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Performance Food Group Co.: Q1 FY2027 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2027, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales and gross profit grew: Net sales rose 5.5% to $18.0 billion on organic case growth, acquisitions and selling price per case from inflation. Gross profit rose 8.5% to $2.2 billion, helped by vendor rebates, promotional incentives and case mix. Source
  • Net income and EPS rose: Net income rose $35.9 million to $129.5 million, driven by higher gross profit and lower interest expense. Diluted EPS rose 36.7% to $0.82, and Adjusted Diluted EPS rose 11.9% to $1.32. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 10%: Adjusted EBITDA rose 10.0% to $528.0 million from $480.1 million. The company reconciles this non-GAAP measure to net income in its release. Source
  • Foodservice profit rose 13.4%: Foodservice net sales rose 5.0% to $9.6 billion. Segment Adjusted EBITDA rose 13.4% to $367.9 million, with gross profit up 10.7% and operating expenses up 9.7%. Source
  • Specialty profit fell 4.8%: Specialty net sales rose 10.3% to $1.4 billion on selling price per case and favorable channel mix. Segment Adjusted EBITDA fell 4.8% to $89.5 million as operating expenses rose 9.0%. Source
  • Free cash flow improved: Free cash flow was negative $143.2 million, against negative $224.1 million a year earlier. Net cash used in operating activities was $89.3 million, against $145.2 million, mainly from the timing of inventory purchases. Source

“Our team’s execution on several key efficiency initiatives improved our profitability, driving gross margin expansion and double-digit Adjusted EBITDA and EPS growth in the quarter.”

Scott McPherson, PFG’s President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales SourceSecond quarter of fiscal 2027approximately $17.0 billion to $17.2 billionNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceSecond quarter of fiscal 2027approximately $490 million to $510 millionNew
Net sales SourceFull fiscal year 2027approximately $72.5 billion to $73.0 billionKept
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull fiscal year 2027approximately $2.125 billion to $2.225 billionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Second-quarter net sales and Adjusted EBITDA ranges were given. The prior release gave ranges for the first quarter and full year only. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year net sales and Adjusted EBITDA ranges were continued with no change to either range. Source
  • New: Specialty revised its sales channel classifications. The former value channel is now presented as grocery retail, and theater, concessions and hospitality are combined within entertainment. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales and gross profit grew: Net sales rose 5.5% to $18.0 billion on organic case growth, acquisitions and selling price per case from inflation. Gross profit rose 8.5% to $2.2 billion, helped by vendor rebates, promotional incentives and case mix. Source
  • Net income and EPS rose: Net income rose $35.9 million to $129.5 million, driven by higher gross profit and lower interest expense. Diluted EPS rose 36.7% to $0.82, and Adjusted Diluted EPS rose 11.9% to $1.32. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 10%: Adjusted EBITDA rose 10.0% to $528.0 million from $480.1 million. The company reconciles this non-GAAP measure to net income in its release. Source

Segments and channels

  • Foodservice profit rose 13.4%: Foodservice net sales rose 5.0% to $9.6 billion. Segment Adjusted EBITDA rose 13.4% to $367.9 million, with gross profit up 10.7% and operating expenses up 9.7%. Source
  • Convenience sales rose on new chains: Convenience net sales rose 5.4% to $6.9 billion, driven by new chain customers and selling price per case. Segment Adjusted EBITDA rose 3.8% to $125.6 million. Source
  • Specialty profit fell 4.8%: Specialty net sales rose 10.3% to $1.4 billion on selling price per case and favorable channel mix. Segment Adjusted EBITDA fell 4.8% to $89.5 million as operating expenses rose 9.0%. Source

“We recognize the macroeconomic environment remains challenging, but I am confident in our ability to continue gaining market share”

Scott McPherson, PFG’s President and Chief Executive Officer

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Operating expenses rose 6.9%: Operating expenses rose 6.9% to $1.9 billion, mainly from acquisitions, personnel costs and higher fuel expense. Source
  • Insurance and professional fees fell: Lower professional fees and lower auto insurance and workers’ compensation expense partly offset the rise in operating expenses. Source
  • Product cost inflation about 3.4%: Overall product cost inflation was about 3.4%. The release attributes part of the net sales increase to selling price per case rising with inflation. Source
  • Tax rate rose: The effective tax rate was 25.2% against 23.0%, reflecting less deductible stock-based compensation and lower federal tax credits, partly offset by fewer non-deductible expenses. Source

Customers and product mix

  • Independent share of Foodservice rose: Independent customers reached 43.0% of Foodservice sales, up from 41.6% in the prior year period. Source
  • Performance Brands mix helped gross profit: The mix shifted toward more Performance Brands products sold to independent customers, which the company cites as a contributor to Foodservice gross profit growth. Source
  • Cigarette mix shift offset Convenience growth: Convenience net sales growth was partly offset by a shift in mix from cigarettes to alternative nicotine products. Source

Cash flow and capital spending

  • Free cash flow improved: Free cash flow was negative $143.2 million, against negative $224.1 million a year earlier. Net cash used in operating activities was $89.3 million, against $145.2 million, mainly from the timing of inventory purchases. Source
  • Capital spending declined: Capital expenditures were $53.9 million, down $25.0 million from the prior year period. Source
  • Repurchase capacity unchanged: $498.5 million remained available under the $500 million program, which expires May 27, 2029. The same amount was available at June 27, 2026. Source

Strategy and execution

  • Efficiency initiatives credited: Management attributed the profit gains to several key efficiency initiatives that improved profitability and drove gross margin expansion. Source
  • Independent business drove organic growth: New and expanded business with independent customers resulted in organic independent Foodservice case growth of 5.5%. Source
  • Macroeconomic environment called challenging: Management described the macroeconomic environment as challenging and said it is confident in continuing to gain share and execute its priorities. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 November 2026

  • 53rd week in fiscal 2027: The full-year fiscal 2027 guidance range includes the effect of a 53rd week. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total case volume growth Source4.2%
Total organic case volume growth Source2.5%
Total independent Foodservice case volume growth Source7.8%
Organic independent Foodservice case growth Source5.5%
Convenience cases sold growth Source4.1%
Specialty cases sold growth Source4.3%

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Fuel expense rose on higher fuel prices and miles from new business. The company cites fuel hedge gains as partly offsetting this. Source
  • Operational: Personnel costs rose on salaries, wages, commissions and benefits, adding to operating expenses. Source
  • Financial: Bad debt expense increased in Specialty, adding to its operating expenses. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management continued its full-year fiscal 2027 net sales and Adjusted EBITDA ranges from the prior release. Source
  • Not stated: The company referred to a conference call it had previously announced for the day of the release. 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.