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Performance Food Group Co.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 lowered, 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 5.2 percent: Net sales rose 5.2% to $16.4 billion, driven by more cases sold, including a favorable mix shift, and by higher selling prices from inflation. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 6.7 percent: Adjusted EBITDA rose 6.7% to $451.2 million. Total segment Adjusted EBITDA rose 5.7% to $514.0 million, with Corporate & All Other at $62.8 million of cost. Source
  • Foodservice sales and profit grew: Foodservice net sales rose 5.1% to $8.8 billion on case growth in its independent and chain business and higher selling prices. Foodservice Adjusted EBITDA rose 2.5% to $292.1 million; its gross profit rose 6.5%. Source
  • Convenience profit grew on chain customers: Convenience net sales rose 6.1% to $6.3 billion on new chain customers, a recent acquisition and higher prices. Adjusted EBITDA rose 13.4% to $121.7 million, with gross profit helped by inventory holding gains. Source
  • Operating cash flow reached $456.0 million: Six-month operating cash flow was $456.0 million, up from $379.0 million, helped by higher cash-based operating income. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $263.7 million: First-six-months free cash flow was $263.7 million, against $175.1 million. Capital expenditures were $192.3 million, $11.6 million lower than a year earlier. Source
  • New chief executive named in release: This release names Scott McPherson as President & Chief Executive Officer. The prior release named George Holm as Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. Source

“Solid second quarter results positioned the organization well for the remainder of the fiscal year,”

Scott McPherson, PFG’s President & Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales SourceThird quarter of fiscal 2026$16.0 billion to $16.3 billionNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceThird quarter of fiscal 2026$390 million to $410 millionNew
Net sales SourceFull fiscal year 2026$67.25 billion to $68.25 billionLowered from $67.5 billion to $68.5 billion
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull fiscal year 2026$1.875 billion to $1.975 billionLowered from $1.9 billion to $2.0 billion

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year net sales range reduced by $250 million at each end. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA range reduced by $25 million at each end. Source
  • New guidance: Third-quarter net sales and Adjusted EBITDA ranges were given for the first time in this release. Source
  • New: Chief executive is named as Scott McPherson, President & CEO; the prior release named George Holm as Chairman & CEO. Source
  • New: The company description adds direct-to-consumer customers, which the prior release did not list. Source

Second-quarter and six-month results

  • Net sales rose 5.2 percent: Net sales rose 5.2% to $16.4 billion, driven by more cases sold, including a favorable mix shift, and by higher selling prices from inflation. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 6.7 percent: Adjusted EBITDA rose 6.7% to $451.2 million. Total segment Adjusted EBITDA rose 5.7% to $514.0 million, with Corporate & All Other at $62.8 million of cost. Source
  • Net income and EPS both rose: Net income rose $19.3 million to $61.7 million. Diluted EPS rose 44.4% to $0.39, while adjusted diluted EPS was flat at $0.98 against the prior year. Source
  • Six-month sales rose 7.9 percent: First-six-months net sales rose 7.9% to $33.5 billion. Gross profit rose 10.9% to $4.0 billion and operating expenses rose 10.9% to $3.6 billion over the same period. Source
  • Six-month profit and EPS up: First-six-months Adjusted EBITDA rose 11.5% to $931.3 million. Diluted EPS rose 3.1% to $0.99, and adjusted diluted EPS rose 1.4% to $2.16. Source

Segment results

  • Foodservice sales and profit grew: Foodservice net sales rose 5.1% to $8.8 billion on case growth in its independent and chain business and higher selling prices. Foodservice Adjusted EBITDA rose 2.5% to $292.1 million; its gross profit rose 6.5%. Source
  • Convenience profit grew on chain customers: Convenience net sales rose 6.1% to $6.3 billion on new chain customers, a recent acquisition and higher prices. Adjusted EBITDA rose 13.4% to $121.7 million, with gross profit helped by inventory holding gains. Source
  • Specialty sales edged up: Specialty net sales rose 1.5% to $1.3 billion, with Adjusted EBITDA up 6.7% to $100.2 million. Gross profit rose 3.4%, helped by channel mix, procurement pricing and inventory holding gains. Source

“Even amid a challenging consumer environment and deflation in key foodservice categories, we achieved solid revenue and profit growth underscoring the resilience of our business.”

Scott McPherson, PFG’s President & Chief Executive Officer

Case volume and customer mix

  • Total case volume rose 3.4 percent: Total case volume rose 3.4%, and organic case volume rose 2.8%. Management cited Performance Brands cases and growth in cases sold to the chain business within organic growth. Source
  • Independent case growth led Foodservice: Total independent Foodservice cases rose 6.7% and organic independent cases rose 5.3%. Independent sales were 44.4% of Foodservice sales, versus 41.6% in the first quarter. Source
  • Convenience gained new chain customers: Convenience cases sold rose 6.8%, with organic growth of 6.3% from securing new chain customers. Source
  • Specialty cases fell on theater: Specialty cases fell 1.3%, as growth in vending, retail, office coffee service and campus channels was more than offset by declines in theater. Source
  • Six-month total case volume rose: First-six-months total case volume rose 6.4%. Total independent Foodservice cases rose 13.0% and organic independent cases rose 5.8% over the same period. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Operating expenses rose 6.4 percent: Operating expenses rose 6.4% to $1.8 billion, driven by personnel costs for salaries, commissions and benefits, and by higher depreciation on transportation equipment under finance leases. Source
  • Gross profit rose on procurement: Gross profit rose 7.6% to $2.0 billion, mainly from cost of goods sold optimization through procurement efficiencies and a favorable mix of cases, including growth in the independent channel. Source
  • Product cost inflation near 4.5 percent: Overall product cost inflation was about 4.5% for the second quarter. The prior release reported about 4.4% for the first quarter. Source
  • Tax and interest raised costs: The effective tax rate was 28.8% versus 25.2%, reflecting fewer deductible stock-compensation items and higher foreign taxes, partly offset by tax credits. Interest expense was $104.5 million, up from $100.2 million. Source
  • Foodservice operating costs climbed: Foodservice operating expenses rose 7.8% on personnel costs, higher auto and workers' compensation insurance, professional fees and fuel prices. Source
  • Convenience LIFO reserve increased: The LIFO inventory reserve rose $28.1 million for Convenience in the second quarter, against a $17.9 million increase a year earlier. The change is added back to reach Adjusted EBITDA. Source

“Looking ahead, we are well positioned to continue driving growth, executing with discipline and creating value.”

Scott McPherson, PFG’s President & Chief Executive Officer

Cash flow and share repurchases

  • Operating cash flow reached $456.0 million: Six-month operating cash flow was $456.0 million, up from $379.0 million, helped by higher cash-based operating income. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $263.7 million: First-six-months free cash flow was $263.7 million, against $175.1 million. Capital expenditures were $192.3 million, $11.6 million lower than a year earlier. Source
  • Inventory rose on advance buying: Management said advanced inventory purchases to take advantage of preferred pricing partly offset operating cash flow. Inventories were $4,253.3 million, against $3,887.7 million at June 28, 2025. Source
  • Repurchase authority left $500 million: $500 million remained available under the May 2025 program, which replaced a $300 million program. The cash flow statement shows no repurchases of common stock in the first six months, against $33.6 million a year earlier. Source

Strategy and corporate matters

  • Cheney Brothers drove first-half sales: Management attributed six-month net sales growth primarily to recent acquisitions, including the Cheney Brothers acquisition, along with more cases sold and higher selling prices. Source
  • Clean team and activism fees: Legal and professional fees for the clean team agreement with US Foods Holding Corp. were $10.2 million in the second quarter. Fees for activism and that agreement totaled $20.1 million in the six months. Source
  • Customer description adds consumers: The company description in this release adds direct-to-consumer customers, which the prior release did not list. Source

Guidance and its basis

  • Third-quarter ranges given first time: Management gave third-quarter net sales and Adjusted EBITDA ranges in this release. The prior release gave ranges only for the second quarter. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA excludes certain items: Adjusted EBITDA guidance excludes items such as debt extinguishment losses, restructuring, certain tax items and acquisition-related fees. Management cannot estimate their impact on a forward basis. Source

People and leadership

  • New chief executive named in release: This release names Scott McPherson as President & Chief Executive Officer. The prior release named George Holm as Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. Source
  • CEO proud to lead organization: The chief executive said he is proud to lead the organization as it builds on its continued success. Source
  • About 43,000 associates: The company describes itself as having about 43,000 associates and more than 150 locations. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 February 2026

  • Repurchase program runs to 2029: The share repurchase program expires May 27, 2029 and may be amended, suspended or discontinued at any time at the company's discretion. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total case volume Source+3.4% second quarter; +6.4% first six months
Total independent Foodservice case volume Source+6.7% second quarter; +13.0% first six months
Organic independent Foodservice case volume Source+5.3% second quarter; +5.8% first six months
Convenience cases sold Source+6.8% second quarter
Specialty cases sold Source-1.3% second quarter
Independent sales as percentage of Foodservice sales Source44.4% second quarter

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cited a challenging consumer environment and deflation in key foodservice categories as conditions for the quarter. Source
  • External: Higher fuel prices raised Foodservice operating expenses in the quarter. Source
  • Operational: Auto and workers' compensation insurance costs raised Foodservice operating expenses. Source
  • Demand: Specialty theater sales declined and partly offset growth in other channels. Source
  • Financial: Interest expense and income taxes reduced the net income gain in the quarter. Source
  • Financial: Legal and professional fees tied to shareholder activism and the US Foods clean team agreement added costs. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said its confidence in the strategy and long-term trajectory is unchanged, even though the 2026 ranges were refined. 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.