United Natural Foods

United Natural Foods reported Q4 adjusted EBITDA of $172 million, up 48.3% year-over-year, and adjusted EPS of $0.69 versus a $0.11 loss a year earlier, producing net income of $35 million and operating cash flow of $197 million. For FY26 adjusted EBITDA rose to $701 million and adjusted EPS to $2.65, with free cash flow of $323 million. Sales were slightly down—Q4 net sales fell 0.7% and full-year revenue dropped 2% to $31.2 billion—partly due to optimization actions, while capital spending increased to $117 million. Management expects FY27 results to depend more on margin expansion than sales growth, with guidance showing modest revenue and EBITDA improvement at the midpoint. » More on finance.yahoo.com

United Natural Foods unveiled a tighter growth plan, reported a 26% EBITDA increase for fiscal 2026 and a decline in leverage from 4.0x to 2.0x. Management targets a return to revenue growth in the second half of fiscal 2027 and is focusing on a $90 billion segment of differentiated retailers rather than the entire market. Key initiatives include Lean 2.0, the "DC of the Future" program, use of AI for inventory optimization, and investments in technology and services. UNFI approved a $200 million share buyback program but stressed that debt reduction and operational modernization remain priorities. » More on de.investing.com

United Natural Foods said disciplined execution drove 27% full-year adjusted EBITDA growth despite reported sales declines from network optimization and a 150bp drag from winding down short-term project work. Management emphasized operational improvements—Lean deployment across 44 DCs, consolidation of Racine into an automated Joliet facility, and targeted automation/ERP investments—to expand margins without relying on price increases. Guidance assumes a return to profitable growth in H2 fiscal 2027, $300 million capex, a goal to cut net leverage below 2.0x by end of fiscal 2027, and a new $200 million share repurchase authorization. » More on finance.yahoo.com