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Albertsons (ACI) reported Q3 identical sales growth of 2.4% with adjusted EPS of $0.72 beating consensus by $0.04, driven by pharmacy expansion and 21% digital sales growth reaching 49.8 million loyalty members. H&R Block (HRB) posted Q2 revenue of $198.87M up 11.1% year over year, with assisted tax prep revenue jumping 15.6% and DIY software climbing 22.3%, while generating $598.85M in free cash flow last year on an asset-light model.
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Albertsons and H&R Block are both using technology and AI to defend against margin compression and competitive threats: Albertsons is investing in personalization and efficiency to offset Medicare drug pricing headwinds, while H&R Block’s human-plus-AI model is outpacing AI-native tax prep competitors during peak tax season.
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Albertsons (NYSE:ACI) just reported Q3 FY2026 earnings showing identical sales growth of 2.4% driven almost entirely by pharmacy. H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) posted Q2 FY2026 results with revenue of $198.87 million, up 11.1% year over year. Two different businesses, both flying under the radar, both leaning into technology to defend their turf.
Albertsons beat on the bottom line, posting adjusted EPS of $0.72 against a consensus of $0.68. Pharmacy is doing the heavy lifting on identical sales while compressing margins. Gross margin slipped to 27.4% from 27.9% the prior year because pharmacy is lower-margin than center-store groceries. Digital sales grew 21% year over year, and loyalty membership hit 49.8 million members, up 12%. New CEO Susan Morris framed the strategy: “Our investments in technology and AI are fundamentally reshaping how we operate and serve our customers; driving smarter decisions, greater efficiency, and more personalized experiences.”
H&R Block’s Q2 is always a loss quarter — tax season hasn’t peaked yet. But off-season results were strong. Assisted tax prep revenue jumped 15.6% year over year, DIY software climbed 22.3%, and Wave, the small business platform, grew 12.1%. New CEO Curtis Campbell set the tone: “In a year of heightened uncertainty for many filers, our client-first strategy and disciplined execution keep us focused on durable growth and long-term value.”
Read: Data Shows One Habit Doubles American’s Savings And Boosts Retirement
Most Americans drastically underestimate how much they need to retire and overestimate how prepared they are. But data shows that people with one habit have more than double the savings of those who don’t.
