United Natural Foods Q4 2026 Results and FY2027 Outlook
On Tuesday, United Natural Foods Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) announced its fourth‑quarter 2026 financials. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.69, surpassing the analyst consensus of $0.61. Revenue for the quarter was $7.64 billion, falling short of the $7.69 billion estimate and representing a 0.7% year‑over‑year decline from $7.70 billion in the comparable period.
The company's shares edged up 0.09% in pre‑market trading following the release.
Full‑Year 2026 Performance
For the fiscal year ended 2026, net sales decreased 2.0% to $31.2 billion. Net income turned positive at $84 million, or $1.34 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $118 million (‑$1.95 per share) in fiscal 2025. Adjusted EBITDA rose 27.0% year‑over‑year to $701 million.
FY2027 Guidance
UNFI provided guidance for fiscal 2027, projecting adjusted EPS in the range of $3.00‑$3.50, with a midpoint of $3.25, slightly above the consensus estimate of $3.21. Revenue guidance was set between $31.2 billion and $31.8 billion, with a midpoint of $31.5 billion, which is below the analyst consensus of $31.87 billion.
Operational Highlights
The fourth‑quarter net sales figure incorporated an estimated 500 basis‑point impact from planned optimization actions and a 150 basis‑point headwind from completed short‑term project work. Gross profit rate improved to 13.7% from 13.4% in the prior‑year quarter, driven by network optimization and a favorable customer mix.
Free cash flow for fiscal 2026 reached $323 million, up 35.1% from $239 million in the prior year. The company’s net leverage ratio stood at 2.2× as of August 1 2026.
Management Commentary
Chief Executive Officer Sandy Douglas said, “UNFI delivered a strong fiscal year through disciplined execution of our strategy to add value for customers and suppliers while becoming a more effective and efficient company.”
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