UNFI reported fourth quarter fiscal 2026 results in line with expectations, capping a strong year of strategic execution. The food distributor generated adjusted EBITDA of $172 million in the quarter, contributing to full-year EBITDA growth of 27%. The company produced free cash flow of $80 million in the fourth quarter and $323 million for the full year. UNFI significantly strengthened its balance sheet, reducing its year-end net leverage ratio to 2.2 times — more than a full turn lower than the previous year. Chief executive Sandy Douglas said the results reflected consistent execution of the company's value creation strategy. The strategy focuses on adding value for customers and suppliers while improving operational effectiveness and efficiency. UNFI held its earnings conference call on 8 September 2026.

UNFI caps fiscal 2026 with Q4 profit, 27 percent EBITDA growth. Share via: United Natural Foods Inc. reported net income of $35 million for its fourth quarter ended Aug. 1, reversing an $87 million loss in the prior-year period, as the wholesaler closed out a fiscal year defined by network optimization and profitability gains. Fourth quarter net sales decreased 0.7 percent to $7.6 billion, including an approximately 500-basis-point impact from planned optimization actions and a 150-basis-point headwind from the completed unwind of short-term project work, partially offset by lapping the cybersecurity incident that disrupted last year's fourth quarter. Adjusted EBITDA increased 48.3 percent to $172 million, and adjusted EPS came in at 69 cents, compared with an adjusted loss of 11 cents a year ago. Sales in UNFI's natural segment rose 6.6 percent to $4.3 billion in the quarter, while conventional sales declined 8.6 percent to $3.1 billion and retail sales fell 7.9 percent. "UNFI delivered a strong fiscal year through disciplined execution of our strategy to add value for customers and suppliers while becoming a more effective and efficient company," said CEO Sandy Douglas. "We continued strengthening commercial and supply chain capabilities to better serve our partners, while generating solid growth in adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow, enabling us to further reduce net debt." Providence, Rhode Island-based UNFI provides natural, organic, specialty, fresh, conventional and private label products to more than 30,000 retail locations in North America. Full-year results. For the full fiscal year, net sales decreased 2 percent to $31.2 billion, while net income of $84 million reversed a $118 million loss in fiscal 2025. Adjusted EBITDA grew 27 percent to $701 million, adjusted EPS increased to $2.65 and free cash flow rose 35.1 percent to $323 million. The company reduced net debt by $295 million during the year, ending with a net leverage ratio of 2.2x. Its board approved a new $200 million stock repurchase program on Sept. 3, replacing the program announced in September 2022. Operationally, UNFI completed the initial deployment of Lean daily management at 44 distribution centers, supporting a fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year improvement in fill rates, on-time deliveries and throughput. The company said it has begun onboarding additional business from new and existing customers that is expected to produce revenue growth in fiscal 2027 after it cycles larger optimization actions. Fiscal 2027 outlook. UNFI projects fiscal 2027 net sales of $31.2 billion to $31.8 billion; net income of $105 million to $145 million; adjusted EPS of $3 to $3.50; and adjusted EBITDA of $730 million to $780 million, reflecting high-single-digit growth with a midpoint $25 million higher than the guidance provided at its December 2025 Investor Day. Free cash flow is expected between $275 million and $325 million. "In fiscal 2027, we remain focused on helping our partners execute their growth strategies, accelerating our operating momentum and returning to revenue growth," Douglas said. For more UNFI news, view its UNFI news page. The Shelby Report delivers complete grocery news and supermarket insights nationwide through the distribution of five monthly regional print and digital editions. Serving the retail food trade since 1967,... More by Shelby Team

Despite Q4 net sales dip, UNFI delivers strong fiscal year 2026. Wholesaler continues to optimize operations as it looks forward to future revenue growth UNFI marked a fourth straight quarter of year-over-year improvement in fill rates, on-time deliveries and throughput. (Photo Credit: UNFI) For its 13-week fourth quarter ended Aug. 1, United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) reported a net sales dip of 0.7% to $7.6 billion, along with net income of $35 million, versus a net loss of $87 million for the fourth quarter of 2025, and net income per diluted share (EPS) of 57 cents, from $1.43 in Q4 of fiscal 2025. Additionally in Q4, adjusted EBITDA rose 48.3% to $172 million, from $116 million in the year-ago period, and adjusted EPS grew to 69 cents, versus an adjusted loss per share of 11 cents in Q4 of fiscal 2025. For the 52-week fiscal 2026 year ended Aug. 1, the wholesaler logged a net sales decline of 2.0% to $31.2 billion, as well as net income of $84 million and net EPS of $1.34. Adjusted EBITDA for the fiscal year increased 27.0% to $701 million, while adjusted EPS rose to $2.65. UNFI's gross profit in Q4 of fiscal 2026 was $1,050 million, an increase of $20 million, or 1.9%, versus the year-ago period. The gross profit rate in Q4 of fiscal 2026 was 13.7% of net sales compared with 13.4% of net sales in Q4 of fiscal 2025. The company said that the gross profit rate benefited from network optimization actions and customer mix, partly offset by a lower gross margin rate in the retail segment. According to the company, its Q4 net sales in fiscal 2026 included an approximately 500-basis-point adverse impact from planned optimization actions and a 150-basis-point impact of short-term project work, which were partly offset by lapping last year's cybersecurity event. The company managed to deliver on its updated fiscal 2026 outlook, however, with full-year net income increasing and adjusted EBITDA growth of 27%. The company also completed the initial deployment phase of lean daily management to 44 distribution centers, supporting a fourth straight quarter of year-over-year improvement in fill rates, on-time deliveries and throughput, and began onboarding additional business from new and existing customers expected to produce revenue growth in fiscal 2027 after cycling larger optimization actions. "UNFI delivered a strong fiscal year through disciplined execution of our strategy to add value for customers and suppliers while becoming a more effective and efficient company," UNFI CEO Sandy Douglas noted. "We continued strengthening commercial and supply chain capabilities to better serve our partners, while generating solid growth in adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow, enabling us to further reduce net debt." Douglas added: "Our progress demonstrates the strength of our customer base and our commitment to creating long-term, shared value for all stakeholders. In fiscal 2027, we remain focused on helping our partners execute their growth strategies, accelerating our operating momentum and returning to revenue growth." UNFI's fiscal 2027 guidance includes high-single-digit growth for adjusted EBITDA ($730 million- $780 million) and a midpoint $25 million higher than the guidance provided at the company's December 2025 Investor Day event. For the 52-week year ending July 31, 2027, the company predicts net sales of $31.2 billion-$31.8 billion, net income of $105 million-$145 million, EPS of $1.70-$2.30 and adjusted EPS of $3.00-$3.50, with capital and cloud implementation expenditures of about $300 million. UNFI is known as North America's premier grocery wholesaler, delivering a wide variety of fresh, branded and own-brand products to more than 30,000 locations throughout North America, including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, e-commerce providers and foodservice customers. UNFI also provides a broad range of value-added services and segmented marketing expertise, including proprietary technology, data, market insights and shelf management. The Providence, R.I.-based company is No. 20 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's 2026 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named UNFI among its Impact Award winners.