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Core Insights - Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI) reported first-quarter fiscal 2025 results with sales and earnings exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate, although the bottom line declined year-over-year [1][3] Financial Performance - Adjusted quarterly earnings were 55 cents per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 53 cents, but down 16.7% from 66 cents in the prior year [3][10] - Net sales and other revenues reached $24,880.8 million, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $24,719 million, and rose 2.5% year-over-year, driven by a 2.8% increase in identical sales and a 20% increase in pharmacy sales [3][10] - Digital sales grew by 25%, primarily due to strong first-party sales, although these gains were partially offset by a decline in fuel sales [3][10] Customer Engagement and Growth Initiatives - Identical sales growth was supported by advancements in pharmacy, digital platforms, and loyalty programs, with loyalty membership increasing by 14% to 47.3 million [2][4] - The company is focused on enhancing customer value, modernizing operations through technology, and investing in store upgrades and efficiency for long-term growth [2] Margins and Expenses - Gross profit remained flat at $6.74 billion, but gross margin contracted by 70 basis points to 27.1% compared to the previous year [5][10] - Selling and administrative expenses increased by 0.7% to $6.32 billion, with a decline of 50 basis points as a percentage of net sales [7] - Adjusted EBITDA declined 6.2% year-over-year to $1.11 billion, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 4.5%, down 40 basis points [8] Capital Expenditures and Shareholder Returns - Capital expenditures totaled $584.6 million, reflecting the completion of 36 remodels and the opening of three new stores, with a forecast of $1.7-$1.9 billion for fiscal 2025 [12] - The company paid a quarterly dividend of 15 cents per share and repurchased 14.2 million shares for $314.8 million under a $2 billion repurchase authorization [13] Fiscal 2025 Outlook - Albertsons updated its fiscal 2025 outlook, expecting identical sales growth of 2.0-2.75% and adjusted EBITDA between $3.8 billion and $3.9 billion [15] - Adjusted earnings per share are projected to be in the range of $2.03-$2.16, down from $2.34 in fiscal 2024 [16]