What is Publix’s stock price, and are they publicly traded? Investors cannot purchase shares of Publix because it is a private company. Kroger (NYSE: KR) and Costco (NASDAQ: COST) are grocery store companies that traders can invest in.
Grocery stores will always be relevant because we need food to survive. Publix is a great grocery store in the South.
Why bother with searching for Publix stock price? Well, with more than 1,242 stores and revenues of $8.90 billion last quarter, Publix Super Markets Inc. is fulfilling its mission to be the premier quality food retailer in the world. That being said, is there Publix stock to trade or invest in? We were looking for answers, too, so we read on and saw what we found.
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Publix Stock Introduction (No Stock Symbol)
Headquartered in Lakeland, Florida, Publix Super Markets Inc. was founded by George W. Jenkins on September 6, 1930. What sets Publix apart is that they are the largest employee-owned Company in the U.S.
With more than 200,000 associates operating in 1,242 stores across the southern U.S., Publix is an industry giant. They offer hungry shoppers a variety of seafood, dairy products, baked goods, confectionery items, dry fruits, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages, as well as pharmacy services.
With a trail of accolades, Publix is the desired Company to work for. For an astonishing 23 years, Fortune Magazine recognized Publix (PUSH) as a Great Place to Work®. Interestingly, Publix’s dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the top in the grocery business.
Interestingly, Publix’s dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the top in the grocery business.
So, with Annual sales for 2019 topping $36 billion, Publix is well on its way. Not surprisingly, eager investors want to share in the Company’s success by buying up shares. Unfortunately, as you’re about to find out, buying Publix stock is challenging. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take a bite from the other industry giants.
Giving Back to the Community
According to Feeding America, close to 17.1 million additional people will experience food insecurity due to the pandemic. But Publix is trying to do something about it.
With numerous reports of farmers throwing out unsold produce and milk — mostly due to school, restaurant, and hotel closures — Publix hopes to tackle this problem.
Publix Super Markets Charities recently donated $2 million to support Feeding America member food banks during the pandemic.
Publix launched an initiative to help farmers and those in need using their industry foothold. They will purchase fresh produce and milk to assist farmers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Secondly, more than 150,000 pounds of produce and 43,500 gallons of milk will be donated to food banks. It’s too bad there’s no Publix stock because they’d be a great company to invest in.
If you think this is some P.R. ploy to garner popularity, think again. Throughout the Company’s history, Publix has supported organizations working toward alleviating hunger.
Since 2009, Publix has donated more than $2 billion in food to needy people and has pledged an additional $2 billion in food donations over the next ten years. How impressive is that?
Who Owns the Most Publix Stock?
Publix’s’ history of giving continues beyond the community. It started in-house with its founder, George Jenkins. George believed in his people and investing in others. Not surprisingly, his vision was for the Associates of Publix to own it. His rationale? George thought, perhaps rightfully so, that if Publix Associates owned the company, they would take better care of it and work harder to improve it. From its inception, Mr. George believed in respecting the individual’s dignity and encouraging associates to share their ideas and opinions. He created an employee stock purchase plan with his grand vision at the forefront of his mind. This plan formally enabled associates to purchase shares of company stock.
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Publix Stock Ticker
Since the Associate’s common stock isn’t publicly traded on any stock exchange, it has no “ticker” symbol.
As mentioned above, only Associates and our board of directors members can purchase Publix stock. Although we wish there were stock trading available for Publix.
You can’t. Unfortunately, to this day, Publix remains privately owned. The good news is – that the 200,000 employees of Publix can purchase stock after one year of employment.
Even though Publix Associates can purchase shares, we can not. That is unless you decide to take up a new career with them or you’re a member of their Board of Directors.
As of March 1, 2020, one share of this stock would set an Associate back $48.90! But as of March 11, 2020, Publix Super Markets’ stock was trading at $20.00.
Coincidentally, at the same time, the coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Considering the global impact of COVID-19 on stock markets worldwide, I would not be too concerned if I were holding Publix stock. If I were an Associate and had extra money, I would eat up Publix shares.
Publix Stock Alternatives
Fortunately for investors, you have a few options for supermarket chains that trade on public markets. Perhaps the most familiar is Kroger (K.R.). This grocery giant is the largest in the world, with annual revenues topping a mind-boggling $119 billion.
Costco ($COST) Stock Rover Research Report 3/24
1. Costco (COST)
If Kroger doesn’t curb your appetite, have you considered Costco? Costco (COST) is another leader among publicly traded supermarket chains. Cost is a leader in the “warehouse club” space, making it attractive in this category for supermarkets as well. Costco has 782 stores worldwide as of 2019, with most of its sales derived in the United States (73%) and Canada (14%0 but they also have a large presence in Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
Costco mainly caters to individual shoppers looking to “save costs,” but roughly 20% of paid members also carry business memberships, meaning they buy goods for their office or work. Food and sundries accounted for 40% of fiscal 2019 sales, with ancillary businesses (such as fuel and pharmacy) 19%, hard lines just over 16%, fresh food 13%, and soft lines 11%. Costco’s warehouses average around 146,000 square feet; over 75% of its locations offer fuel for the general public. With strong growth across the board – international markets included, COST is one to check out. However, before you go and “woof” your cookies, know that shares are trading at $309.
Also worth checking out is Albertsons stock that recently went public.
2. Publix Pays Rent to $BRX
Brixmor (NYSE: BRX) is a REIT, which is a real estate renter for commercial properties. This company owns and operates a high-quality national portfolio of outside shopping plazas. They currently have operations with 5,000 retailers, including Publix Super Markets. If you’re interested in $PBLX, consider $BRX.
Final Thoughts
Running a large multi-national corporation can be challenging. And when you factor in variables like workplace culture, competition, and global pandemics, it’s easy to see why many companies fail. However, Publix Super Markets shines as one of today’s most successful companies; we’d look closely at it.
You don’t have to limit yourself to companies that sell food. Because, when it comes to trading, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not surprisingly, investors have long speculated about the possibility of a public stock offering. But don't hold your breath; Publix Supermarket Inc. has little reason to become a public company. It is a private company with a well-established regional presence. They don't need outside funding; its stock is merely a kind of profit-sharing for its employees.
On the contrary, the only reason I could see them going public would be to sell off the Company. However, I see no reason for that, considering they are incredibly profitable and have no debt. An even more impressive fact is that they usually buy or lease new properties with cash.
Publix is a privately-held company and doesn't offer company shares to purchase to the public. Publix associates are able to purchase internal shares of Publix stock after one year of employment.
Publix quarterly stock dividend is currently $0.10 cents per share.
