US Foods (NYSE:USFD) Posts Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $0.04 EPS

US Foods (NYSE:USFD) released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $0.78 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.82 by ($0.04), FiscalAI reports. US Foods had a return on equity of 19.37% and a net margin of 1.71%.The firm had revenue of $9.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $9.66 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.68 earnings per share. US Foods’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. US Foods updated its FY 2026 guidance to 4.696-4.935 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from US Foods’ conference call:

• Independent restaurant momentum: Organic independent case growth accelerated to ~4.4% (strongest in >2 years) and US Foods recorded its 20th consecutive quarter of market-share gains with independents, underpinning continued customer wins.
• Guidance reaffirmed but conditional: Management reiterated 2026 targets of adjusted EBITDA growth of 9%–13% and adjusted diluted EPS growth of 18%–24% (includes a 53rd week), while noting outcomes depend on fuel and macro trends.
• Weather and fuel pressure near term: Severe winter storms and higher fuel costs materially hit Q1 (nearly 2x DC closure days vs. prior year), cutting adjusted EBITDA growth by ~4 percentage points and prompting Q2 growth guidance of mid-to-upper single digits if fuel stays elevated.
• Product, tech and channel growth initiatives scaling: AI tools (MenuIQ) saw rapid adoption (15% of independents in two months), US Foods launched the new Signature hospitality solution, and Pronto expanded to its 47th market with a $1.5B 2027 sales target.
• Self-help, margins and capital deployment: Adjusted gross profit rose 4.4% and adjusted EBITDA grew 6.2%; cost-of-goods savings target increased to $300M through 2027, UMOS and indirect-spend programs are driving productivity, and the company repurchased $125M of stock (net leverage 2.6x, $1B repurchase capacity remaining).

US Foods Trading Down 2.8%

US Foods stock traded down $2.44 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $84.44. The company had a trading volume of 3,388,538 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,144,802. The firm has a market cap of $18.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.43, a P/E/G ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 0.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a current ratio of 1.14. US Foods has a 1 year low of $69.88 and a 1 year high of $102.13. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $91.75 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $83.96.

US Foods News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting US Foods this week:

• Positive Sentiment: US Foods said first-quarter case volume rose 1.4%, with independent restaurant case volume up 4.6%, while net sales increased 2.8% to $9.6 billion and adjusted EBITDA climbed 6.2% to $413 million. US Foods Reports First Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: The company reaffirmed its 2026 outlook for 9% to 13% adjusted EBITDA growth and issued full-year EPS guidance of $4.696 to $4.935, signaling confidence in its operating plans despite near-term cost pressures. US Foods reaffirms 2026 outlook for 9%-13% adjusted EBITDA growth amid elevated fuel costs
• Neutral Sentiment: Management highlighted continued profit improvement on the earnings call, but investors are weighing that against weather disruptions, higher fuel costs, and other headwinds that could pressure margins in coming quarters. US Foods Earnings Call Highlights Profits Amid Headwinds
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly EPS of $0.78 missed estimates of $0.82, and revenue of $9.61 billion also came in below expectations, which is the main reason the stock is under pressure today. US Foods (NYSE:USFD) Reports Sales Below Analyst Estimates In Q1 CY2026 Earnings

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently commented on USFD shares. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of US Foods from $90.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of US Foods from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday. Weiss Ratings cut shares of US Foods from a “buy (b+)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $106.00 price target on shares of US Foods in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Finally, BTIG Research lifted their price target on shares of US Foods from $82.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, US Foods has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $106.75.

Insider Transactions at US Foods

In other US Foods news, insider James David Works, Jr. sold 65,737 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $96.52, for a total value of $6,344,935.24. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 88,176 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,510,747.52. The trade was a 42.71% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.74% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On US Foods

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new stake in US Foods in the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in US Foods by 120.1% in the 2nd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 482 shares of the company’s stock valued at $37,000 after buying an additional 263 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of US Foods in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $49,000. AlphaCentric Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of US Foods in the 4th quarter worth approximately $79,000. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its position in shares of US Foods by 68.5% in the 3rd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,198 shares of the company’s stock worth $92,000 after purchasing an additional 487 shares during the period. 98.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About US Foods

US Foods (NYSE: USFD) is a leading foodservice distributor in the United States that supplies a wide range of products and services to professional food operators. The company provides fresh, frozen and dry food items as well as non-food restaurant supplies and kitchen equipment. Its customer base includes independent restaurants, multi-unit chains, healthcare and senior living facilities, hospitality businesses, government and educational institutions, and other foodservice operators.

Beyond commodity and branded food products, US Foods offers value-added solutions designed to help customers run their businesses.