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Performance Food Group Co.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 12 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Quarter net sales rose 6.4%: Net sales rose 6.4% to $18.0 billion, with higher selling prices from inflation, more organic cases and acquisitions. Source
  • Quarter Adjusted EBITDA rose 7.4%: Adjusted EBITDA rose 7.4% to $587.5 million in the quarter and 9.2% to $1,929.4 million for fiscal 2026. Adjusted Diluted EPS was $1.59 in the quarter, up 2.6%. Source
  • Independent growth led volume: Business with independent customers, both new and expanded, drove organic independent case growth in the fourth quarter. Source
  • First-quarter fiscal 2027 ranges: First-quarter fiscal 2027 net sales are expected at $17.9 billion to $18.1 billion, and Adjusted EBITDA at $510 million to $530 million. Source
  • Full-year fiscal 2027 ranges: Full-year fiscal 2027 net sales are expected at $72.5 billion to $73 billion, and Adjusted EBITDA at $2.125 billion to $2.225 billion. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $1.03B: Fiscal 2026 operating cash flow was $1,413.7 million, up from $1,210.1 million. Free cash flow was $1,029.6 million, up from $704.1 million. Source

“Our solid execution throughout the year produced a strong finish to fiscal 2026”

Scott McPherson, PFG’s President & Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales Sourcefirst quarter of fiscal 2027$17.9 billion to $18.1 billionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefirst quarter of fiscal 2027$510 million to $530 millionNew
Net sales Sourcefull fiscal year 2027$72.5 billion to $73 billionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull fiscal year 2027$2.125 billion to $2.225 billionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fiscal 2027 net sales and Adjusted EBITDA ranges were given for the full year, along with first-quarter fiscal 2027 ranges. Source
  • New: The fiscal 2027 full-year guidance range includes the effect of a 53rd week. Source
  • Ended: The fiscal 2026 guidance ranges from the prior release are replaced by reported full-year fiscal 2026 results.

Fourth-quarter and full-year results

  • Quarter net sales rose 6.4%: Net sales rose 6.4% to $18.0 billion, with higher selling prices from inflation, more organic cases and acquisitions. Source
  • Net income and EPS rose: Net income rose $30.8 million to $162.3 million, and diluted EPS was $1.03, up 22.6%. Gross profit growth was partly offset by higher operating expenses and income tax expense. Source
  • Quarter Adjusted EBITDA rose 7.4%: Adjusted EBITDA rose 7.4% to $587.5 million in the quarter and 9.2% to $1,929.4 million for fiscal 2026. Adjusted Diluted EPS was $1.59 in the quarter, up 2.6%. Source
  • Full-year sales and volume rose: Net sales for fiscal 2026 rose 7.2% to $67.8 billion, and total case volume rose 5.1%, on organic cases, acquisitions and higher selling prices. Source

Segment results

  • Foodservice sales rose 6.8%: Foodservice net sales rose 6.8% to $9.8 billion, with acquisitions, selling prices and organic volume. Segment Adjusted EBITDA rose 2.2% to $395.5 million. Source
  • Convenience profit rose 10.4%: Convenience Adjusted EBITDA rose 10.4% to $132.5 million, as gross profit growth outpaced the rise in operating expenses. Source
  • Cigarette shift offset convenience sales: Convenience net sales rose 5.7% to $6.8 billion from new chain customers and selling prices, partly offset by a shift from cigarettes to alternative nicotine products. Source
  • Specialty profit slipped slightly: Specialty net sales rose 6.6% to $1.3 billion, but Segment Adjusted EBITDA fell 0.5% to $92.7 million on higher operating expenses. Source

“Consistent market share gains across our business units translated into strong revenue growth and record-setting”

Scott McPherson, PFG’s President & Chief Executive Officer

Independent customers and products

  • Independent growth led volume: Business with independent customers, both new and expanded, drove organic independent case growth in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Performance Brands lifted independent mix: Foodservice gross profit contributing to Adjusted EBITDA rose 7.8%, on a favorable mix shift toward Performance Brands products, acquisitions and case growth. Source
  • Independent share of Foodservice sales: Independent sales were 43.1% of total Foodservice sales in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Chain volume helped full-year organic: Full-year organic case volume rose 2.8%, with organic independent cases up 5.9% and growth in cases sold to Foodservice’s chain business. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross profit grew on mix: Gross profit rose 8.3% to $2.2 billion, mainly from case growth and mix, including independent customers, acquisitions and vendor rebates. Source
  • Operating expenses rose 6.4%: Operating expenses rose 6.4% to $1.8 billion, driven by acquisitions, higher fuel prices and miles, and personnel costs. Source
  • Personnel and fuel costs rose: Personnel expense rose on wages and commissions, and fuel expense rose on higher prices and more miles from new business. Source
  • Product cost inflation at 4.7%: Overall product cost inflation was about 4.7% in the fourth quarter. Source

“We enter fiscal 2027 with significant momentum, reflected in the outlook we are providing today.”

Scott McPherson, PFG’s President & Chief Executive Officer

Fiscal 2027 guidance

  • First-quarter fiscal 2027 ranges: First-quarter fiscal 2027 net sales are expected at $17.9 billion to $18.1 billion, and Adjusted EBITDA at $510 million to $530 million. Source
  • Full-year fiscal 2027 ranges: Full-year fiscal 2027 net sales are expected at $72.5 billion to $73 billion, and Adjusted EBITDA at $2.125 billion to $2.225 billion. Source
  • Fiscal 2027 includes 53rd week: The full-year fiscal 2027 range includes the effect of a 53rd week. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA excludes certain items: Adjusted EBITDA guidance excludes certain income and expense items, such as debt extinguishment losses and restructuring charges. No GAAP reconciliation is given for it. Source

Cash flow and capital

  • Free cash flow rose to $1.03B: Fiscal 2026 operating cash flow was $1,413.7 million, up from $1,210.1 million. Free cash flow was $1,029.6 million, up from $704.1 million. Source
  • Capital spending fell: Capital expenditures were $384.1 million in fiscal 2026, down $121.9 million from the prior year. Source
  • Inventory buys offset operating cash: Operating cash flow was partly offset by advanced inventory purchases made to take advantage of preferred pricing. Income tax refunds were $52.3 million. Source
  • Small buyback; $498.5 million left: The company repurchased less than 0.1 million shares in the quarter for $0.3 million and had $498.5 million remaining under its program. Source

Acquisitions, activism and company profile

  • Acquisitions added operating costs: Acquisitions, including Cheney Brothers, added operating expenses in fiscal 2026. Acquisition, integration and reorganization expenses were $40.0 million for the year. Source
  • Activism and clean team fees: Fiscal 2026 included $20.2 million of legal and professional fees tied to shareholder activism and a clean team agreement with US Foods Holding Corp. Source
  • Associate headcount described: The company describes over 44,000 associates, compared with approximately 43,000 in the prior release. Source
  • Location count described: The company says it serves over 350,000 locations from more than 150 locations, up from over 300,000 in the prior release. Source

Coming up, as management said on 12 August 2026

  • First-quarter fiscal 2027 ranges: The company expects first-quarter fiscal 2027 net sales of $17.9 billion to $18.1 billion and Adjusted EBITDA of $510 million to $530 million. Source
  • Fiscal 2027 includes 53rd week: Full-year fiscal 2027 guidance ranges include a 53rd week. Source
  • Repurchase program expires 2029: The share repurchase program may be amended, suspended or discontinued at any time, and its expiration date is May 27, 2029. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total case volume growth, fourth quarter fiscal 2026 Source3.5%
Total independent Foodservice case growth, fourth quarter Source8.0%
Organic independent case growth, fourth quarter Source5.8%
Total case volume growth, fiscal 2026 Source5.1%
Total independent case growth, fiscal 2026 Source10.2%
Convenience cases sold growth, fourth quarter Source3.9%
Specialty cases sold growth, fourth quarter Source0.8%
Independent share of Foodservice sales, fourth quarter Source43.1%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: A shift from cigarettes to alternative nicotine products offset part of Convenience sales growth. Source
  • External: Fuel expense rose with higher fuel prices and more miles from new business, adding to operating expenses. Source
  • Operational: Insurance expense rose on auto insurance and workers’ compensation, adding to operating expenses for the year. Source
  • External: Legal and professional fees were incurred for shareholder activism and a clean team agreement with US Foods Holding Corp. Source
  • Operational: Personnel expenses rose on wages and commissions, adding to operating costs in the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: In the prior release, management said it expected third-quarter momentum to continue into 2027.
  • Not stated: The results conference call was announced earlier and was scheduled for August 12, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern. 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.