BUZZ-US grocer Albertsons rises after annual profit forecast raised

Shares of U.S. grocer Albertsons ACI.N up ~3% at $20.35 premarket

Co raises annual adj. profit forecast to between $2.25 and $2.31 per share vs prior range of $2.20 to $2.30

ACI logs Q3 adj. profit of 71 cents per share vs analysts' avg. est. of 66 cents - data compiled by LSEG

Co sued Kroger KR.N last month after terminating their $25 bln merger deal, which was blocked by U.S. courts

ACI misses Q3 sales estimates owing to stiff competition from bigger retailers, including Walmart WMT.N and Kroger

Posts quarterly net sales of $18.78 bln vs estimates of $18.82 bln

ACI fell about 14% in 2024

(Reporting by Anuja Bharat Mistry in Bengaluru)

((AnujaBharat.Mistry@thomsonreuters.com))