, with 31.9% of the shares. As long as it retains 20% of the stock, Cerberus will have the right to appoint four of the 12 directors. Like other supermarket operators, Albertsons saw stronger demand as consumers stocked up on essential products during the COVID-19 lockdowns. However, the pandemic forced it to spend an additional $615 million for new safety features for its stores. That spenidng included $275 million in additional pay for employees. Civil unrest in certain markets in May and…