UNFI

Conagra Brands, Inc. CAG reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein both top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. While net sales increased, earnings decreased from the year-ago period’s actuals. Conagra Brands’ adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter were 47 cents, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 46 cents. The bottom line dropped 16.1% year over year. Conagra Brands price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Conagra Brands Quote Net sales increased 3.6% year over year to $2,882.1 million, slightly exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,876 million. The increase reflected a 7.7% benefit from the 53rd week and a 0.5% favorable foreign exchange impact, partly offset by a 4.6% headwind from M&A activity. Organic net sales remained flat, supported by a 1.6% increase in price/mix, which offset a 1.6% decline in volume, with the company gaining volume share in categories including frozen single-serve meals, frozen multi-serve meals, frozen vegetables, meat snacks, seeds and pudding. We had anticipated volumes to fall 1% while expecting a 1.5% pricing gain. Adjusted gross profit declined 1.6% to $706 million, while adjusted gross margin contracted 130 basis points to 24.5%, as productivity initiatives, approximately $6 million in tariff refunds and the benefit of the 53rd week were more than offset by cost inflation and unfavorable operating leverage. Our model projected adjusted gross margin contraction of about 110 basis points to 24.7%. Adjusted SG&A expenses, which include advertising and promotional expenses, increased 11% to $369 million, due to elevated incentive compensation and the impact of the 53rd week. Adjusted EBITDA declined 11% to $484.4 million. Grocery & Snacks: Net sales rose 0.3% year over year to about $1.2 billion, reflecting a 7.8% benefit from the 53rd week, partly offset by an 8% M&A headwind, while organic net sales grew 0.5%. Organic growth was driven by a 4% increase in price/mix, partially offset by a 3.5% decline in volume. Adjusted operating profit fell 4.1% to $216 millionRefrigerated & Frozen: Net sales increased 5.3% to $1.2 billion, supported by a 7.6% benefit from the 53rd week despite a 1.8% M&A headwind and a 0.5% decline in organic net sales. Organic sales reflected a 0.8% decline in price/mix, partially offset by a 0.3% increase in volume. Adjusted operating profit decreased 18.5% to...

Kingdom Capital Advisors, a registered investment advisor, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. In Q2 2026, Kingdom Capital Advisors’ KCA Value Composite returned 11.97% net of fees. YTD, the composite returned 20.94% net of fees compared to 22.57% for the Russell 2000 TR, 10.18% for the S&P 500 TR, and 20.31% for the Nasdaq 100 TR. The composite maintained a balanced portfolio of special situations and deep value investments, positioning well for attractive returns ahead. In addition, please check the Composite’s top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026. In its Q2 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 July 9, 2026, United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) closed at $47.94 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $2.90 billion. United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) posted a one-month return of -4.86%, while its shares gained 101.34% over the past 52 weeks. Kingdom Capital Advisors stated the following regarding United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) in its Q2 2026 investor update: United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 39 hedge fund portfolios held United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) at the end of the first quarter, up from 35 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 covered United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) and shared the list of best quality stocks to buy and hold for the next ecade.. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q2 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. Disclosure: None. This a...

The Simply Good Foods Company SMPL reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein both top and bottom lines surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. However, both metrics declined year over year. Simply Good Foods posted adjusted earnings of 42 cents per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 35 cents. However, the bottom line declined 17.6% from 51 cents reported in the same quarter last year. The Simply Good Foods Company price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | The Simply Good Foods Company Quote The company reported net sales of $357 million, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $343 million. However, the metric decreased 6.3% from $381 million posted in the year-ago period. This decrease was caused by a 24.6% decline in Atkins, which was partially offset by growth of 1.1% for Quest and 3.6% for OWYN. Performance was largely driven by anticipated distribution-related declines for Atkins and softer retail takeaway.Total Simply Good Foods retail takeaway decreased 6.7%, due to a 1.3% decline in OWYN and 23.9% in Atkins, which was largely in line with expectations due to known distribution losses. However, the decline was offset by 1.4% growth in Quest.Gross profit decreased 16.2% year over year to $116.1 million. This decrease was due to lower sales volumes, higher input costs, and restructuring charges. Gross margin contracted 390 basis points to 32.5%, primarily due to $6.2 million of restructuring costs (representing a 180-basis-point headwind) and higher input costs.Selling and marketing expenses totaled $39.2 million, an increase of 15.9% compared with the prior year, due to investments in the company's selling capabilities, increased brand-building initiatives to support long-term growth and $1.1 million of restructuring costs.Adjusted EBITDA was $57.2 million, representing a decline of 22.5% compared with the same period last year. Simply Good Foods exited the quarter with cash of $123.9 million and an outstanding principal balance of $400 million on its term loan. For the 39 weeks ended May 30, 2026, cash flow from operations totaled $102.2 million.In the quarter, the company repurchased approximately 2.1 million shares of its common stock for a total of about $25 million. The company has updated its fiscal-year 2026 outlook and now expects net sales of $1.35 billion to $1.36 billion, representing a 6% to 7% year-over-year decline....

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for United Natural Foods (UNFI). Shares have lost about 6.7% 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 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 catalysts. United Natural Foods reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein the top line declined year over year but the bottom line improved. However, both metrics missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate.United Natural posted adjusted earnings of 77 cents per share for the fiscal third quarter, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 81 cents. However, the adjusted earnings per share increased 75% year over year from 44 cents.Net sales decreased 4.2% year over year to $7,723 million, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7,882 million. The decline included an approximate 450-basis-point impact from accretive optimization actions. Results were also affected by the initial unwind of previously referenced short-term project work for a single customer. A key feature of the quarter was the divergence between Natural and Conventional trends. Natural segment sales increased 4.4% year over year to $4,342 million, reflecting continued demand for natural, organic, fresh and specialty products.By contrast, Conventional sales declined 13.6% to $3,136 million, largely tied to the company’s accretive optimization actions and portfolio reshaping. Retail sales decreased 10.1% to $515 million, with management pointing to planned store closures as part of ongoing footprint optimization. UNFI’s gross profit fell 3% year over year to $1,049 million. The gross profit margin was 13.6%, which expanded 20 bps from 13.4% reported in the year-ago quarter. This expansion was driven by benefits from network optimization and a favorable customer mix, partially offset by a lower gross margin rate in the Retail segment.Operating expenses declined to $954 million from $1,025 million in the prior-year quarter, and the operating expense as a percentage of sales improved to 12.4% of net sales from 12.7%. The company attributed the rate improvement to insurance proceeds and the benefits of cost-saving...

With EPS growth for the next five years forecasted at 74.81%, United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) is among the 12 Best Quality Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next Decade. On June 10, BMO Capital raised its price target on United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) to $56 from $52 while maintaining an Outperform rating following stronger-than-expected third-quarter results. The firm noted that earnings exceeded both its own forecasts and management’s expectations, supported by productivity initiatives that delivered benefits sooner than anticipated. BMO believes the company’s ongoing network optimization strategy is successfully improving profitability and should continue driving solid bottom-line performance even as revenue growth remains uneven due to broader market conditions. Also on June 10, Goldman Sachs increased its price target on United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) to $47 from $42 while maintaining a Neutral rating. Although investors reacted cautiously to management’s softer fourth-quarter outlook, driven by higher fuel costs and increased investments in technology and supply chain capabilities, Goldman believes these headwinds are manageable. The firm also emphasized that the company’s broader profit improvement story remains intact, supported by continued cost-saving initiatives and operational efficiencies generated through its network optimization program. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) is one of North America’s largest wholesale distributors of natural, organic, fresh, specialty, and conventional grocery products. While we acknowledge the potential of 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. READ NEXT: 7 Best Fusion Energy Development Stocks to Buy and 7 Best Battery Technology Stocks to Buy for Grid Storage. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.

General Mills, Inc. GIS reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein both top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increased year over year. The company posted adjusted earnings of 95 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 82 cents. The bottom line also increased 27% year over year on a constant-currency (cc) basis, driven by elevated adjusted operating profit, a reduced adjusted effective tax rate and fewer shares outstanding, partially offset by higher net interest expense. General Mills, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | General Mills, Inc. Quote Net sales increased 1% to $4,609.6 million, benefiting from a 7-point contribution from the 53rd week and a 1-point benefit from foreign currency exchange, partially offset by a 7-point headwind from the net impact of divestitures and acquisitions. On an organic basis, sales were broadly unchanged, including a 1-point benefit from favorable trade expense timing. The top line also beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,604 million. The adjusted gross margin increased 150 basis points (bps), reaching 34.2% of net sales, supported by favorable pricing and mix, with higher input costs partially offsetting these gains. Favorable trade expense timing contributed a 60 bps benefit to adjusted gross margin. We expected an adjusted gross margin expansion of 50 bps.General Mills’ adjusted operating profit increased 13% in constant currency to $705 million, driven by elevated adjusted gross profit dollars, including a 7-point benefit from favorable trade expense timing. Adjusted operating margin improved 160 bps to 15.3%. We expected an adjusted operating margin of 14.3% for the quarter. North America Retail: Revenues in the segment were $2,466.6 million, down 4% year over year, including a 10-point headwind from the divestiture and a 7-point benefit from the 53rd week. Organic net sales were essentially unchanged from the prior year, while Nielsen-measured retail sales declined 4%. The difference was primarily cused by a previously anticipated 2-point benefit from trade expense timing and favorable changes in retailer inventory levels.Segment operating profit of $506.4 million increased 7% for both reported and in constant currency. Growth was driven by favorable net price realization and product mix, along with lower selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses...

United Natural Foods, Inc. UNFI reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein the top line declined year over year but the bottom line improved. However, both metrics missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. United Natural posted adjusted earnings of 77 cents per share for the fiscal third quarter, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 81 cents. However, the adjusted earnings per share increased 75% year over year from 44 cents. United Natural Foods, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | United Natural Foods, Inc. Quote Net sales decreased 4.2% year over year to $7,723 million, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7,882 million. The decline included an approximate 450-basis-point impact from accretive optimization actions. Results were also affected by the initial unwind of previously referenced short-term project work for a single customer. A key feature of the quarter was the divergence between Natural and Conventional trends. Natural segment sales increased 4.4% year over year to $4,342 million, reflecting continued demand for natural, organic, fresh and specialty products. By contrast, Conventional sales declined 13.6% to $3,136 million, largely tied to the company’s accretive optimization actions and portfolio reshaping. Retail sales decreased 10.1% to $515 million, with management pointing to planned store closures as part of ongoing footprint optimization. UNFI’s gross profit fell 3% year over year to $1,049 million. The gross profit margin was 13.6%, which expanded 20 bps from 13.4% reported in the year-ago quarter. This expansion was driven by benefits from network optimization and a favorable customer mix, partially offset by a lower gross margin rate in the Retail segment. Operating expenses declined to $954 million from $1,025 million in the prior-year quarter, and the operating expense as a percentage of sales improved to 12.4% of net sales from 12.7%. The company attributed the rate improvement to insurance proceeds and the benefits of cost-saving initiatives, including network optimization and higher distribution-center productivity. Adjusted EBITDA increased 16.6% year over year to $183 million from $157 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin also expanded by approximately 40 basis points to 2.4% of net sales. UNFI generated free cash flow of $54 million in the quarter. Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $98 million, while...

United Natural Foods, Inc. UNFI used its third-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings call to keep investors focused less on the headline miss and more on the shape of the business into next year. Management emphasized steady execution, stronger profitability, deleveraging and a return to sales growth in fiscal 2027.The quarter itself was mixed on paper. Adjusted earnings per share of 77 cents missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 81 cents, delivering a negative surprise of 4.9%. The company reported revenues of $7.72 billion, which missed the consensus mark of $7.88 billion by 2%, but executives argued the underlying business tracked in line with its targeted market after planned optimization actions. United Natural Foods, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | United Natural Foods, Inc. Quote Chief executive officer Sandy Douglas framed the quarter around a value-creation strategy aimed at serving differentiated grocers, natural retailers and other food sellers pursuing sharper local positioning. He said UNFI’s addressable market remains a growing $90 billion opportunity and described customer demand across those segments as resilient.Douglas said reported sales were distorted by accretive optimization actions and by the unwind of a short-term project for one customer. In his telling, those were planned drags rather than signs of demand erosion.That point became central to the call. Management repeatedly returned to the idea that, stripped of those items, sales were in line with low-single-digit growth in its target market and positioned to improve next year. President and CFO Giorgio Tarditi pointed to a clearer margin story. Third-quarter adjusted EBITDA rose 16.6% to $183 million, while adjusted EBITDA margin improved about 40 basis points to roughly 2.4% of sales.Gross margin expanded to 13.6% from 13.4%, helped by optimization actions and customer mix, while operating expenses fell nearly 7% and dropped to 12.4% of sales from 12.7%. Management tied that improvement to cost actions, network changes and better distribution-center productivity.Adjusted EPS rose from 44 cents a year ago to 77 cents, even as it fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Management leaned on that year-over-year improvement to argue that the company is gaining traction on efficiency and cost control. Douglas spent much of the prepared remarks on execution inside the network. He s...

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 a focus on the $90 billion target addressable market (TAM) consisting of differentiated regional, natural, and organic grocers who have historically outperformed the broader industry. Underlying net sales growth, excluding strategic optimization, tracked in line with the low single-digit growth of the target addressable market despite a dynamic macro environment. Profitability gains were fueled by a 7% reduction in operating expenses and a 7% increase in distribution center productivity through the expansion of lean practices. Management attributed gross margin expansion to disciplined network optimization and the alignment of the customer portfolio with win-win agreements. The company is pivoting toward a 'next-generation supply chain' by deploying AI-powered procurement and fleet management platforms to improve fill rates and reduce mileage. Strategic focus remains on seven key capability areas, including customer stewardship and private brands, to support retailer differentiation in a competitive landscape. Management expects the broader wholesale business to return to sales growth in fiscal 2027 as the company cycles through large-scale network optimization actions. The financial framework for 2027 assumes low single-digit sales growth and high single-digit EBITDA growth driven by continued productivity and commercial capabilities. Guidance for the remainder of fiscal 2026 assumes low single-digit inflation and includes a buffer for potential fuel and transportation cost pressures. Investment spending is expected to ramp up in the fourth quarter to accelerate technology and supply chain modernization initiatives. The company anticipates fully cycling the unwind of short-term project work for a single large customer by the third quarter of fiscal 2027. Network optimization actions resulted in a 450 basis point impact on net sales, reflecting a deliberate exit from less profitable or non-strategic business. Net leverage improved to 2.5 turns, reaching the lowest net debt level since fiscal 2018, which management views as critical for financial flexibility. The company executed a voluntary $115 million prepayment on senior notes and refinanced its $2.53 billion ABL facility to exte...

United Natural Foods (UNFI) reported fiscal third-quarter revenue below Wall Street's estimates on T

Interested in United Natural Foods, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. UNFI posted better profitability and cash flow in Q3 even as sales fell 4.2% to about $7.7 billion. Adjusted EBITDA rose nearly 17% to $183 million, free cash flow hit $54 million, and net leverage improved to 2.5x. Efficiency initiatives are driving margins higher, with gross margin up to 13.6% and operating expenses down nearly 7%. Management said distribution center productivity increased more than 7% thanks to network optimization, supply chain investments and lean practices. Natural products remain a key growth area, with sales up more than 4% and underlying growth outperforming the market. UNFI also reiterated its fiscal 2026 outlook and said it expects wholesale sales growth to return in fiscal 2027 as optimization impacts lapse. US Foods is Managing Inflation Deceleration the Right Way United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) reported stronger third-quarter fiscal 2026 profitability and cash flow despite lower sales, as management said network optimization, productivity initiatives and supply chain investments continued to reshape the business. On the company’s earnings call, CEO Sandy Douglas said UNFI made “steady progress” on its value creation strategy, which is focused on adding value for customers and suppliers while making the company more effective and efficient. He said the company generated “strong profitability and free cash flow” during the quarter while strengthening its balance sheet and improving financial flexibility. → Meta Unveils Subscriptions: A New Offering With Real Growth Potential The Turnaround in United Natural Foods is Ripening President and Chief Financial Officer Matteo Tarditi said third-quarter sales were approximately $7.7 billion, down 4.2% from the prior year. He said the decline included an approximately 450-basis-point impact from what the company calls “accretive optimization actions,” similar to the impact in the second quarter and in line with expectations. Sales also reflected the beginning of the unwind of short-term project work for a single customer. Excluding optimization actions and the project-related work, Tarditi said the underlying business performed in line with the company’s estimated target addressable market and outperformed the overall industry. → Planet Labs: Coming Back Down to Earth MarketBeat Week in Review – 6/26 - 6/30 UN...

This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Revenue: Approximately $7.7 billion, a decline of 4.2% year-over-year. Gross Margin: 13.6%, up approximately 20 basis points year-over-year. Operating Expenses: Reduced by nearly 7% compared to the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA: $183 million, growth of nearly 17%. Adjusted EBITDA Margin: Approximately 2.4% of net sales, up around 40 basis points year-over-year. Adjusted EPS: $0.77, compared to last year's $0.44. Free Cash Flow: $54 million for the quarter, year-to-date total of $243 million. Net Leverage Ratio: 2.5 turns, a 0.8 turn improvement year-on-year. Net Debt: $1.63 billion, the lowest since fiscal 2018. Natural Product Sales Growth: Over 4%. Conventional Product Sales Decline: Nearly 14%. Retail Sales Decline: Around 10%. Same-Store Sales Decline: Around 4%. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 8 Warning Signs with UNFI. Is UNFI fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: June 09, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. UNFI reported strong profitability and free cash flow generation, with adjusted EBITDA growing nearly 17% to $183 million. The company successfully reduced net leverage to 2.5 turns, marking a significant improvement from the previous year. UNFI's gross margin rate improved by approximately 20 basis points year-over-year, reflecting benefits from network optimization. The company is investing in next-generation supply chain capabilities, including AI-powered platforms, which are enhancing fill rates and inventory management. UNFI's strategic focus on differentiated regional and independent grocers positions it well within a growing $90 billion target addressable market. Third quarter sales declined by 4.2% year-over-year, impacted by optimization actions and the unwind of short-term project work. Conventional product sales saw a significant decline of nearly 14%, primarily due to strategic network optimization actions. Retail sales declined by around 10%, largely due to planned store closures and a dynamic environment affecting same-store sales. The company faces ongoing pressure from higher fuel and transportation costs, which could impact future profitability. UNFI's sales growth is currently in line with the low single-digit growth of its target addressable market, indicating limited outperformance....