UNFI

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Hain Celestial (HAIN). Shares have lost about 9.1% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Hain Celestial due for a breakout? Well, first let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent catalysts for The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late. Hain Celestial reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with an adjusted loss wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate and net sales above the consensus mark. The quarter reflected a steep reported sales decline following the divestiture of the North American snacks business. However, organic sales trends improved sequentially, North America returned to growth and companywide margins expanded. HAIN reported an adjusted loss of 5 cents per share, wider than the consensus estimate of a loss of 3 cents and the adjusted loss of 2 cents recorded in the prior-year quarter. The adjusted net loss was $4.4 million compared with $1.7 million a year ago. On a GAAP basis, the company reported a loss of 68 cents per share compared with a loss of $3.06 in the prior-year period. The GAAP net loss narrowed to $61.9 million from $272.6 million, reflecting a smaller goodwill impairment charge than a year ago. Net sales were $263.1 million, exceeding the consensus estimate of $257 million. Sales declined 27.6% from $363.3 million in the year-ago quarter, primarily due to the North American snacks divestiture. Organic net sales decreased 2% year over year to $246.7 million. The decline reflected a 2-point reduction in volume and mix, while pricing was flat. A 26.2-point drag from divestitures, held-for-sale businesses, discontinued brands and exited categories accounted for most of the reported sales decline, while foreign currency contributed 0.4 points. Management said sales trends improved sequentially across the business. North America grew organically, while the International segment's decline moderated from the third quarter. E-commerce sales with HAIN's largest pure-play and omnichannel customers in North America also grew at a double-digit rate during the quarter. Adjusted gross profit fell 19.6% year over year to $59.8 million. Still, the adjusted gross margin expanded 230 basis points to 22.7%. Favorable volume and mix and productivity savings supported the margin improvement, while cost inflation remained a headwind. The quarter also included a $1.9 million benefit from tariff refunds.  Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses declined 7.2% to $62.5 million, mainly due to lower employee-related costs. However, SG&A represented 23.8% of net sales compared with 18.6% in the prior-year quarter, reflecting strategic-review costs and the smaller sales base. Adjusted EBITDA decreased 5.8% to $18.7 million from $19.9 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin nonetheless increased 160 basis points to 7.1%, as lower SG&A and productivity savings partly offset inflation and lower volume and mix. Interest and other financing expense declined to $11.9 million from $12.8 million. North America net sales were $111.8 million, down 45.7% year over year because the prior-year comparison included the divested snacks business. Organic net sales rose approximately 2%, driven by strength in Meal Prep, particularly yogurt, partly offset by lower Baby and Kids sales. The segment's adjusted gross profit declined 12% to $34.8 million, but adjusted gross margin jumped 1,190 basis points to 31.1%. The increase reflected a more favorable portfolio mix following the snacks sale and productivity savings, partly offset by inflation. Adjusted EBITDA rose 55% to $16.1 million and the margin expanded to 14.4% from 5% a year earlier. Management highlighted strong double-digit growth at Greek Gods yogurt and Earth's Best finger foods. Celestial Seasonings also delivered growth, aided by its Wellness tea portfolio. HAIN plans to concentrate future investment on Greek Gods, Celestial Seasonings and the Earth's Best finger foods and cereal platforms. International net sales decreased 4% to $151.3 million, while organic net sales also fell 4%. Weakness in Meal Prep and Baby and Kids more than offset growth in Beverages. The organic decline moderated from 8% in the fiscal third quarter, reflecting sequential improvement across Baby and Kids, Beverages and Meal Prep. Adjusted gross profit fell 28% to $25 million, while adjusted gross margin contracted 555 basis points to 16.6% as cost inflation outweighed productivity savings. Adjusted EBITDA declined 41% to $12.2 million and the adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 8.1% from 13.3% in the prior-year period. In Baby and Kids, net sales were $52.3 million and organic net sales declined 11% year over year. Lower formula and puree sales in North America and weaker U.K. purees more than offset growth in North American finger foods. HAIN said its simplified Earth's Best puree portfolio produced a 30% increase in base sales velocity. Beverages generated net sales of $55.4 million, with organic sales down 2%. Growth of 3% in both North American tea and International private-label non-dairy beverages was more than offset by lower sales elsewhere, including the effect of reduced promotional activity in North America. Wellness teas continued to post high-single-digit dollar-sales growth and gain market share. Meal Prep net sales totaled $135 million, while organic sales rose 3% on yogurt strength in North America. Greek Gods grew dollar sales at a high-teens rate and gained share. Snacks net sales were $8.5 million and organic sales fell 7% as HAIN rationalized SKUs ahead of a brand relaunch. Following the North American snacks sale, the category consists only of jellies in the International segment. HAIN ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $58.1 million. Total debt was $557.8 million, down from $704.8 million at the beginning of the fiscal year, while net debt declined to $499.8 million from $650.5 million. The company reported $186 million of available liquidity under its revolving credit facility and remained in compliance with its covenants. Its net secured leverage ratio was 4.5 times, below the covenant maximum of 5.5 times. Net cash provided by operating activities was $11.4 million in the fiscal fourth quarter compared with a $2.6 million outflow in the prior-year period. Free cash flow improved to $6.8 million from an outflow of $8.9 million. For fiscal 2026, operating cash flow rose to $78.3 million from $22.1 million, while free cash flow reached $57.7 million compared with an outflow of $3.2 million. Inventory discipline supported the cash improvement. Days inventory outstanding declined to 80 from 88 in the prior-year quarter, though it increased from 73 in the fiscal third quarter. Capital expenditures fell to $4.6 million from $6.2 million and management expects fiscal 2027 capital spending to decline year over year because the future North American business is less capital intensive. HAIN agreed to sell its International business to affiliates of AURELIUS for an estimated aggregate gross price of about $323.2 million. Net proceeds of $305 million to $310 million would be used to repay the entire outstanding term loan and more than 35% of the revolver balance. On a June 30, 2026 pro forma basis, total debt would decline to approximately $250 million. The sale is expected to close in the second quarter of fiscal 2027, subject to closing conditions. Closing requires regulatory approvals and an amendment to HAIN's credit agreement by Oct. 12, 2026. The amendment must extend the current Dec. 22, 2026 maturity by at least nine months. If the amendment is not executed by the October deadline, AURELIUS may terminate the agreement.  HAIN plans to deliver more than $16 million of annual run-rate cost improvements, with most of the savings expected by the end of fiscal 2027. Implementation is expected to cost approximately $20 million, with 70% incurred in fiscal 2027 and the remainder in fiscal 2028. Management plans to increase marketing investment by approximately 100 basis points of net sales.  Assuming the International sale closes and the debt maturity is extended, the cost actions are expected to support a pro forma gross margin of about 30% or higher and a low-double-digit adjusted EBITDA margin for the go-forward North American business. Management did not provide traditional fiscal 2027 guidance while the strategic review, lender discussions and pending sale remain active. In the past month, investors have witnessed a upward trend in fresh estimates. Currently, Hain Celestial has a great Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock has a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top quintile for value investors. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Estimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of this revision looks promising. Notably, Hain Celestial has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months. Hain Celestial is part of the Zacks Food - Miscellaneous industry. Over the past month, United Natural Foods (UNFI), a stock from the same industry, has gained 2.2%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended July 2026 more than a month ago. United Natural reported revenues of $7.64 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -0.7%. EPS of $0.69 for the same period compares with -$0.11 a year ago. For the current quarter, United Natural is expected to post earnings of $0.67 per share, indicating a change of +19.6% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days. The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for United Natural. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of A. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (HAIN) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for United Natural Foods (UNFI). Shares have lost about 2.3% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is United Natural due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. United Natural Foods reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein both the top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. However, the top line declined year over year but the bottom line improved. United Natural posted adjusted earnings of 69 cents per share, up from an adjusted loss of 11 cents a year earlier. That beat the consensus estimate of 62 cents. Net sales fell 0.7% year over year to $7,642 million but topped the consensus estimate of $7,576 million by 0.87%. The decline included an approximately 500-basis-point adverse impact from planned accretive optimization actions and a 150-basis-point headwind from the completed unwind of short-term project work. These pressures were partly offset by the comparison with the prior-year cybersecurity incident. Natural segment sales increased 6.6% year over year to $4,260 million, reflecting continued demand for natural, organic, fresh and specialty products.  Conventional sales fell 8.6% to $3,121 million, while Retail sales declined 7.9% to $528 million. Gross profit increased 1.9% year over year to $1,050 million. The gross profit rate improved to 13.7% of net sales from 13.4%, helped by network optimization actions and customer mix, partly offset by a lower gross margin rate in Retail. Operating expenses declined to $984 million from $1,046 million. As a percentage of sales, operating expenses improved to 12.9% from 13.6%, primarily on cost-saving initiatives and higher distribution-center productivity.  Adjusted EBITDA margin was approximately 2.3% of net sales, while adjusted EBITDA rose 48.3% to $172 million. Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $197 million in the quarter, while capital expenditures were $117 million. Free cash flow came in at $80 million compared with $86 million a year earlier. Net debt ended fiscal 2026 at $1.54 billion, with the net leverage ratio at 2.2x. Liquidity was approximately $1.27 billion. UNFI repurchased 420,502 shares for about $21 million during the quarter, and its board authorized a new $200 million share repurchase program. For fiscal 2027, UNFI expects net sales of $31.2-$31.8 billion and net income of $105-$145 million. GAAP earnings are projected at $1.70-$2.30 per share, while adjusted earnings are forecast at $3.00-$3.50 per share. Adjusted EBITDA is expected at $730-$780 million, representing high-single-digit growth. The company also projects about $300 million of capital and cloud implementation expenditures and free cash flow of $275-$325 million. Since the earnings release, investors have witnessed a flat trend in estimates revision. At this time, United Natural has a great Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a B. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock has a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top quintile for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. United Natural has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Kingdom Capital Advisors, a registered investment advisor, released its third-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. Kingdom Capital Advisors' KCA Value Composite declined -15.52% net of fees in Q3 2026, with a year-to-date return of 2.17%. The third quarter saw a negative trend influenced by interest rates, contrasting with the earlier strong performance of small companies reflected in the Russell 2000 TR. Despite this setback, KCA has compounded at 18.74% net annualized since January 2022, significantly outperforming the Russell. The firm acknowledges the volatility of its strategy but maintains a positive outlook for recovery based on previous performance trends. Also, check the fund's top five holdings to see its best picks in 2026. In its third-quarter 2026 investor letter, Kingdom Capital Advisors highlighted United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI). United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) is a leading distributor of natural, organic, specialty, produce, and conventional grocery and non-food products across North America. On October 06, 2026, United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) closed at $44.29, with a $2.67 billion market capitalization. The stock posted a ~31.54% YTD gain, trading within a 52-week range of $30.91 to $57.02. Kingdom Capital Advisors stated the following regarding United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) in its Q3 2026 investor letter: "It was a relatively quiet quarter for our other top positions. United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) and Magnera (MAGN) continue to execute their business plans and trade at cheap valuations despite being the largest players in each of their niches. We expect them both to continue to inflect their earnings power higher in the coming quarters, ahead of street expectations. There is no shortage of macro market narratives: interest rates, consumer strength, inflation, energy, AI, and midterm elections. We analyze our exposure to each of these themes, with the goal of weathering volatility while waiting for catalysts to outperform. Consumer trade-down to grocery from restaurants benefits UNFI. UNFI and Magnera who are exposed to rising input prices from energy and diesel are well-hedged, providing them advantages over smaller peers." United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 33 hedge fund portfolios held United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) at the end of the second quarter, which was 39 in the previous quarter.While we acknowledge the potential of United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. In another article, we discussed United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) and shared Kingdom Capital Advisors' insights on the company from the previous quarter. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q3 2026 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors. READ NEXT: 33 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 15 Stocks That Will Make You Rich in 10 Years. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.

United Natural Foods has logged a strong share price run in recent years, and with the stock last closing at US$46.82 the immediate question is whether that level is supported by its earnings power. With expectations around efficiency gains, automation and network changes now in play, the key issue is how much of that earnings story is already reflected in today's valuation. Over the past 3 years the stock has returned 148.4%, which puts a lot of weight on whether the current earnings profile can justify such a step up in investor expectations. Recent plans to consolidate facilities, invest in automation and upgrade systems may support margins and cash generation, which directly affects how much earnings investors are effectively paying for at the current price. The analysts covering United Natural Foods have run their own numbers. See what analysts think United Natural Foods's shares could be worth. The issue now is whether United Natural Foods' current market price is in line with what its earnings suggest when judged against the Fair Ratio benchmark. To evaluate whether United Natural Foods' recent 148.4% three year return is compelling from an earnings perspective, it can help to compare it with other 35 high quality undervalued stocks The P/E ratio is a useful way to judge what investors are paying for each dollar of earnings at United Natural Foods. At roughly 33.6x earnings, the stock trades just above both its peer average of about 32.6x and the broader Consumer Retailing sector on roughly 18.0x. Recent earnings beats and upgraded 2027 guidance have lifted sentiment around United Natural Foods. However, the current P/E still screens above the Fair Ratio level implied by its own fundamentals, which points to the shares looking overvalued on this measure. Investors are effectively paying a richer price tag than the tailored benchmark would suggest, even before factoring in the execution risk around network consolidation, automation spending and distribution upgrades. Anyone considering the stock needs to decide whether that premium multiple is justified by the progress seen so far and the earnings path management is targeting. Explore the numbers behind United Natural Foods's P/E valuation. Narratives on United Natural Foods act as the missing link between the detailed P/E discussion above and the specific future implied by the current price. They describe which paths for growth, margins and earnings would need to occur for the stock to end up worth materially more or materially less than it is today. Where a single ratio gives one neat result, these scenarios unpack the future that figure quietly relies on, so you can observe in real time whether it remains on track. Narratives are available on Simply Wall St's Community page and turn the valuation puzzle into a set of conditions you can follow over time. United Natural Foods splits opinion, with one group of investors seeing meaningful upside while another thinks the stock already bakes in a lot of good news. Bull case: 23% undervalued Discover why this Narrative puts United Natural Foods at 23% undervalued. Bear case: 9% overvalued Explore why this Narrative puts United Natural Foods at 9% overvalued. All the ratio work still leaves one missing piece, which is how professional analysts currently map out United Natural Foods a few years from now and how that picture lines up with today's market value. Explore where analysts expect United Natural Foods to be in a few years. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include UNFI. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected]

The end of an earnings season can be a great time to discover new stocks and assess how companies are handling the current business environment. Let’s take a look at how United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) and the rest of the perishable food stocks fared in Q2. The perishable food industry is diverse, encompassing large-scale producers and distributors to specialty and artisanal brands. These companies sell produce, dairy products, meats, and baked goods and have become integral to serving modern American consumers who prioritize freshness, quality, and nutritional value. Investing in perishable food stocks presents both opportunities and challenges. While the perishable nature of products can introduce risks related to supply chain management and shelf life, it also creates a constant demand driven by the necessity for fresh food. Companies that can efficiently manage inventory, distribution, and quality control are well-positioned to thrive in this competitive market. Navigating the perishable food industry requires adherence to strict food safety standards, regulations, and labeling requirements. The 10 perishable food stocks we track reported a mixed Q2. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.6% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 4.7% below. Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 8.1% since the latest earnings results. With a vast network of 55 distribution centers spanning approximately 30 million square feet of warehouse space, United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) is North America's premier grocery wholesaler distributing natural, organic, and conventional products to over 30,000 retail locations across the US and Canada. United Natural Foods reported revenues of $7.64 billion, flat year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 0.8%. Overall, it was a mixed quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but full-year revenue guidance slightly missing analysts’ expectations. United Natural Foods delivered the weakest full-year guidance update in the group. The market was likely pricing in the results, and the stock is flat since reporting. It currently trades at $44.10. Is now the time to buy United Natural Foods? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free. Founded in 1983 in California, Mission Produce (NASDAQ:AVO) grows, packages, and distributes avocados. Mission Produce reported revenues of $450 million, up 25.8% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 22.4%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates. Mission Produce scored the biggest analyst estimate beat and fastest revenue growth among its peers. The market seems content with the results as the stock is up 1.8% since reporting. It currently trades at $13.10. Is now the time to buy Mission Produce? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free. Known for brands such as Egg-Land’s Best and Land O’ Lakes, Cal-Maine (NASDAQ:CALM) produces, packages, and distributes eggs. Cal-Maine reported revenues of $552.6 million, down 49.9% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ gross margin estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates. Cal-Maine delivered the slowest revenue growth of the whole group. As expected, the stock is down 14.4% since the results and currently trades at $74.65. Read our full analysis of Cal-Maine’s results here. A pioneer at the forefront of the plant-based protein revolution, Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND) is a food company specializing in alternatives to traditional meat products. Beyond Meat reported revenues of $68.83 million, down 8.2% year on year. This number beat analysts’ expectations by 3.5%. Aside from that, it was a softer quarter as it recorded a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates. The stock is down 43% since reporting and currently trades at $10.44. Read our full, actionable report on Beyond Meat here, it’s free. Started as a simple trucking business, Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) is one of the world’s largest producers of chicken, beef, and pork. Tyson Foods reported revenues of $13.87 billion, flat year on year. This print lagged analysts’ expectations by 1%. It was a slower quarter as it also logged a significant miss of analysts’ gross margin estimates. The stock is down 9.3% since reporting and currently trades at $52.55. Read our full, actionable report on Tyson Foods here, it’s free. Over the past year, investors have been forced to repeatedly answer the same question: what is the market’s biggest risk? The answer has changed several times, and each shift has reshaped market leadership. Late in 2025 and early 2026, artificial intelligence became the market’s primary uncertainty. Investors questioned whether AI would erode software pricing power and weaken competitive moats as AI made it easier to replicate once-differentiated products. By the spring, technology took a back seat to geopolitics. The U.S. conflict with Iran briefly became the market’s dominant narrative, raising concerns about oil prices, inflation, and global growth. But as energy markets remained orderly and fears of a prolonged supply disruption faded, investors quickly turned their focus back to fundamentals. Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Growth Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

Mission Produce Inc. AVO posted third-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein the top and bottom lines surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Meanwhile, earnings declined while revenues increased year over year.The company reported adjusted earnings of 16 cents per share compared with 24 cents in the year-ago quarter and surpassed the consensus estimate of 10 cents. The 60% beat came as results benefited from stronger-than-expected International Farming performance and encouraging contributions from Calavo. Mission Produce, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Mission Produce, Inc. Quote Revenues of $450 million rose 25.8% year over year and topped the $368 million consensus estimate by 22.3%. Avocado volume increased 37.7% to 252.7 million pounds, reflecting the Calavo acquisition and higher legacy Mission Produce volume.Average avocado sales price declined 9.2% year over year to $1.58 per pound as elevated industry supply pressured pricing. Management said U.S. retail avocado volume grew about 9% year over year even as the average retail price increased about 15% sequentially.U.S. avocado consumption remained above 10 pounds per capita year to date, up 12% from last year, while household penetration increased about 50 basis points. Legacy Mission Produce also increased its estimated U.S. retail market share by about 60 basis points year to date.Gross profit was $44.7 million compared with $45.1 million a year ago. Gross margin fell 270 basis points to 9.9%, as lower International Farming pricing offset benefits from Calavo in Marketing & Distribution.SG&A, excluding transaction advisory and integration costs, increased to $31.6 million from $24 million, mainly due to Calavo's cost structure. Transaction advisory and integration costs were $12.6 million, while acquired inventory step-up amortization totaled $5.2 million.Adjusted EBITDA was $32.4 million versus $32.6 million last year and exceeded the high end of Mission Produce's prior $28 million to $32 million fiscal third-quarter guidance range. The outperformance reflected stronger-than-anticipated International Farming results and solid Calavo performance.Avocado operating metrics: 191.5 million pounds sold (up 15% y/y) at an average sales price of $1.29 per pound (down 35.5% y/y from $2). Marketing & Distribution sales increased 20.4% year over year to $414.3 million, helped by higher avocado volume. Segment adjusted EBITDA rose 23.5% to $24.7 million, primarily reflecting higher gross margin from Calavo's post-acquisition contribution.Prepared Foods, now reported separately following the acquisition, generated $15.5 million in sales and $0.2 million in adjusted EBITDA for the post-acquisition period. Management noted that the results cover only part of the quarter and are not representative of a full-quarter run rate.International Farming sales declined 6.5% year over year to $45.8 million, while segment adjusted EBITDA fell 37.2% to $7.6 million. Lower average avocado sales prices weighed on the comparison, though stronger-than-expected sales returns drove results above management's expectations.Mission Produce expects 120 million to 130 million pounds of exportable avocado production from its owned Peru farms this season, up from 105 million pounds last year. About 53 million pounds had been sold through the end of the fiscal third quarter, leaving a greater concentration of sales for the fiscal fourth quarter.Blueberries segment sales rose 20.0% to $5.4 million, while adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $0.1 million compared with an income of $0.5 million a year ago. Most blueberry sales and profitability are concentrated in the fourth and first quarters. Cash and cash equivalents were $47.1 million as of July 31, 2026, down from $64.8 million as of Oct. 31, 2025. Total long-term debt, including the current portion and net debt issuance costs, was about $400.3 million, while quarterly interest expense increased to $5.1 million from $2.4 million.Net cash used in operating activities was $25.9 million for the first nine months, compared with $21.4 million of cash provided a year earlier. Capital expenditures totaled $32 million versus $39.8 million last year, and Mission Produce repurchased $9.4 million of common stock during the period. Mission Produce reaffirmed second-half fiscal 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance of $84 million to $88 million. Management expects fiscal fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA of $52 million to $55 million, supported by later Peru avocado sales, higher blueberry activity, a full quarter of Calavo and improved avocado margin dynamics.For the fiscal fourth quarter, industry avocado volumes are expected to rise about 10% year over year, while pricing is projected to decline about 10% from the prior-year average of $1.39 per pound. Mission Produce also raised its annualized Calavo synergy target to more than $30 million from at least $25 million, with savings expected to begin contributing in the fiscal fourth quarter and build through fiscal 2027.Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 14.5% in the last three months compared with the industry’s growth of 10.4%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Chef’s Warehouse, Inc. CHEF distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East and Canada. CHEF currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CHEF’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 10.6% and 33.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. CHEF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average.Medifast, Inc. MED, which is a leading manufacturer and distributor of clinically-proven healthy living products and programs, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). MED missed the average earnings surprise by a sharp margin in the trailing four quarters.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Medifast’s current financial-year sales indicates a decline of 27.3% from the year-ago number.United Natural Foods UNFI, which is the leading distributor of natural, organic and specialty food and non-food products, currently has a Zacks Rank of 2.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for United Natural Foods’ current financial-year sales indicates a drop of 2.1% from the prior-year level. UNFI delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 29.9%, on average. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Mission Produce, Inc. (AVO) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF) : Free Stock Analysis Report MEDIFAST INC (MED) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

United Natural Foods, Inc. UNFI reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein both the top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. However, the top line declined year over year but the bottom line improved.United Natural posted adjusted earnings of 69 cents per share, up from an adjusted loss of 11 cents a year earlier. That beat the consensus estimate of 62 cents. United Natural Foods, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | United Natural Foods, Inc. Quote Net sales fell 0.7% year over year to $7,642 million but topped the consensus estimate of $7,576 million by 0.87%. The decline included an approximately 500-basis-point adverse impact from planned accretive optimization actions and a 150-basis-point headwind from the completed unwind of short-term project work. These pressures were partly offset by the comparison with the prior-year cybersecurity incident. Natural segment sales increased 6.6% year over year to $4,260 million, reflecting continued demand for natural, organic, fresh and specialty products. Conventional sales fell 8.6% to $3,121 million, while Retail sales declined 7.9% to $528 million. Gross profit increased 1.9% year over year to $1,050 million. The gross profit rate improved to 13.7% of net sales from 13.4%, helped by network optimization actions and customer mix, partly offset by a lower gross margin rate in Retail.Operating expenses declined to $984 million from $1,046 million. As a percentage of sales, operating expenses improved to 12.9% from 13.6%, primarily on cost-saving initiatives and higher distribution-center productivity. Adjusted EBITDA margin was approximately 2.3% of net sales, while adjusted EBITDA rose 48.3% to $172 million. Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $197 million in the quarter, while capital expenditures were $117 million. Free cash flow came in at $80 million compared with $86 million a year earlier.Net debt ended fiscal 2026 at $1.54 billion, with the net leverage ratio at 2.2x. Liquidity was approximately $1.27 billion. UNFI repurchased 420,502 shares for about $21 million during the quarter, and its board authorized a new $200 million share repurchase program. For fiscal 2027, UNFI expects net sales of $31.2-$31.8 billion and net income of $105-$145 million. GAAP earnings are projected at $1.70-$2.30 per share, while adjusted earnings are forecast at $3.00-$3.50 per share.Adjusted EBITDA is expected at $730-$780 million, representing high-single-digit growth. The company also projects about $300 million of capital and cloud implementation expenditures and free cash flow of $275-$325 million. Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have fallen 11.2% in the past three months against the industry’s growth of 4.1%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Vita Coco Company, Inc. COCO develops, manufactures, markets and distributes coconut water products under the Vita Coco brand name in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific. COCO currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Vita Coco’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 31.6% and 64.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 21.9%, on average.The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. CHEF distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East and Canada. At present, CHEF carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Chefs' Warehouse delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average.The consensus estimate for Chefs' Warehouse’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 10.6% and 33.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. Luckin Coffee Inc. LKNCY offers retail services of freshly brewed drinks and pre-made food and beverage items in the People's Republic of China. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. LKNCY delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 6.6%, on average.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Luckin Coffee’s current financial year sales and earnings indicates growth of 32% and 40.8%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Vita Coco Company, Inc. (COCO) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF) : Free Stock Analysis Report Luckin Coffee Inc. Sponsored ADR (LKNCY) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Revenue: Fourth quarter sales were over $7.6 billion, down less than 1% year-over-year; full-year sales were approximately $31.2 billion. Adjusted EBITDA: Fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA was $172 million; full-year adjusted EBITDA was $701 million, near the top of guidance, with a 27% growth rate. Adjusted EPS: Fourth quarter adjusted EPS was $0.69; full-year adjusted EPS was $2.65, above the high end of guidance. Gross Margin: Fourth quarter gross margin rate was 13.7%, up approximately 30 basis points year-over-year. Operating Expenses: Fourth quarter operating expenses were approximately 12.9% of net sales. Free Cash Flow: Fourth quarter free cash flow was $80 million; full-year free cash flow was $323 million, up $84 million from fiscal 2025. Net Leverage Ratio: Reduced to 2.2 times at fiscal year-end, a 1.1 turn improvement from fiscal 2025. Net Debt: Less than $1.6 billion at fiscal year-end, the first time since fiscal 2018. Retail Same-Store Sales: Fourth quarter comp same-store sales decline improved by approximately 150 basis points from the third quarter. Segment Sales (Natural): Underlying sales in the Natural product segment outperformed the broader market. Segment Sales (Conventional): Underlying sales declined mid-single digits in the Conventional product segment. Retail Sales: Total Retail sales were lower by 8%, reflecting planned strategic store actions. Share Repurchases: Repurchased about 420,000 shares for approximately $21 million in Q4; total fiscal year repurchases were about 1.25 million shares for approximately $50 million. Fiscal 2027 Guidance: Sales expected between $31.2 billion and $31.8 billion; adjusted EBITDA expected between $730 million and $780 million; adjusted EPS expected between $3 and $3.50 per share. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Signs with UNFI. Is UNFI fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: September 08, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. United Natural Foods Inc (NYSE:UNFI) delivered strong fiscal 2026 results, with adjusted EBITDA growing 27% to $701 million and free cash flow reaching a record $323 million. The company significantly strengthened its balance sheet, reducing net leverage to 2.2 times, a full turn improvement year-over-year, and net debt fell below $1.6 billion for the first time since fiscal 2018. UNFI's fiscal 2027 guidance is robust, projecting high single-digit adjusted EBITDA growth and an adjusted EPS increase of 23% at the midpoint, exceeding its Investor Day targets. The company is making solid progress on its operational efficiency initiatives, including the rollout of Lean Daily Management to 44 distribution centers and the deployment of an AI-powered supply chain platform, which has driven four consecutive quarters of improvement in fill rates and on-time deliveries. UNFI is returning capital to shareholders, having repurchased shares and announcing a new $200 million share repurchase program, reflecting confidence in its long-term strategy. United Natural Foods Inc (NYSE:UNFI) reported a decline in fourth-quarter sales of less than 1%, impacted by planned network optimization actions, the unwind of short-term project work, and the cycling of last year's cyber event. The company's Conventional product segment experienced a mid-single-digit decline in underlying sales, and its Retail segment saw total sales fall by 8% due to strategic store actions. UNFI faces ongoing headwinds from higher fuel costs, which it expects to continue impacting results, although it is employing countermeasures like hedging and route optimization. The company's fiscal 2027 sales outlook is modest, with growth expected to be weighted to the second half of the year, and sales are projected to decline in the first quarter as it cycles prior optimization actions. The transition to a new automated distribution facility in Illinois is in its early stages and has experienced some 'growing pains,' indicating potential short-term operational disruptions. Q: Can you provide more color on the 150 basis points of short-term project work and the top-line outlook by division for the upcoming year? Are there any other optimization actions contemplated that are not in the guide? A: Matteo Tarditi (President and COO) explained that a large natural retailer asked UNFI to help with a strategic transition, providing fresh business as a bridge. Sandy Douglas (CEO) added that this was a profitable and appropriate use of resources, and the company is now cycling through it. For fiscal 2027, the company expects to return to growth, with the first quarter still impacted by lapping optimization actions before returning to profitable growth in the second half. Q: Can you provide more color on the segment-level performance, specifically whether Conventional and Retail top lines can flatten out in the back half, and the expected contribution from Natural versus Conventional? A: Matteo Tarditi (President and COO) noted that in fiscal 2026, Natural grew top line about 7% and EBITDA 19%, while Conventional underwent network optimization and grew EBITDA by more than 50%. For 2027, the low single-digit growth guidance is rooted in customer strength and commercial capabilities, with natural, organic, and specialty products expected to grow faster than the average market. Sandy Douglas (CEO) added that while Conventional year-over-year growth may be negative, the combination of both product sets adds value to customers and drives the growth proposition. Q: How do higher fuel costs impact the 2027 and 2028 targets, and what is the magnitude of the incremental headwind? A: Matteo Tarditi (President and COO) confirmed a $5 million net fuel impact per quarter is embedded in the high-confidence outlook for 2027. He highlighted countermeasures, including fuel hedges, customer and supplier contractual escalations with a lag and phase-in, and a continuous focus on route optimization to reduce miles per delivery and fuel consumption. Q: Should we assume you got back 100% of the cyber incident impact in the quarter, and can you share color on the timing and magnitude of new business onboarding? A: Sandy Douglas (CEO) stated the company has completely cycled the cyber event as it enters the first quarter. Regarding new business, he noted the pipeline includes earning bigger shares of existing customers' business and new banner relationships. The first quarter will still have heavy cycling from optimization, but the second half of the year should be fully back to growth, reflecting the staging of both the pipeline and optimization cycling. Q: What are you seeing in food inflation today, what is embedded in the FY 2027 outlook, and how are you thinking about forward buying opportunities? A: Matteo Tarditi (President and COO) stated the strategy is to keep prices low, stable, and predictable. The fiscal 2027 outlook embeds a low single-digit inflation assumption, recognizing a dynamic environment including energy and logistics costs. He noted the $150 million adjusted EBITDA growth in 2026 was largely driven by productivity and network optimization, with only a residual part from procurement gains. The 2027 outlook has no reliance on out-of-pattern procurement gains. Q: Can you provide more detail on trends in the retail business, the competitive environment, and consumer behavior? A: Sandy Douglas (CEO) described retail initiatives as early days, with a new management team in place and a strategy in early implementation. The company is seeing sequential improvement in top-line and bottom-line performance. He noted that natural, organic, and specialty players, as well as differentiated grocers and discounters, are all gaining share. UNFI's focus is on helping retailers, particularly those less differentiated like Cub, create winning strategies on value, assortment, and unique experiences. Q: How is Natural fill rate progressing compared to Conventional, and where do you see the opportunity? A: Sandy Douglas (CEO) noted fill rates are improving at about the same rate in both segments, though Conventional rates are higher due to fewer SKUs and more stable volume. Natural products face challenges due to innovation and slow-moving SKUs. UNFI has created an enterprise-level project on fill rate, using technology like RELEX and AI to improve demand understanding and ordering patterns. He considers this the biggest improvement opportunity and expects continued progress. Q: Are you seeing any shift in competitive intensity on the distribution side given recent pressures in grocery? A: Sandy Douglas (CEO) stated the wholesale industry remains very competitive, with some incremental segmentation in where players focus. UNFI operates an efficient, low-margin business where productivity and operational improvement drive margin expansion, not price increases. The company remains focused on its subsegment of the market, supporting customers' strategies with particular needs and capabilities. Q: Can you walk through how Lean 2.0 differs from the initial deployment and where you see the most opportunity for incremental improvement? A: Matteo Tarditi (President and COO) explained that Lean 2.0 will go deeper into management routines, strengthening problem-solving and daily management programs, and into continuous improvement (kaizen) to eliminate waste. The initial phase was voluntary across 44 DCs; the next phase will prioritize based on customer feedback, supplier impact, and out-of-stock data to identify the largest opportunities. Sandy Douglas (CEO) added that this approach demonstrates the benefit of having sales, supply chain, Lean, and IT report to the COO. Q: How does UNFI perform in an environment with volume pressures from GLP-1s and building price pressures across the industry? A: Sandy Douglas (CEO) acknowledged macros impacting everyone, including fuel prices, SNAP program reductions, and GLP-1s, which reduce volume but increase demand for healthier food. He noted retailers respond differently, and UNFI's exposure is tied to how its $90 billion target market retailers act. He emphasized that winners win regardless of the environment, and UNFI's focus on improving service and efficiency is particularly important in challenging times. Q: How would you prioritize capital over a three-to-five-year period: organic growth, M&A, buybacks, or dividends? A: Sandy Douglas (CEO) stated the current focus is on deleveraging, investing in the business for organic performance, and opportunistic share buybacks. He noted a bias toward organic improvement due to the significant opportunity seen. Matteo Tarditi (President and COO) added that fiscal 2027 CapEx is planned at about $300 million For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Interested in United Natural Foods, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. UNFI delivered strong profitability and cash flow improvements: Fiscal 2026 adjusted EBITDA rose 27% to $701 million, free cash flow reached a record $323 million, and net leverage fell to 2.2 times. Fourth-quarter sales were slightly lower year over year at more than $7.6 billion, primarily due to planned network optimization, the end of temporary project work and comparisons with last year’s cyber incident. Natural products outperformed, while conventional products and retail sales declined. Fiscal 2027 guidance calls for renewed growth: UNFI expects sales of $31.2 billion to $31.8 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $730 million to $780 million and adjusted EPS of $3.00 to $3.50, with profitable growth expected to resume in the second half. US Foods is Managing Inflation Deceleration the Right Way United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results in line with its outlook, as the grocery distributor cited improved operating leverage, higher free cash flow and lower leverage following the second year of its value creation strategy. Chief Executive Officer Sandy Douglas said the company generated fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA of $172 million and full-year adjusted EBITDA of $701 million, representing 27% growth from the prior fiscal year. Free cash flow totaled $80 million in the fourth quarter and a record $323 million for the full year, up $84 million from fiscal 2025. → 3 Under-the-Radar Defense Stocks With Record Backlogs The Turnaround in United Natural Foods is Ripening UNFI ended the year with a net leverage ratio of 2.2 times, down 1.1 turns from the end of fiscal 2025, while net debt fell below $1.6 billion for the first time since fiscal 2018. The company expects to lower leverage below two times by the end of fiscal 2027. Fourth-quarter sales exceeded $7.6 billion, bringing full-year sales to approximately $31.2 billion. Reported quarterly sales declined by less than 1% year over year, reflecting planned network optimization actions, the unwind of short-term project work in the natural segment, and comparisons with the prior-year cyber incident. → Ride-Share Reckoning: Tesla Drives Into Uber's Lane MarketBeat Week in Review – 6/26 - 6/30 Matteo Tarditi, UNFI’s president and chief operating officer, said the company estimated that optimization actions reduced reported sales by about 500 basis points and short-term project work reduced sales by about 150 basis points. The project work involved helping a large natural retailer make a strategic transition through fresh-product business, according to management. Excluding those items and the effect of cycling last year’s cyber incident, UNFI said underlying wholesale sales grew in line with its approximately $90 billion target addressable market. The company estimates that market grew in the low single digits during the period. → High Gas Prices Aren't Budging—Here Are 3 Stocks That Benefit Underlying sales in UNFI’s natural products segment outperformed the broader market, aided by demand for natural, organic, fresh and specialty products. Underlying sales in the conventional products segment declined by the mid-single digits. Retail sales fell 8%, largely due to planned store actions, though the company said its comparable same-store sales decline improved by approximately 150 basis points from the third quarter after adjusting for the cyber-event comparison. UNFI’s fourth-quarter gross margin rate rose approximately 30 basis points from a year earlier to 13.7%, which management attributed to optimization work and favorable customer mix. Operating expenses were about 12.9% of net sales. Adjusted EBITDA margin was approximately 2.3%. Fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share were $0.69, while full-year adjusted EPS reached $2.65, above the company’s guidance range. UNFI said reduced net debt, refinancing activity and lower depreciation expense helped support earnings. The company continued its operational improvement initiatives during the quarter, including the consolidation of its Racine, Wisconsin, distribution center and expansion of its Joliet, Illinois, facility. The Joliet distribution center includes full-case automation and is in the early stages of implementation. UNFI also completed the initial rollout of Lean Daily Management at 44 distribution centers and deployed its AI-powered supply chain and procurement planning platform across its distribution-center network. Tarditi said the company recorded a fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year improvement in fill rates, on-time deliveries and throughput. Management plans to advance to “Lean 2.0,” focusing more deeply on management routines, problem-solving and continuous-improvement efforts at facilities with the greatest customer and operational opportunities. UNFI launched more than 130 private-brand SKUs during fiscal 2026. The company added AI-enabled features to its UNFI Insights supplier platform for store-level performance analysis and demand planning. UNFI repurchased approximately 1.25 million shares during fiscal 2026 for about $50 million. The board authorized a new $200 million share repurchase program to replace the program due to expire this month. For fiscal 2027, UNFI forecast sales of $31.2 billion to $31.8 billion, with growth of about 1% at the midpoint. Management expects reported sales to decline in the first quarter as the company continues to cycle optimization actions before returning to profitable growth in the second half. Adjusted EBITDA is projected at $730 million to $780 million, representing high-single-digit growth at the midpoint. The outlook’s midpoint is $25 million above the target communicated at UNFI’s 2025 investor day, according to Douglas. The company expects adjusted EPS of $3.00 to $3.50, or approximately 23% growth at the midpoint. UNFI expects fiscal 2027 margin expansion of 10 basis points at the midpoint of its sales and EBITDA outlook. Tarditi said the forecast positions the company to reach its fiscal 2028 margin-rate target one year earlier than previously planned. Management also said it currently expects fiscal 2028 adjusted EBITDA to rise about 10% from the midpoint of its fiscal 2027 guidance. The company plans about $300 million in capital expenditures in fiscal 2027, including targeted automation, enterprise resource planning deployment and broader technology investments. It expects free cash flow of $275 million to $325 million, with higher capital spending partly offsetting anticipated EBITDA growth. Management said it will prioritize organic investments and deleveraging while evaluating opportunistic stock repurchases. Douglas said the company remains open to acquisitions but currently sees its principal opportunity in internal investments to improve execution, customer service and operating efficiency. 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. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. The article "United Natural Foods Q4 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. View MarketBeat's top stocks for September 2026.

United Natural Foods (UNFI) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.69 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.62 per share. This compares to a loss of $0.11 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +11.29%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this organic and specialty foods distributor would post earnings of $0.81 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.77, delivering a surprise of -4.94%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. United Natural, which belongs to the Zacks Food - Miscellaneous industry, posted revenues of $7.64 billion for the quarter ended July 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.87%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $7.7 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates just once over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. United Natural shares have added about 30.5% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 12.8%. While United Natural has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for United Natural was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.64 on $8.03 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.06 on $31.94 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Food - Miscellaneous is currently in the bottom 16% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Another stock from the same industry, Hain Celestial (HAIN), has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on September 14. This organic and natural products company is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.03 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -50%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. Hain Celestial's revenues are expected to be $256.51 million, down 29.4% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (HAIN) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. Performance was driven by the disciplined execution of a value creation strategy, resulting in 27% full-year adjusted EBITDA growth despite reported sales declines from network optimization. Management attributes underlying sales growth to the $90 billion target addressable market of differentiated retailers, who increased their grocery industry share by 30 basis points. Operational efficiency improved through the deployment of 'Lean' daily management to 44 distribution centers, resulting in four consecutive quarters of fill rate and throughput gains. The natural product segment continues to outperform the broader market, reflecting enduring consumer demand for health-forward and specialty products. Network optimization, including the consolidation of the Racine facility into an automated Joliet DC, is designed to modernize the fleet and reduce long-term operating costs. Strategic leadership changes, including the expansion of the COO role, aim to align sales, supply chain, and technology to improve customer service and execution. Management emphasized that margin expansion is being driven by internal productivity and operational improvements rather than price increases. Fiscal 2027 guidance assumes a return to profitable growth in the second half of the year as the company cycles through the final impacts of network optimization. Management expects to achieve fiscal 2028 margin rate targets one year early, driven by the timing of benefits from efficiency initiatives already underway. The outlook embeds low single-digit food inflation assumptions while explicitly excluding reliance on 'out of pattern' procurement gains. Capital expenditure is projected at $300 million, prioritizing targeted automation, ERP deployment, and technology to simplify processes. Management anticipates reducing the net leverage ratio to under 2.0x by the end of fiscal 2027 while evaluating opportunistic share repurchases. Reported sales were impacted by a 150 basis point drag from the unwind of short-term project work for a large natural retailer. Network optimization actions created a 500 basis point headwind to reported sales as the company exits less efficient facilities. Management identified fuel price volatility and the reduction of SNAP benefits as ongoing macro headwinds affecting the retail environment. The company authorized a new $200 million share repurchase program., signaling confidence in the long-term value creation strategy. Management explained the 150 basis point drag resulted from helping a large natural retailer bridge a strategic transition in their fresh business. This work was described as profitable and appropriate, but is now being cycled out of the year-over-year comparisons. One stock. Nvidia-level potential. 30M+ investors trust Moby to find it first. Get the pick. Tap here. Lean 2.0 will move beyond basic routines to focus on deep problem-solving, data management, and 'kaizen' (continuous improvement) to eliminate waste. Prioritization for these upgrades will be based on data-driven assessments of where the biggest customer and supplier impacts can be made. While conventional fill rates are naturally higher due to lower SKU complexity, management is using AI-powered platforms like RELEX to improve natural product availability. Improving fill rates is considered the top priority for enhancing customer service and capturing sales currently left on the table. Management expressed a clear bias toward organic improvement and internal capability development over M&A at this stage. The focus remains on maximizing the value of the $4 billion in annual operating expenses through efficiency rather than external acquisitions. The retail business is in the 'early days' of a new strategy under a dedicated CEO, with the Cub banner serving as a 'learning lab' for differentiation. Management noted that while the environment is competitive, winners are those who double down on unique assortments and value propositions.