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Aramark: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 17 November 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 6% to $18.5 billion: Organic revenue grew 7%. Currency translation reduced revenue by $70 million, and the 53rd week added an estimated 2%. Excluding the 53rd week, revenue was $18,180 million. Source
  • Q4 revenue up 14%: Q4 revenue was $5.0 billion, up 14% on GAAP and organic bases. The 53rd week added about 7%. New business, high retention and base volume led growth, offset by timing of new account onboarding. Source
  • Q4 GAAP EPS hit by impairment: Q4 GAAP diluted EPS was $0.33 against $0.46, including a $19.5 million non-cash impairment on a minority interest investment. Adjusted EPS rose 6% to $0.57. Source
  • Net New business at 5.6%: Net New business equaled 5.6% of prior-year revenue, which management describes as unprecedented for the company. Source
  • Incentive pay added $25 million: Q4 included about $25 million, or 3%, of added incentive-based compensation tied to record net new business. It reduced Q4 adjusted EPS by $0.07. Source
  • Operating cash flow up 27%: Net cash from operations was $921 million, up 27%. Free cash flow was $454 million, up 41%, led by stronger operations and favorable working capital. Source
  • Leverage ratio at 3.25x: Leverage fell to 3.25x at end-September 2025, from 3.41x a year earlier, the lowest in nearly 20 years. Management says it continues proactive actions to reduce the ratio further. Source

“In addition to being awarded one of the most prestigious medical systems in the world, we delivered almost $1 billion in Annualized Net New business”

John Zillmer, Aramark CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue, year-over-year organic growth Sourcefiscal 2026$19,550 - $19,950 million; +7% - +9%New
Adjusted operating income Sourcefiscal 2026$1,100 - $1,150 million; +12% - +17% growth (constant currency)New
Adjusted EPS Sourcefiscal 2026$2.18 - $2.28; +20% - +25% growth (constant currency)New
Leverage ratio (net debt to Covenant Adjusted EBITDA) Sourcefiscal 2026Under 3xNew
Currency translation in revenue Sourcefiscal 2026~$100 million favorableNew
Net New business, percent of prior-year revenue SourceongoingAt least 4% to 5% of prior-year revenue, with retention above 95%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fiscal 2026 full-year targets were issued for organic revenue, adjusted operating income, adjusted EPS and the leverage ratio. The prior release covered fiscal 2025 only. Source
  • New: Quarterly dividend raised 14%, from 10.5 cents per share in the prior release to $0.12 per share. Source
  • New: The company was awarded its largest contract win ever in FSS United States, a medical system, which is named in this release. Source

Full-year results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 6% to $18.5 billion: Organic revenue grew 7%. Currency translation reduced revenue by $70 million, and the 53rd week added an estimated 2%. Excluding the 53rd week, revenue was $18,180 million. Source
  • Operating income up 12%: Operating income rose to $792 million. Adjusted operating income reached $981 million, up 11% as reported and 12% in constant currency. Operating margin rose 20 basis points. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 19% in constant currency: Diluted EPS was $1.22 against $0.99. Adjusted EPS was $1.82, up 17% as reported and 19% in constant currency. Source

Fourth-quarter results

  • Q4 revenue up 14%: Q4 revenue was $5.0 billion, up 14% on GAAP and organic bases. The 53rd week added about 7%. New business, high retention and base volume led growth, offset by timing of new account onboarding. Source
  • Q4 operating income flat, AOI up 6%: Q4 operating income was $218 million, unchanged, while adjusted operating income rose 6% to $289 million. Excluding incentive pay and other items, AOI margin would have risen a further 70 basis points. Source
  • Q4 GAAP EPS hit by impairment: Q4 GAAP diluted EPS was $0.33 against $0.46, including a $19.5 million non-cash impairment on a minority interest investment. Adjusted EPS rose 6% to $0.57. Source

“I want to reiterate that we are resolutely committed to achieving our financial objectives and generating significant shareholder value.”

John Zillmer, Aramark CEO

Segments and regions

  • FSS US revenue up 5% for year: FSS United States revenue was $13.2 billion, up 5%, with adjusted operating income up 9% to $840 million. Business & Industry, Education and Healthcare led Q4 revenue growth. Source
  • FSS International growth broad-based: FSS International revenue rose 10% to $5.3 billion for the year, with AOI up 19% to $260 million. Growth in Q4 came across geographies, particularly the U.K., Canada, Ireland, Spain and Latin America. Source
  • Q4 International operating income fell: Q4 FSS International operating income fell 15% to $39 million, while AOI rose 31% to $76 million. The difference reflects severance charges, which are excluded from AOI. Source

New business and client retention

  • Gross new business reached $1.6 billion: Annualized gross new business wins were $1.6 billion, more than 12% above fiscal 2024. Source
  • Net New business at 5.6%: Net New business equaled 5.6% of prior-year revenue, which management describes as unprecedented for the company. Source
  • Retention at 96.3% for year: Full-year client retention was 96.3%, with many lines of business and countries higher. The prior release had said retention currently exceeded 97% in both segments. Source

“Our teams are focused on driving performance, and we are already seeing success in leveraging enterprise-wide capabilities, starting operations for a record number of new clients”

John Zillmer, Aramark CEO

Costs, margins and incentive pay

  • Incentive pay added $25 million: Q4 included about $25 million, or 3%, of added incentive-based compensation tied to record net new business. It reduced Q4 adjusted EPS by $0.07. Source
  • Supply chain gains lifted profit: Profit growth reflected higher revenue, expanded supply chain capabilities and disciplined above-unit cost management. These gains more than offset the incentive pay. Source
  • Actions taken on medical expenses: Management says it has taken actions to decrease future medical expenses, specifically for certain elective lifestyle prescriptions. Source

Cash flow and leverage

  • Operating cash flow up 27%: Net cash from operations was $921 million, up 27%. Free cash flow was $454 million, up 41%, led by stronger operations and favorable working capital. Source
  • Q4 cash inflow from collegiate seasonality: Q4 operating cash flow was $1.18 billion and free cash flow was $1.05 billion. The inflow was driven by Collegiate Hospitality, consistent with historical seasonality. Source
  • Leverage ratio at 3.25x: Leverage fell to 3.25x at end-September 2025, from 3.41x a year earlier, the lowest in nearly 20 years. Management says it continues proactive actions to reduce the ratio further. Source
  • Over $2.4 billion cash availability: Year-end cash availability was over $2.4 billion, compared with over $1.4 billion at the third-quarter end. Source

Share repurchases and capital priorities

  • More than 4 million shares repurchased: Fiscal 2025 repurchases exceeded 4 million shares. Cash flow statement shows $140 million of stock repurchased in the year. Source
  • Buybacks continued after year-end: The company has repurchased shares in the market since fiscal year-end under a 10b5-1 plan. Source
  • Capital priorities unchanged: Priorities are investment in the business, leverage below 3.0x, a growing quarterly dividend, and stock repurchases using excess cash. Source

Pipeline and operating levers

  • Pipeline includes first-time outsourcing: Management describes the new business pipeline as significant across the organization, including first-time outsourcing. Source
  • Supply chain and cost are named levers: Management names differentiated supply chain capabilities and disciplined cost management as the main levers for accelerating profitability, building on scale. Source
  • Destinations reinvestment in Q4: Q4 reinvestment within Destinations covered property development, digital marketing optimization and other guest-experience enhancements. Source

Coming up, as management said on 17 November 2025

  • Largest medical-system contract starts: The largest FSS United States contract win ever is scheduled to begin operations early in the new fiscal year. Source
  • Dividend payment date set: The quarterly dividend is payable December 17, 2025, to holders of record at the close of business on December 5, 2025. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Inventory Source$418,766 thousand at October 3, 2025, up from $387,601 thousand at September 27, 2024

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Onboarding of large new clients shifted some new account openings later in Q4 as Aramark worked on transitions. Source
  • Demand: Most of the company's MLB teams in Sports & Entertainment fell out of playoff contention late in Q4. Source
  • Operational: Q4 medical prescription claims and new-business start-up costs were cited as expense pressure. Source
  • External: Currency translation reduced fiscal 2025 revenue by $70 million. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The prior release expected leverage around 3.0x by fiscal year-end 2025. This release does not state whether that expectation was met.
  • Not stated: The prior release said the company was on pace for the high end of its Net New target through three quarters. This release does not restate that status.
  • Not stated: Management says it takes delivering on commitments very seriously and is committed to its financial objectives. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.