United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results

United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $0.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.62 by $0.07, FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $7.64 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.71 billion. United Natural Foods had a positive return on equity of 7.42% and a negative net margin of 0.12%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.11) earnings per share. United Natural Foods updated its FY 2027 guidance to 3.000-3.500 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from United Natural Foods’ conference call:

• Positive Sentiment: UNFI reported fiscal 2026 Adjusted EBITDA of $701 million, up 27% year over year, and record free cash flow of $323 million. Net leverage fell to 2.2x from 3.3x, supported by lower debt and refinancing savings.
• Positive Sentiment: Management expects fiscal 2027 Adjusted EBITDA of $730 million to $780 million, or high-single-digit growth at the midpoint, with Adjusted EPS of $3.00 to $3.50. The company said the outlook positions it to reach its fiscal 2028 margin target one year early.
• Neutral Sentiment: Fiscal 2027 sales are expected to rise about 1% at the midpoint to $31.2 billion-$31.8 billion, but revenue is likely to decline in the first quarter as optimization actions and project work are lapped before returning to profitable growth in the second half.
• Negative Sentiment: Conventional product sales declined mid-single digits and retail sales fell 8% in the quarter, while higher fuel costs, low-single-digit inflation, and increased fiscal 2027 capital spending of about $300 million are expected to pressure results and offset some EBITDA growth in free cash flow.
• Positive Sentiment: The board authorized a new $200 million share-repurchase program after UNFI repurchased approximately $50 million of stock in fiscal 2026, while management plans to reduce leverage below 2.0x by the end of fiscal 2027.

United Natural Foods Stock Performance

UNFI stock opened at $44.93 on Wednesday. United Natural Foods has a 1 year low of $27.97 and a 1 year high of $57.02. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -68.07 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a current ratio of 1.33. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $47.58 and its two-hundred day moving average is $46.89.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on UNFI shares. Roth Capital reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $43.00 price target on shares of United Natural Foods in a research note on Wednesday, June 10th. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of United Natural Foods in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Zacks Research lowered shares of United Natural Foods from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Wall Street Zen cut shares of United Natural Foods from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, July 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $56.00 target price on shares of United Natural Foods in a research note on Wednesday, June 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $47.86.

Insider Buying and Selling at United Natural Foods

In related news, insider Mark Bushway sold 10,000 shares of United Natural Foods stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.56, for a total value of $515,600.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 51,119 shares in the company, valued at $2,635,695.64. This trade represents a 16.36% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 2.40% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Natural Foods

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Quarry LP purchased a new position in United Natural Foods in the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its position in shares of United Natural Foods by 4,266.7% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 786 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 768 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of United Natural Foods by 84.2% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,332 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 609 shares in the last quarter. Arax Advisory Partners boosted its stake in United Natural Foods by 37.4% in the 4th quarter. Arax Advisory Partners now owns 1,102 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new position in United Natural Foods during the 4th quarter worth approximately $38,000. 87.63% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about United Natural Foods

Here are the key news stories impacting United Natural Foods this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings beat expectations: UNFI reported fourth-quarter adjusted EPS of $0.69, above the $0.62 consensus and well ahead of a $0.11 loss in the year-ago period. The result marked a return to profitability and exceeded estimates despite modestly lower sales. UNFI Q4 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: FY2027 outlook supports the stock: Management forecast adjusted EPS of $3.00–$3.50, with the midpoint above analysts’ $3.18 estimate. The company expects productivity improvements—not price increases—to drive margin expansion, while targeting leverage below 2x. UNFI Fiscal 2027 EPS and Leverage Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: New $200 million buyback: The board authorized a new share-repurchase program, potentially supporting per-share earnings and signaling confidence in the company’s cash-flow and balance-sheet plans. UNFI Announces New $200 Million Share Buyback
• Neutral Sentiment: Sales and business mix remain mixed: Fourth-quarter revenue of $7.64 billion fell short of the $7.71 billion consensus and declined 0.7% year over year. Natural-product sales increased, but the conventional segment weakened. FY2027 revenue guidance of $31.2–$31.8 billion is also slightly below the $31.9 billion consensus. UNFI Natural Sales Rise as Conventional Segment Declines
• Negative Sentiment: Inflation remains a risk: Management expects additional inflation in FY2027, creating execution pressure as UNFI seeks to protect margins through productivity rather than higher prices. The company still reported a slightly negative net margin in the quarter.

United Natural Foods Company Profile

United Natural Foods, Inc (NYSE: UNFI) is a leading distributor of natural, organic and specialty foods in North America. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, the company has grown through strategic acquisitions and organic expansion to become one of the largest food distributors serving retail, foodservice and e-commerce customers.

UNFI’s core business centers on the procurement, warehousing and distribution of a broad portfolio of products, including fresh produce, groceries, frozen foods, dairy, bakery items, beverages, supplements and household essentials.