United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.11 EPS

United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) issued its earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $0.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.51 by $0.11, FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $7.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $8.11 billion. United Natural Foods had a positive return on equity of 4.35% and a negative net margin of 0.32%.The company’s quarterly revenue was down 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.22 EPS. United Natural Foods updated its FY 2026 guidance to 2.300-2.700 EPS.

United Natural Foods Stock Up 6.6%

Shares of UNFI opened at $38.88 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.38, a quick ratio of 0.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25. United Natural Foods has a 12-month low of $20.78 and a 12-month high of $43.29. The firm has a market cap of $2.37 billion, a P/E ratio of -23.42 and a beta of 1.00. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $36.94 and its 200 day moving average price is $35.57.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently commented on UNFI shares. Roth Mkm reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $35.00 price objective on shares of United Natural Foods in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Zacks Research cut shares of United Natural Foods from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of United Natural Foods in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on United Natural Foods from $37.00 to $35.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $40.00 price target on United Natural Foods in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $38.78.

More United Natural Foods News

Here are the key news stories impacting United Natural Foods this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat and profitability pickup: UNFI reported $0.62 EPS vs. $0.51 consensus and swung to a quarterly profit, showing margin improvement that investors favor. UNFI Press Release
• Positive Sentiment: Upgraded profitability guidance: Management boosted fiscal‑year profit outlook and issued FY26 EPS guidance of $2.30–$2.70, above the $2.15 consensus — a clear positive for earnings expectations. WSJ: Boosts Profit Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Management visibility event scheduled: CFO Matteo Tarditi will speak at the UBS Global Consumer & Retail Conference (Mar 12), giving investors a chance to hear more about margin drivers and the strategic plan. BusinessWire: UBS Conference
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/feature coverage explores margin levers like AI: Articles question whether AI and other efficiency moves can offset sales pressure — this frames the narrative that margins (not sales) may drive near‑term stock performance. Investing.com: Can AI Offset Sales Pressure?
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue miss and lowered sales guidance: Quarterly revenue was $7.95B vs. $8.11B expected, and full‑year sales guidance was lowered to $31.0–$31.4B (below the ~$32.1B consensus), a clear headwind for top‑line growth expectations. TalkMarkets: Earnings Recap

Insider Activity at United Natural Foods

In other news, insider Louis Anthony Martin sold 9,439 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.67, for a total value of $327,250.13. Following the transaction, the insider owned 81,234 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,816,382.78. This trade represents a 10.41% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director James C. Pappas acquired 15,000 shares of United Natural Foods stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 2nd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $33.76 per share, with a total value of $506,400.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 192,178 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,487,929.28. The trade was a 8.47% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 2.40% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Quarry LP purchased a new position in shares of United Natural Foods in the third quarter valued at about $29,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its stake in United Natural Foods by 4,266.7% during the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 786 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 768 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of United Natural Foods by 84.2% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,332 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 609 shares during the last quarter. Arax Advisory Partners lifted its holdings in United Natural Foods by 37.4% during the fourth quarter. Arax Advisory Partners now owns 1,102 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the period. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new position in United Natural Foods during the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. 87.63% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

United Natural Foods Company Profile

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.