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ACI vs KR
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Albertsons Companies (ACI) vs. The Kroger Co. (KR) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Albertsons Companies (ACI) and The Kroger Co. (KR) are leading U.S. grocery retailers facing similar sector pressures including inflation, competition, and shifting consumer spending.
- ACI has a smaller market capitalization and has shown more volatility in recent weeks, with shares trading near $15.40 amid post-earnings adjustments following an opioid settlement charge.
- KR demonstrates greater scale with market cap near $40 billion and has delivered more stable recent performance, with shares around $64.70 supported by consistent identical sales growth.
- Both companies reported adjusted earnings strength in recent quarters, though ACI provided fiscal 2026 guidance with modest identical sales expectations of 0.0% to 1.0%.
- Valuation differences stand out, with ACI offering a higher dividend yield and lower forward price-to-earnings ratio compared to KR.
- Market sentiment reflects KR's larger operational footprint and execution track record versus ACI's focus on cost discipline and share repurchase authorization expansion.
Introduction
Albertsons Companies (ACI) and The Kroger Co. (KR) represent two major players in the competitive U.S. supermarket industry. This comparison examines their relative performance, business models, and positioning in the current market environment. The analysis is relevant for investors and traders seeking exposure to the consumer staples sector, particularly those evaluating grocery retail stocks for dividend income, defensive characteristics, or tactical allocation within broader equity portfolios. Both companies operate in a mature industry influenced by economic conditions, supply chain dynamics, and evolving retail formats.
ACI Overview and Recent Performance
Albertsons Companies (ACI) operates a network of grocery stores across the United States under various banners, focusing on food retail, pharmacy, and digital commerce. In recent market activity, the stock has traded in a relatively narrow range near $15.40, reflecting investor digestion of fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 results that included a significant opioid-related settlement charge. Despite the reported net loss for the period, adjusted metrics remained solid, and the company raised its quarterly dividend by 13% while increasing its remaining share repurchase authorization to $2 billion. Fiscal 2026 guidance emphasized modest identical sales growth between 0.0% and 1.0%, alongside adjusted EBITDA and earnings per share targets that aligned with analyst expectations. Recent sentiment has been shaped by these capital allocation updates and ongoing operational efficiency efforts amid broader sector challenges.
KR Overview and Recent Performance
The Kroger Co. (KR) is one of the largest grocery retailers in the United States, with a diversified portfolio of store formats, fuel centers, and e-commerce platforms. In recent market activity, shares have hovered around $64.70, demonstrating relative stability compared to broader market fluctuations. The company delivered fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 results showing modest revenue growth alongside stronger profitability and cash flow metrics. Identical sales without fuel increased 2.4% in the period, supported by digital initiatives and operational execution. Analyst attention has remained constructive, with price target adjustments reflecting confidence in the company's scale and strategic priorities. Recent performance has been influenced by these earnings outcomes and the company's larger operational footprint within the grocery sector.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Albertsons Companies (ACI) and The Kroger Co. (KR) share exposure to the grocery retail sector but differ markedly in scale, with KR maintaining a substantially larger revenue base and market capitalization. ACI emphasizes cost management, pharmacy operations, and targeted capital returns through dividends and buybacks, while KR leverages its broader footprint for identical sales momentum and e-commerce expansion. Recent momentum has favored KR’s more consistent sales trends, whereas ACI has highlighted dividend growth and expanded repurchase capacity following its earnings release. Risk factors for both include commodity inflation, labor costs, and competitive intensity from discounters and online platforms. Sector sentiment remains neutral to cautious amid macroeconomic uncertainty, with valuation gaps evident in ACI’s lower forward multiples and higher yield relative to KR.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors including trend consistency, earnings stability, and relative market positioning, Tickeron’s AI models currently assign a higher probability of favorable performance to The Kroger Co. (KR) over the near term. This assessment reflects KR’s larger scale, steadier identical sales trajectory, and execution track record in recent periods. ACI presents a value-oriented profile with attractive dividends but trails in momentum indicators. These observations represent probabilistic outputs from quantitative models rather than guarantees of future results.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is ACI is a StrongBuy and KR is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
ACI’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileKR’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- ACI’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- KR’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
ACI’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while KR’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- ACI’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- KR’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
ACI (@Food Retail) experienced а +2.69% price change this week, while KR (@Food Retail) price change was +0.78% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Food Retail industry was +2.10%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -3.49%, and the average quarterly price growth was -2.79%.
Reported Earning Dates
ACI is expected to report earnings on Jul 28, 2026.
KR is expected to report earnings on Sep 04, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Food Retail (+2.10% weekly)The food retail industry includes companies that sell food, beverage and household products. Items sold include grocery, gourmet food, fresh produce, and frozen food. Kroger Co., George Weston Ltd., Grocery Outlet Holding Corp., and Sprouts Farmers Markets, Inc. are examples of major food retailers. While e-commerce companies like Amazon have increasingly been ramping-up offerings in the food retail space, several traditional players have also been expanding their online presence to stand their ground against rising competition.
| ACI | KR | ACI / KR | |
| Capitalization | 6.92B | 35.7B | 19% |
| EBITDA | 3.4B | 5.76B | 59% |
| Gain YTD | -16.135 | -5.858 | 275% |
| P/E Ratio | 34.05 | 32.61 | 104% |
| Revenue | 83.2B | 148B | 56% |
| Total Cash | 199M | 879M | 23% |
| Total Debt | 15.3B | 24.7B | 62% |
ACI | KR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 50 | 73 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 11 Undervalued | 16 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 94 | 42 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 77 | 61 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 76 | 62 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 7 | 16 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 65 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
ACI's Valuation (11) in the null industry is in the same range as KR (16) in the Food Retail industry. This means that ACI’s stock grew similarly to KR’s over the last 12 months.
KR's Profit vs Risk Rating (42) in the Food Retail industry is somewhat better than the same rating for ACI (94) in the null industry. This means that KR’s stock grew somewhat faster than ACI’s over the last 12 months.
KR's SMR Rating (61) in the Food Retail industry is in the same range as ACI (77) in the null industry. This means that KR’s stock grew similarly to ACI’s over the last 12 months.
KR's Price Growth Rating (62) in the Food Retail industry is in the same range as ACI (76) in the null industry. This means that KR’s stock grew similarly to ACI’s over the last 12 months.
ACI's P/E Growth Rating (7) in the null industry is in the same range as KR (16) in the Food Retail industry. This means that ACI’s stock grew similarly to KR’s over the last 12 months.
| ACI | KR | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 60% | 3 days ago 58% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 57% | 3 days ago 67% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 56% | 3 days ago 49% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 59% | 3 days ago 61% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 51% | 3 days ago 61% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 53% | 3 days ago 57% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 50% | 3 days ago 57% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 55% | 5 days ago 50% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 50% | 3 days ago 62% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 44% | 3 days ago 50% |
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KR and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, KR has been loosely correlated with ACI. These tickers have moved in lockstep 64% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if KR jumps, then ACI could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To KR | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KR | 100% | +3.52% | ||
| ACI - KR | 64% Loosely correlated | +2.32% | ||
| NGVC - KR | 40% Loosely correlated | +2.29% | ||
| WMK - KR | 36% Loosely correlated | +0.36% | ||
| VLGEA - KR | 20% Poorly correlated | N/A | ||
| IMKTA - KR | 5% Poorly correlated | N/A | ||
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