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United Natural Foods (UNFI)
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United Natural Foods (UNFI) AI Stock Analysis

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UNFI

United Natural Foods

(NYSE:UNFI)

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Neutral 52 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:52Neutral
Price Target:
$36.00
▲(5.54% Upside)
United Natural Foods' overall stock score reflects a challenging financial environment with declining revenues and high leverage. However, strong earnings call results and improvements in cash flow generation provide a positive outlook. Technical indicators suggest bearish momentum, and valuation metrics are weak due to negative profitability.
Positive Factors
Cash Flow Generation
Improved cash flow generation enhances financial flexibility, enabling strategic investments and debt reduction, supporting long-term growth.
Network Optimization
Ahead-of-schedule network optimization boosts operational efficiency, reducing costs and enhancing service delivery, strengthening competitive position.
Natural Products Growth
Growth in the natural products segment aligns with consumer trends towards health-conscious options, driving sustainable revenue expansion.
Negative Factors
High Leverage
High leverage can constrain financial flexibility and increase risk, potentially impacting the company's ability to invest in growth opportunities.
Declining Revenue
Declining revenue growth reflects challenges in maintaining market share and could pressure margins, affecting long-term profitability.
Conventional Product Segment Decline
Decline in conventional product sales indicates potential market share loss, impacting overall revenue and necessitating strategic adjustments.

United Natural Foods (UNFI) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

United Natural Foods Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionUnited Natural Foods, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, distributes natural, organic, specialty, produce, and conventional grocery and non-food products in the United States and Canada. It operates in two segments, Wholesale and Retail. The company offers grocery and general merchandise, produce, perishables and frozen foods, nutritional supplements and sports nutrition, bulk and foodservice products, and personal care items. It also provides Woodstock brand imports, roasts, packages, and distributes nuts, dried fruits, seeds, trail mixes, granola, natural and organic snack items, and confections. In addition, the company is involved in importing, roasting, packaging, and distributing nuts, dried fruits, seeds, trail mixes, granola, natural and organic snack items, and confections. Further, it offers Blue Marble Brands products through wholesale segment, third-party distributors, and directly to retailers; and Field Day brand products primarily to customers through its independent channel. Additionally, the company provides general merchandise, home, health and beauty care, and pharmacy products, as well as private label products through a network of 74 Cub Foods and Shoppers retail grocery stores; professional services, such as retail store support, advertising, couponing, e-commerce, consumer convenience services, store design, equipment sourcing, electronic payments processing, network and data hosting solutions, and administrative back-office solutions; and marketing services comprising consumer and trade marketing programs, as well as programs to support suppliers in understanding its markets. The company serves chains, independent retailers, and supernatural chains, as well as foodservice, e-commerce, conventional military business, and other sales customers. United Natural Foods, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island.
How the Company Makes MoneyUNFI generates revenue primarily through its wholesale distribution segment, where it sells a vast array of natural and organic products to retailers. The company earns money by marking up the products it purchases from manufacturers before distributing them to its customers. Key revenue streams include sales from grocery items, perishables, and private label products. Additionally, UNFI benefits from partnerships with numerous suppliers, enabling it to offer a broad selection of products. The company also leverages its e-commerce platform to reach customers directly, enhancing sales and driving growth. Factors contributing to its earnings include the increasing consumer demand for healthy and organic foods, strategic acquisitions to expand its product offerings, and operational efficiencies that improve profit margins.

United Natural Foods Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Dec 02, 2025
(Q1-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Mar 11, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call highlights a strong financial performance with significant improvements in EBITDA, free cash flow, and gross margin, despite challenges in the conventional product segment and retail sales. The company's strategic initiatives in network optimization and natural products growth have shown positive results, contributing to overall stability and optimism for future growth.
Q1-2026 Updates
Positive Updates
Solid Financial Performance
United Natural Foods, Inc. delivered solid results with adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow meaningfully above prior year levels. Net leverage declined approximately one turn compared to the prior year quarter.
Natural Products Segment Growth
The natural products segment saw growth of 11%, reflecting strong unit growth and outperforming the market.
Improved Free Cash Flow
Free cash flow results improved by over $100 million compared to last year's first quarter.
Successful Network Optimization
Network optimization efforts proceeded ahead of schedule, contributing to improved profitability and free cash flow.
Strong Adjusted EBITDA Growth
Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter was $107 million, up nearly 25% year over year.
Improved Gross Margin
The gross margin rate in the first quarter was 13.4%, up 20 basis points versus the prior year quarter.
Negative Updates
Conventional Product Segment Decline
Sales in the conventional product segment declined about 12%, primarily due to the transition out of the Allentown distribution center.
Retail Sales Decline
Retail sales fell 5% in the quarter, partly due to store closures over the past twelve months. Same store sales declined 3%.
Company Guidance
In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) delivered strong financial performance with adjusted EBITDA reaching $107 million, marking a 25% year-over-year increase. The company also reported significant growth in free cash flow, improving by over $100 million compared to the same period last year. Net sales were stable at $7.8 billion, with natural product segment growth of 11% offsetting a 12% decline in the conventional product segment. The gross margin rate increased by 20 basis points to 13.4%, while the operating expense rate improved to 12.7% from 12.9% the previous year. UNFI reduced its net leverage ratio to 3.2 times, a decrease of one full turn from the prior year. The company reaffirmed its full-year outlook, projecting sales between $31.6 billion and $32 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $630 to $700 million, and free cash flow of approximately $300 million.

United Natural Foods Financial Statement Overview

Summary
United Natural Foods is facing financial challenges with declining revenues and negative profitability metrics. The high debt-to-equity ratio indicates significant leverage, posing potential risks. However, the company shows resilience in cash flow generation, with a positive free cash flow growth rate of 25%.
Income Statement
45
Neutral
United Natural Foods has experienced a decline in revenue growth, with a negative growth rate of -9.8% in the TTM period. The company is facing profitability challenges, as indicated by negative net profit and EBIT margins. Gross profit margin remains stable, but the overall income statement reflects financial stress due to declining revenues and negative profitability metrics.
Balance Sheet
50
Neutral
The balance sheet shows a high debt-to-equity ratio of 2.24, indicating significant leverage. Return on equity is negative, reflecting the company's struggles to generate profits from its equity base. The equity ratio is moderate, suggesting a balanced asset structure, but the high leverage poses potential risks.
Cash Flow
60
Neutral
Cash flow analysis reveals a positive free cash flow growth rate of 25% in the TTM period, indicating improved cash generation. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is positive, suggesting that the company is generating cash despite net losses. However, the free cash flow to net income ratio indicates reliance on cash flow rather than profitability.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue31.78B30.98B30.27B28.93B26.95B
Gross Profit4.22B4.20B4.13B4.18B3.94B
EBITDA498.00M328.00M444.00M732.00M599.00M
Net Income-118.00M-112.00M24.00M248.00M149.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets7.59B7.53B7.39B7.63B7.53B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments44.00M40.00M37.00M44.00M41.00M
Total Debt3.45B3.55B3.27B3.38B3.43B
Total Liabilities6.04B5.89B5.65B5.84B6.01B
Stockholders Equity1.55B1.64B1.74B1.79B1.51B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow239.00M-92.00M301.00M80.00M304.00M
Operating Cash Flow470.00M253.00M624.00M331.00M614.00M
Investing Cash Flow-218.00M-342.00M-339.00M-49.00M-237.00M
Financing Cash Flow-248.00M92.00M-292.00M-279.00M-384.00M

United Natural Foods Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price34.11
Price Trends
50DMA
38.25
Negative
100DMA
33.07
Positive
200DMA
29.70
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.91
Positive
RSI
40.83
Neutral
STOCH
24.17
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For UNFI, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 34.11 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 36.50, below the 50-day MA of 38.25, and above the 200-day MA of 29.70, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.91 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 40.83 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 24.17 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for UNFI.

United Natural Foods Risk Analysis

United Natural Foods disclosed 25 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. United Natural Foods reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

United Natural Foods Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (62)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
72
Outperform
$2.42B34.3614.12%8.88%54.12%
70
Outperform
$1.69B23.375.85%1.56%2.19%-39.07%
66
Neutral
$853.08M22.027.12%25.34%66.91%
62
Neutral
$20.33B14.63-3.31%3.23%1.93%-12.26%
58
Neutral
$369.03M23.586.58%3.87%-5.33%
58
Neutral
1.54%-134.75%
52
Neutral
$2.08B-6.37%1.45%-5.49%
* Consumer Defensive Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
UNFI
United Natural Foods
34.11
9.43
38.21%
CVGW
Calavo Growers
20.67
-4.92
-19.23%
SPTN
SpartanNash Co
26.90
8.48
46.04%
ANDE
The Andersons
50.01
4.45
9.77%
CHEF
The Chefs' Warehouse
59.42
12.06
25.46%
AVO
Mission Produce
12.08
-0.79
-6.14%

United Natural Foods Corporate Events

United Natural Foods Balances Growth and Challenges in Earnings Call
Oct 10, 2025

The recent earnings call for United Natural Foods presented a mixed outlook, balancing strong financial performance with notable challenges. The company demonstrated robust free cash flow and debt reduction, alongside successful execution of its strategic plan and growth in the Natural segment. However, these positives were offset by the impacts of a cyber incident and a decline in the Conventional segment, leading to a balanced sentiment overall.

United Natural Foods Reports Fiscal 2025 Results
Oct 1, 2025

United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) is a leading grocery wholesaler in North America, specializing in delivering a wide range of fresh, branded, and owned brand products to various retail and foodservice locations. The company also offers value-added services and marketing expertise to support its customers and suppliers.

Regulatory Filings and Compliance
United Natural Foods Issues Regulation FD Disclosure
Neutral
Sep 18, 2025

The information in this current report on Form 8-K is being furnished and is not deemed to be ‘filed’ for purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. It is also not subject to the liabilities of that section nor incorporated by reference into a filing under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference.

The most recent analyst rating on (UNFI) stock is a Hold with a $29.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on United Natural Foods stock, see the UNFI 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: Dec 03, 2025