Albertsons Reports Q4 Net Loss Amid Opioid Settlement Charges

Albertsons Companies (ACI) reported a net loss of $480.8 million, or $0.94 per share, for the fourth quarter, a sharp reversal from the $171.8 million net income recorded in the prior-year period. The bottom-line decline was primarily attributed to a non-recurring $599.8 million after-tax charge related to the Opioid Settlement Framework. Excluding the settlement charge, the company's adjusted net income stood at $251.7 million, or $0.48 per share, compared to $269.5 million in the previous year. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $903.4 million from $855.1 million year-over-year, reflecting operational resilience despite the legal headwinds. Total net sales and other revenue climbed to $20.3 billion from $18.8 billion in the same period last year. This growth was partially bolstered by an extra week in the fiscal 2025 fourth quarter, which contributed approximately $1.4 billion in incremental sales. Identical sales grew by 0.7%, while digital sales showed significant momentum with a 16% increase. Looking ahead to fiscal 2026, Albertsons expects identical sales growth to remain in a narrow range between 0.0% and 1.0%. The company forecasts adjusted EBITDA between $3.850 billion and $3.925 billion, with adjusted net income per Class A common share projected between $2.22 and $2.32. In pre-market trading, Albertsons shares reacted modestly to the news, declining 0.59 percent to $16.75.