ACI vs. HSY: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ACI and HSY, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | ACI | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Albertsons Companies, Inc. | The Hershey Company |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail | Food Products |
| Market Capitalization | 11.03 billion USD | 36.81 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 26, 2020 | March 17, 1980 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ACI and HSY by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ACI | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.73% | 0.74% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -12.08% | 15.99% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -9.88% | 12.92% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -6.86% | -7.90% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 1.09% | -2.44% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -1.07% | 7.23% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 5.26M | 1.60M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 5.86M | 1.74M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 24.02% | 29.50% |
| Beta | 0.37 | 0.25 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ACI
29.37%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 34.20%
- Q3
- 21.61%
- Median
- 13.70%
- Q1
- 5.18%
- Min
- -9.87%
In the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, ACI’s Return on Equity of 29.37% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
HSY
33.77%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 27.15%
- Q3
- 15.66%
- Median
- 10.47%
- Q1
- 7.82%
- Min
- -2.46%
HSY’s Return on Equity of 33.77% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Food Products industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ACI
1.18%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 7.16%
- Q3
- 3.87%
- Median
- 2.44%
- Q1
- 1.65%
- Min
- -0.70%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, ACI’s Net Profit Margin of 1.18% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
HSY
13.54%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 18.44%
- Q3
- 9.92%
- Median
- 6.38%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -0.92%
A Net Profit Margin of 13.54% places HSY in the upper quartile for the Food Products industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ACI
1.89%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.42%
- Q3
- 5.29%
- Median
- 4.03%
- Q1
- 2.22%
- Min
- -1.85%
ACI’s Operating Profit Margin of 1.89% is in the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
HSY
18.28%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 24.83%
- Q3
- 14.27%
- Median
- 9.73%
- Q1
- 6.26%
- Min
- -0.10%
An Operating Profit Margin of 18.28% places HSY in the upper quartile for the Food Products industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ACI | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 29.37% | 33.77% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.59% | 11.51% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 1.18% | 13.54% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 1.89% | 18.28% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 27.47% | 40.13% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ACI
0.82
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.80
- Q3
- 1.25
- Median
- 0.97
- Q1
- 0.82
- Min
- 0.52
ACI’s Current Ratio of 0.82 falls into the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
HSY
1.53
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 3.80
- Q3
- 2.40
- Median
- 1.61
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- 0.55
HSY’s Current Ratio of 1.53 aligns with the median group of the Food Products industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
ACI
2.43
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.44
- Q3
- 1.56
- Median
- 1.00
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
ACI’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.43. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
HSY
1.25
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 1.87
- Q3
- 0.90
- Median
- 0.48
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.00
HSY’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Food Products industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.25. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
ACI
3.40
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 24.36
- Q3
- 14.71
- Median
- 6.25
- Q1
- 3.16
- Min
- -10.70
ACI’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.40 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
HSY
15.93
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 70.39
- Q3
- 32.08
- Median
- 9.51
- Q1
- 4.55
- Min
- -1.69
HSY’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 15.93 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Food Products industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ACI | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.82 | 1.53 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.18 | 0.85 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 2.43 | 1.25 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 3.40 | 15.93 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ACI
2.83%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 6.63%
- Q3
- 3.17%
- Median
- 1.35%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ACI’s Dividend Yield of 2.83% is consistent with its peers in the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
HSY
2.92%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 7.43%
- Q3
- 4.12%
- Median
- 2.67%
- Q1
- 1.57%
- Min
- 0.00%
HSY’s Dividend Yield of 2.92% is consistent with its peers in the Food Products industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
ACI
32.62%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 163.46%
- Q3
- 90.34%
- Median
- 52.13%
- Q1
- 20.46%
- Min
- 0.00%
ACI’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 32.62% is within the typical range for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
HSY
70.84%
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 202.50%
- Q3
- 109.53%
- Median
- 67.28%
- Q1
- 39.33%
- Min
- 0.00%
HSY’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 70.84% is within the typical range for the Food Products industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ACI | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.83% | 2.92% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 32.62% | 70.84% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ACI
11.54
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 49.92
- Q3
- 31.34
- Median
- 23.38
- Q1
- 17.55
- Min
- 6.19
In the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, ACI’s P/E Ratio of 11.54 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
HSY
24.29
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 35.81
- Q3
- 22.88
- Median
- 17.13
- Q1
- 13.91
- Min
- 2.77
A P/E Ratio of 24.29 places HSY in the upper quartile for the Food Products industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
ACI
0.14
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.88
- Q3
- 1.00
- Median
- 0.55
- Q1
- 0.40
- Min
- 0.06
In the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, ACI’s P/S Ratio of 0.14 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
HSY
3.29
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 3.63
- Q3
- 1.86
- Median
- 1.14
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.12
HSY’s P/S Ratio of 3.29 is in the upper echelon for the Food Products industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ACI
3.76
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.74
- Q3
- 4.99
- Median
- 2.88
- Q1
- 1.77
- Min
- 0.46
ACI’s P/B Ratio of 3.76 is within the conventional range for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
HSY
7.45
Food Products Industry
- Max
- 5.01
- Q3
- 2.76
- Median
- 1.98
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.52
At 7.45, HSY’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Food Products industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ACI | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 11.54 | 24.29 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.14 | 3.29 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 3.76 | 7.45 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 21.97 | 20.41 |