Albertsons, the parent company of Malvern-based Acme Markets, is considering selling its stock through an initial public offering for the third time in five years, writes Joseph DiStefano for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The company’s 2015 IPO attempt was canceled following Walmart’s weak profits for the year, which caused the stock market to lose interest in groceries. Meanwhile, its 2017 IPO was thwarted by Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, which made investors uneasy about increased competition in the sector.

However, the latest IPO that was filed in March is once again running into issues, this time due to the 20 percent drop in the S&P 500. Still, some analysts believe that if the market bounces back quickly, the company will continue with the IPO.

Albertsons is the third biggest grocer nationwide, with 270,000 employees. On average its stores are more than eight decades old with some Acme stores older still, as the chain opened in South Philadelphia in 1891.

Albertsons has been losing market share in part due to a lack of investments in stores. However, the company is attempting a turnaround before going public by sprucing up stores and adding more self-checking and delivery services.

Read more about Acme Markets in The Philadelphia Inquirer here.

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