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HF Foods Group Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 16 March 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year revenue rose 2.2%: Net revenue was $1,228.3 million for 2025, up $26.6 million or 2.2% from $1,201.7 million in 2024. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 6.9%: Adjusted EBITDA reached $45.0 million for 2025 against $42.0 million, a 6.9% increase. The release ties the change to items listed in its Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation. Source
  • Q4 Adjusted EBITDA fell 33.7%: Fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA was $9.6 million against $14.5 million. The release attributes the change to items in its Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation. Source
  • Goodwill impairment left none remaining: The 2025 goodwill impairment charge was $38.8 million, against $46.3 million in 2024, and no goodwill remains on the balance sheet. Source
  • Q4 gross margin fell to 16.6%: Fourth-quarter gross profit was $51.1 million against $52.2 million, a 16.6% margin against 17.1%. The release attributes the decrease mainly to higher costs. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose to $25.5M: Operating cash flow was $25.5 million for 2025, up from $22.6 million, which the release attributes to higher non-cash add-backs, partly offset by working-capital timing. Source
  • Facility work targets cross-selling: Facility initiatives in Atlanta, Charlotte and Chicago are described as the route to cross-selling in high-growth markets; the release gives no dates or amounts. Source

“In 2025, we made meaningful progress on our comprehensive transformation plan, delivering solid sales and Adjusted EBITDA growth”

Felix Lin, President and Chief Executive Officer of HF Foods

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Goodwill of $38.8 million was carried at September 30, 2025; the December 31, 2025 balance is nil after the impairment.
  • New: The release lists call-center consolidation and full ERP implementation as 2025 milestones; the prior release did not mention them. Source
  • New: M&A wording moved from evaluating acquisitions to expand the geographic footprint to selectively pursuing M&A that strengthens competitive position.

Full-year 2025 results

  • Full-year revenue rose 2.2%: Net revenue was $1,228.3 million for 2025, up $26.6 million or 2.2% from $1,201.7 million in 2024. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 6.9%: Adjusted EBITDA reached $45.0 million for 2025 against $42.0 million, a 6.9% increase. The release ties the change to items listed in its Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation. Source
  • GAAP net loss narrowed: Net loss was $39.3 million for 2025 against $48.1 million. Management cited a $6.1 million improvement in loss from operations and a $7.9 million favorable income tax change, partly offset by the absence of a $5.5 million 2024 gain. Source
  • Adjusted EPS $0.32 for year: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.32 for 2025 against $0.26, and adjusted net income rose 20.9% to $16.9 million. GAAP diluted loss per share was $0.73 against $0.92. Source

Fourth-quarter 2025 results

  • Q4 revenue rose 0.9%: Fourth-quarter net revenue was $308.0 million, up $2.7 million or 0.9% from $305.3 million a year earlier. Source
  • Q4 Adjusted EBITDA fell 33.7%: Fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA was $9.6 million against $14.5 million. The release attributes the change to items in its Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation. Source
  • Q4 net loss narrowed: Fourth-quarter net loss was $37.4 million against $43.9 million, helped by a $6.6 million favorable income tax change and a lower goodwill impairment charge. Source
  • Q4 adjusted EPS $0.05: Fourth-quarter non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.05 against $0.11 a year earlier, on 53.5 million non-GAAP diluted shares. Source

“we are excited about the opportunity ahead of us, and confident in our ability to deliver long-term value for our shareholders.”

Felix Lin, President and Chief Executive Officer of HF Foods

Product categories and volumes

  • Seafood and Meat & Poultry drove 2025 growth: For 2025 the release credits volume growth and pricing improvement in Seafood and Meat & Poultry, plus Commodity volume growth, partly offset by lower volumes in other categories. Source
  • Fourth-quarter Seafood pricing and Commodity volume: In the fourth quarter, pricing and volume growth in Seafood and volume growth in Commodity were partly offset by lower volumes in other categories. Source
  • Third-quarter growth in Meat and Seafood: The prior-year release credited third-quarter revenue growth of 2.9% to higher volumes and better pricing in Meat & Poultry and Seafood.
  • Customers are Asian restaurants: The company describes its customers as primarily Asian restaurants and other foodservice customers across the United States. Source

Costs and expenses

  • Full-year selling costs rose 1.9%: Distribution, selling and administrative expenses rose $3.7 million for 2025, mainly on depreciation, occupancy, auto and truck, insurance and transformation costs, partly offset by lower professional fees. Source
  • Q4 selling costs rose to 16.8%: Fourth-quarter distribution, selling and administrative expenses rose $3.6 million or 7.5%, mainly on insurance, occupancy, depreciation and non-recurring transformation expenses. Source
  • Goodwill impairment left none remaining: The 2025 goodwill impairment charge was $38.8 million, against $46.3 million in 2024, and no goodwill remains on the balance sheet. Source
  • Depreciation and amortization rose: Depreciation and amortization was $28.4 million for 2025 against $26.7 million, an increase of $1.7 million. Source
  • Swap fair value turned to expense: The change in fair value of interest rate swap contracts was a $1.9 million expense in 2025, against a $1.7 million gain in 2024. Source

“selectively pursuing M&A opportunities that strengthen our unmatched competitive position as a leading distributor in the growing Asian specialty food category.”

Felix Lin, President and Chief Executive Officer of HF Foods

Margins and pricing

  • Full-year gross margin slipped: Gross profit was $207.6 million against $205.2 million, and gross margin was 16.9% against 17.1%. The release ties the gross profit increase to higher net revenue, partly offset by higher costs. Source
  • Q4 gross margin fell to 16.6%: Fourth-quarter gross profit was $51.1 million against $52.2 million, a 16.6% margin against 17.1%. The release attributes the decrease mainly to higher costs. Source
  • Q3 margin hit by Seafood mix: The prior release reported third-quarter margin of 16.4% against 16.8%, attributed to a higher share of sales from lower-margin products, particularly Seafood.
  • Full-year selling cost ratio steady: Distribution, selling and administrative expenses were 16.4% of net revenue in 2025 against 16.5%, which the release describes as relatively consistent. Source

Cash flow and liquidity

  • Operating cash flow rose to $25.5M: Operating cash flow was $25.5 million for 2025, up from $22.6 million, which the release attributes to higher non-cash add-backs, partly offset by working-capital timing. Source
  • Year-end cash and line availability: Cash was $8.6 million at year-end, down from $14.5 million; checks issued not presented were $1.7 million, and about $61.2 million was available under the $125.0 million line. Source
  • Line of credit balance eased: The line of credit balance was $55.8 million at year-end against $57.5 million, while accounts receivable rose to $66.2 million and inventories to $106.6 million. Source

Capital spending and shareholder returns

  • Capital spending increased: Purchases of property and equipment were $18.9 million in 2025 against $12.5 million, and purchases of intangible assets were $1.7 million. Source
  • No cash distribution in 2025: No cash distribution to shareholders was paid in 2025, compared with $0.5 million in 2024. Source
  • Debt repayments and new borrowing: Repayments of long-term debt were $6.9 million and debt issuance proceeds were $4.2 million, against $6.3 million of finance-lease repayments. Source

Strategy and transformation

  • Facility work targets cross-selling: Facility initiatives in Atlanta, Charlotte and Chicago are described as the route to cross-selling in high-growth markets; the release gives no dates or amounts. Source
  • Transformation costs rose to $3.6M: Business transformation costs were $3.6 million for 2025 against $1.2 million, per the non-GAAP footnote covering supply chain, technology and related strategic projects. Source
  • Growth through network and cross-selling: Management names organic growth through network optimization and cross-selling as a focus, alongside operational efficiency. Source

Leadership and executive transition

  • Felix Lin leads the company: The release names Felix Lin as President and Chief Executive Officer and quotes him on the year's results. Source
  • Executive transition costs $3.0M: Executive transition and organizational redesign costs were $3.0 million for 2025, against $2.9 million in 2024; the fourth quarter carried $0.6 million. Source
  • Severance covers officer transition: The non-GAAP footnote describes these costs as severance and related expenses for the transition of executive officers and organizational redesign. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management says the broader foodservice industry faced headwinds in 2025, even as sales and Adjusted EBITDA grew. Source
  • External: Inventory was bought ahead of potential tariff increases, which absorbed working capital during 2025. Source
  • Operational: Fourth-quarter gross profit fell because of higher costs, partly offset by higher net revenue. Source
  • Financial: Funds available under the line of credit depend on a borrowing base calculation. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management says the transformation foundation is now largely in place, without a dated target or a stated status against a plan. 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.