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Sysco Corporation (SYY)
NYSE:SYY

Sysco (SYY) AI Stock Analysis

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SYY

Sysco

(NYSE:SYY)

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Neutral 62 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:62Neutral
Price Target:
$93.00
▲(6.13% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:03/05/26
The score reflects stable operating performance and supportive guidance/free-cash-flow momentum, tempered primarily by elevated leverage and a thin equity cushion. Technicals are moderately positive, while valuation is fair-to-slightly expensive with some support from the dividend; the CFO change is a manageable but notable risk.
Positive Factors
Free cash flow generation
Sysco's recurring operating cash flow (~$2.8B TTM) and roughly $1.9B of free cash flow provide durable internal funding for dividends, planned $1B buybacks, tuck-in M&A and partial debt term-outs. Reliable FCF preserves capital allocation optionality despite leverage.
Scale and revenue momentum
Substantial scale and multi-year top-line growth underpin broad supplier leverage, extensive distribution reach and diversified end markets (restaurants, healthcare, education). Large revenue base supports modest operating leverage and resilience across cyclical segments.
Sales productivity and international strength
High sales colleague retention plus rapid AI360 adoption (95%+ weekly use) signal durable productivity gains and stronger customer coverage. Combined with repeatable international outperformance, these factors sustainably boost organic volume growth and sales efficiency over coming quarters.
Negative Factors
Elevated leverage
Very high debt relative to a small equity base materially reduces financial flexibility and magnifies downside risk from demand shocks or rising rates. Persistent elevated leverage constrains investment optionality and makes meeting target leverage more operationally binding.
Naturally thin margins
Low absolute margins typical of distribution mean modest shocks to drop size, freight or labor quickly depress net income. Thin operating and net margins limit the firm's ability to self-insure against cost inflation and weaken resilience versus higher-margin peers.
Exposure to restaurant / national chain weakness
Sysco's earnings and volumes are tied to restaurant traffic and national chain contracts. Prolonged softness in dining demand or chain volumes can structurally reduce local case sizes and order economics, pressuring revenue mix and per-order profitability over several quarters.

Sysco (SYY) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Sysco Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionSysco Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the marketing and distribution of various food and related products primarily to the foodservice or food-away-from-home industry in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and internationally. It operates through U.S. Foodservice Operations, International Foodservice Operations, SYGMA, and Other segments. The company distributes frozen foods, such as meats, seafood, fully prepared entrées, fruits, vegetables, and desserts; canned and dry foods; fresh meats and seafood; dairy products; beverage products; imported specialties; and fresh produce. It also supplies various non-food items, including paper products comprising disposable napkins, plates, and cups; tableware consisting of China and silverware; cookware, which include pots, pans, and utensils; restaurant and kitchen equipment and supplies; and cleaning supplies. The company serves restaurants, hospitals and nursing homes, schools and colleges, hotels and motels, industrial caterers, and other foodservice venues. As of August 27, 2021, it operated 343 distribution facilities. Sysco Corporation was incorporated in 1969 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
How the Company Makes MoneySysco generates revenue through the distribution of food and non-food products to its customers in the foodservice sector. The company's primary revenue streams include the sale of food products, which encompasses fresh, frozen, and dry goods, as well as non-food items such as kitchen supplies and equipment. Sysco benefits from economies of scale due to its extensive distribution network and strong supplier relationships, allowing it to negotiate favorable pricing. Additionally, the company has developed partnerships with various suppliers and manufacturers, enhancing its product offerings and market reach. Sysco also invests in technology and logistics to streamline operations and improve delivery efficiency, contributing to its profitability. The company's diverse customer base, which includes independent restaurants, chain restaurants, and institutional clients, further stabilizes its revenue flow.

Sysco Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue by Product
Revenue by Product
Details sales generated from different products, offering insight into consumer preferences and the company's product strategy effectiveness.
Chart InsightsSysco's revenue from Beverage Products and Fresh and Frozen Meats shows a robust upward trend, with significant growth in recent quarters. This aligns with the company's strategic initiatives like AI360 and Perks 2.0, which are enhancing sales productivity and customer retention. Despite challenges in the national restaurant segment and the FreshPoint exit, Sysco's international sales and local business improvements are driving overall growth. The company's focus on operational efficiency and strategic innovation is expected to sustain its positive momentum in a challenging economic environment.
Data provided by:The Fly

Sysco Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jan 27, 2026
(Q2-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 05, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call presented multiple material operational and financial positives: revenue and adjusted EPS growth, strong free cash flow (+25% YTD), gross margin expansion (+15 bps), robust international performance (sales +7.3%, OpInc +~25.6%), improving U.S. local volumes and high AI360 adoption that boosts sales productivity. Headwinds remain — notably weak restaurant traffic, softness in national chain restaurant volumes, a notable incentive-compensation lapping headwind (~$100M), slightly elevated leverage (2.86x) and modest compression in local drop size. On balance, company-specific initiatives (retention, AI360, merchandising, tuck-in M&A) are driving enough momentum to offset industry weakness and justify raised guidance.
Q2-2026 Updates
Positive Updates
Revenue Growth
Total revenue of nearly $21,000,000,000, up 3% year over year, driven by U.S. Foodservice, International and SYGMA.
Raised Full-Year Adjusted EPS Guidance
Management now expects full-year FY2026 adjusted EPS at the high end of prior guidance ($4.50 to $4.60), reflecting stronger-than-expected first-half results.
Earnings and Cash Flow Strength
Adjusted EPS grew 6.5% in Q2; free cash flow year-to-date of $413,000,000, up 25%, indicating high quality of earnings and improved cash generation.
Gross Profit and Margin Expansion
Gross profit of $3,800,000,000, up 3.9% year over year; gross margin expanded 15 basis points to 18.3%, aided by strategic sourcing and moderating inflation.
International Segment Outperformance
International sales grew 7.3% reported (9.9% ex-Mexico), local case growth of 4.5%, and adjusted operating income growth of ~25.6% — ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit operating income growth.
Improving U.S. Local Case Volume and Momentum
U.S. Foodservice local case volume increased 1.2% in Q2, a 140 basis point sequential improvement vs Q1; management expects at least 2.5% local volume growth in both Q3 and Q4 (with ~2.1% organic contribution and ~50 bps from M&A).
Sales Force Retention, Productivity and AI Adoption
Sales colleague retention at or above historical high marks, onboarding new customers at high rates, improved customer retention; AI360 CRM tool live ~4 months with 95%+ weekly usage and demonstrable productivity lift for users.
Strategic M&A and Shareholder Returns
Completed tuck-in acquisition of Ginsburg Foods (adds scale in Northeast; contributed ~10 bps in Q2 and expected ~50 bps back half), targeting ~$1,000,000,000 in dividends and ~$1,000,000,000 in share repurchases for FY2026; dividend per share growth ~6% year over year.
Negative Updates
Soft Restaurant Traffic Environment
Industry restaurant traffic per Black Box declined more than 200 basis points year over year (and ~230 basis points sequentially), pressuring national chain restaurant volumes and overall industry demand.
National Restaurant Segment Weakness
National contract national restaurant volumes were down year over year, partially offsetting strength in Foodservice Management, Travel & Entertainment and healthcare verticals.
Incentive Compensation Lapping Headwind
FY2026 guidance includes an approximate $100,000,000 headwind from lapping lower incentive compensation in fiscal 2025 (roughly -$0.16 per share); specific carryover impacts of ~$63,000,000 in Q3 and ~$11,000,000 in Q4.
Local Drop Size and Mix Pressure
Local drop size was modestly down (~1%) in the quarter, which can pressure per-order economics despite improved case volumes and productivity gains.
Leverage Slightly Above Target Range
Net debt leverage ended the quarter at 2.86x, modestly above the stated target range of 2.5x to 2.75x, limiting some near-term financial flexibility relative to goal.
Operating Expense and Corporate Cost Dynamics
Adjusted operating expenses were $3,000,000,000 (14.4% of sales), up 15 basis points year over year; corporate adjusted expenses rose 3.8% due to planned investments and lapping prior-year compensation, though excluding incentive comp they were approximately flat.
Company Guidance
Sysco raised its FY‑2026 outlook to the high end of its prior adjusted EPS range ($4.60), while noting an approximate $100 million headwind from lapping lower incentive compensation (~$0.16/share); excluding that headwind, management expects adjusted EPS growth of roughly 5%–7%. They forecast net sales growth of ~3%–5% to ~$84B–$85B (with ~2% inflation), and expect U.S. local case growth of at least +2.5% in both Q3 and Q4 (at least +2.1% organic plus ~50 bps from M&A). Quarter phasing assumptions include comfort with a Q3 consensus EPS of $0.94 and incentive‑comp carryovers of ~$63M in Q3 and ~$11M in Q4; adjusted D&A is expected to be ~ $820M for the year (~$210M in each of Q3 and Q4). Capital allocation guidance includes resuming share repurchases in Q3 (~$1B planned), ~ $1B in dividends (≈+6% per share), a target net leverage of 2.5x–2.75x (ended Q2 at 2.86x), liquidity of ~$2.9B, and YTD free cash flow of $413M (up 25%).

Sysco Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Operations are steady with strong revenue growth and solid free-cash-flow conversion, but the balance sheet is a major constraint: rising debt and a very thin equity base increase financial risk and reduce flexibility despite stable profitability.
Income Statement
72
Positive
Results show steady top-line expansion, with revenue rising from ~$51.3B (2021) to ~$81.4B (2025 annual) and ~$82.6B in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months). Profitability is stable but inherently thin for the industry: gross margin holds near ~18–19%, while net margin improved versus 2021 but remains around ~2.2% in the latest periods. Operating profitability has been generally consistent (EBIT margin ~3.7% in TTM), though net income is slightly below the 2024 peak—suggesting modest margin pressure or higher costs/interest/taxes despite higher sales.
Balance Sheet
38
Negative
Leverage is the main constraint: total debt increased from ~$11.2B (2023) to ~$14.5B (2025 annual) and ~$15.0B in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), while equity remains low (~$1.8B–$2.3B). This drives very high debt relative to equity (roughly ~7–8x recently), leaving less balance-sheet flexibility if conditions weaken. Returns on equity are extremely high, but largely reflect the small equity base rather than unusually strong underlying economics, which elevates financial risk.
Cash Flow
67
Positive
Cash generation is solid and generally supportive of the business: operating cash flow is ~$2.8B in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) and free cash flow is ~$1.9B, with free cash flow typically running at ~65–72% of net income across recent years (good earnings quality). However, free cash flow has been somewhat choppy (down in 2022 and 2025 annual before rebounding in TTM), and operating cash flow covers only about a quarter to a third of total debt—adequate but not strong given the leverage profile.
BreakdownTTMJun 2025Jun 2024Jun 2023Jun 2022Jun 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue82.65B81.37B78.84B76.33B68.64B51.30B
Gross Profit15.26B14.97B14.61B13.96B12.32B9.36B
EBITDA4.06B4.14B4.17B3.70B3.25B2.32B
Net Income1.80B1.83B1.96B1.77B1.36B524.21M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets27.18B26.77B24.92B22.82B22.09B21.41B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments1.22B1.07B696.00M745.00M867.09M3.01B
Total Debt16.20B14.49B12.95B11.17B11.39B11.82B
Total Liabilities24.84B24.92B23.03B20.78B20.67B19.83B
Stockholders Equity2.28B1.83B1.86B2.01B1.38B1.55B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow1.93B1.78B2.16B2.08B1.16B1.43B
Operating Cash Flow2.80B2.69B2.99B2.87B1.79B1.90B
Investing Cash Flow-813.00M-717.00M-1.96B-785.00M-1.88B-428.70M
Financing Cash Flow-1.49B-1.59B-1.04B-2.06B-1.99B-4.63B

Sysco Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price87.63
Price Trends
50DMA
81.42
Positive
100DMA
78.31
Positive
200DMA
77.65
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
2.10
Positive
RSI
54.48
Neutral
STOCH
34.89
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For SYY, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 87.63 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 88.60, above the 50-day MA of 81.42, and above the 200-day MA of 77.65, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 2.10 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 54.48 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 34.89 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for SYY.

Sysco Risk Analysis

Sysco disclosed 28 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Sysco reported the most risks in the "Production" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Sysco Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (62)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
70
Outperform
$20.51B25.6415.30%4.80%3.49%
69
Neutral
$2.54B34.0012.67%8.88%54.12%
64
Neutral
$2.22B18.895.85%1.44%2.19%-39.07%
62
Neutral
$20.33B14.63-3.31%3.23%1.93%-12.26%
62
Neutral
$41.97B22.8783.64%2.84%2.92%-4.06%
57
Neutral
$14.46B57.897.75%10.55%-23.38%
52
Neutral
$2.31B-142.83-6.37%1.45%-5.49%
* Consumer Defensive Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
SYY
Sysco
87.63
14.59
19.97%
ANDE
The Andersons
64.86
22.84
54.34%
CHEF
The Chefs' Warehouse
62.52
3.52
5.97%
UNFI
United Natural Foods
38.36
10.98
40.10%
PFGC
Performance Food Group
90.82
12.11
15.39%
USFD
US Foods Holding
93.14
26.33
39.41%

Sysco Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board ChangesFinancial Disclosures
Sysco Names Interim CFO and Reaffirms 2026 Outlook
Positive
Mar 5, 2026

On February 27, 2026, Sysco’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Kenny Cheung, resigned to join a Fortune 10 company in another industry, with the company stressing that his departure did not stem from any disagreements over operations, accounting or controls. He will remain in an advisory role until April 17, 2026, to support an orderly handover.

On March 4, 2026, Sysco’s board appointed Brandon Sewell, previously Senior Vice President and CFO of U.S. Foodservice Operations, as interim CFO effective March 6, 2026, with a new compensation package designed to reflect his expanded responsibilities and encourage retention. Sysco simultaneously reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 guidance, signaling confidence that the leadership transition will not disrupt its financial strategy or projected earnings and sales growth, which is likely to reassure investors and other stakeholders about continuity in performance and governance.

The most recent analyst rating on (SYY) stock is a Buy with a $100.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Sysco stock, see the SYY Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
Sysco Issues $1.25 Billion in New Senior Notes
Neutral
Feb 13, 2026

On February 13, 2026, Sysco Corporation issued and sold $600 million of 4.400% Senior Notes due 2031 and $650 million of 4.950% Senior Notes due 2036, raising net proceeds of about $1.24 billion. The notes, which are unsecured and guaranteed by certain subsidiaries, were sold under an existing shelf registration and will pay interest semi-annually until their respective maturities in 2031 and 2036.

Sysco plans to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, including repaying borrowings under its commercial paper programs, effectively terming out a portion of its short-term debt. The structure of the notes, including optional redemption features and change-of-control repurchase protections, underscores Sysco’s effort to manage its capital structure and provide bondholders with defined safeguards in the event of a ratings downgrade following a change of control.

The most recent analyst rating on (SYY) stock is a Buy with a $95.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Sysco stock, see the SYY Stock Forecast page.

Private Placements and Financing
Sysco Announces New Senior Notes Debt Offering
Neutral
Feb 11, 2026

On February 10, 2026, Sysco Corporation entered into an underwriting agreement with a syndicate of major banks to issue $600 million of 4.400% senior notes due 2031 and $650 million of 4.950% senior notes due 2036. The offering, conducted under an existing shelf registration, is expected to close on February 13, 2026, subject to customary conditions and protections for both Sysco and the underwriters.

The transaction underscores Sysco’s continued use of the debt capital markets to support its financing needs, with several underwriters’ affiliates already serving as lenders under Sysco’s credit facility and as dealers in its commercial paper programs. These existing relationships mean some of the offering’s proceeds may indirectly flow to these financial institutions, reflecting the close integration between Sysco’s long-term funding strategy and its broader banking partnerships.

The most recent analyst rating on (SYY) stock is a Buy with a $93.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Sysco stock, see the SYY Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Mar 05, 2026