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Sysco Corp.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter sales and profit rose: Sales rose 4.7% to $22.1 billion. Operating income rose 10.6% to $983 million, and adjusted operating income rose 4.1% to $1.1 billion. Diluted EPS was $1.15, up 4.5%; adjusted EPS was $1.53, up 3.4%. Source
  • U.S. Foodservice sales rose, margin fell: U.S. Foodservice sales rose 4.4% to $15.4 billion. Gross margin fell 26 basis points to 19.2%, and adjusted operating income rose 0.1% to $1.1 billion. Source
  • International profit grew for 11th quarter: International sales rose 6.7% to $4.2 billion, or 5.6% in constant currency. Adjusted operating income rose 15.7% to $228 million, marking the eleventh consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. Source
  • Local case volume led growth: U.S. Foodservice total case volume rose 2.5% in the quarter and local case volume rose 2.6%. For fiscal 2026 the rates were 1.4% and 1.7%. Source
  • Product cost inflation was 2.8%: Enterprise product cost inflation was 2.8% in the quarter, mainly meat and fresh produce, and 3.0% for fiscal 2026, mainly meat and seafood. Source
  • Incremental cost-out lifts FY27 savings: Management said the incremental cost-out efforts, combined with the Q3 update, are expected to deliver $100 million of net cost savings in fiscal 2027. Source
  • Operating cash flow and free cash flow rose: Fiscal 2026 cash flow from operations was $2.6 billion, up 5.1%, and free cash flow was $2.1 billion, up 16.3% from the prior year. Source

“We exceeded our previously communicated guidance for the quarter and the year, as our company specific initiatives drove tangible results across our business.”

Brandon Sewell, Sysco’s Interim Chief Financial Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Sales growth SourceFiscal year 2027 (53-week basis)6%-7%New
Adjusted EPS growth SourceFiscal year 2027 (53-week basis)9%-11%New
Cost savings SourceFiscal year 2027approximately $100 million
AI-related efficiencies SourceFiscal year 2027approximately $100 million

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fiscal 2027 guidance introduced: sales growth of 6%-7% and adjusted EPS growth of 9%-11%, both on a 53-week basis. Source
  • New: A multi-year AI-enabled business transformation program is described as advancing across the enterprise, not discussed in the prior release. Source
  • New: Incremental cost-out efforts were announced with the release, to be combined with the Q3 update for $100 million of FY27 net savings. Source

Fourth quarter and full-year results

  • Fourth-quarter sales and profit rose: Sales rose 4.7% to $22.1 billion. Operating income rose 10.6% to $983 million, and adjusted operating income rose 4.1% to $1.1 billion. Diluted EPS was $1.15, up 4.5%; adjusted EPS was $1.53, up 3.4%. Source
  • Full-year net earnings fell, adjusted rose: Net earnings fell 3.9% to $1.8 billion for fiscal 2026, while adjusted net earnings rose 1.4% to $2.2 billion. Full-year sales rose 3.9% to $84.6 billion. Source
  • Gross profit growth credited to local volume: Management attributed the quarter's 3.7% gross profit rise to U.S. local volume growth, Sysco Brand mix, sourcing efficiencies and inflation management. Source

Segment performance and regions

  • U.S. Foodservice sales rose, margin fell: U.S. Foodservice sales rose 4.4% to $15.4 billion. Gross margin fell 26 basis points to 19.2%, and adjusted operating income rose 0.1% to $1.1 billion. Source
  • International profit grew for 11th quarter: International sales rose 6.7% to $4.2 billion, or 5.6% in constant currency. Adjusted operating income rose 15.7% to $228 million, marking the eleventh consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. Source
  • Currency lifted reported International sales: Foreign exchange added $46 million to International sales and $47 million to total Sysco sales in the quarter, against constant-currency growth of 5.6%. Source
  • SYGMA sales and operating income rose: SYGMA sales rose 3.1% to $2.2 billion in the quarter, and its operating income rose 11.1% to $30 million. Source
  • Full-year International profit up 16.4%: For fiscal 2026, International sales rose 7.6% to $16.0 billion, or 4.1% in constant currency, and adjusted operating income rose 16.4% to $681 million. Source

“We have clear positive momentum in our business domestically and internationally.”

Kevin Hourican, Sysco’s Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

Volume, customers and product mix

  • Local case volume led growth: U.S. Foodservice total case volume rose 2.5% in the quarter and local case volume rose 2.6%. For fiscal 2026 the rates were 1.4% and 1.7%. Source
  • Positive case growth across customer types: Management said case growth was positive across local and national customers, with Sysco Brand penetration improving in the local business. Source
  • Sysco Brand share of local cases rose: Sysco Brand made up 46.4% of local cases in the quarter, up 30 basis points, and 35.5% of U.S. broadline cases, down 4 basis points. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Product cost inflation was 2.8%: Enterprise product cost inflation was 2.8% in the quarter, mainly meat and fresh produce, and 3.0% for fiscal 2026, mainly meat and seafood. Source
  • Operating expenses rose on investments: Quarterly operating expenses rose 1.7%, or 3.6% adjusted, on acquisition costs, sales headcount and capacity investments, partly offset by cost-out. Full-year adjusted operating expenses rose 5.1%. Source
  • Incentive pay added $0.16 to full-year EPS: Fiscal 2026 incentive compensation was $100 million, a $0.16 impact on EPS. The fourth quarter included $11 million of higher incentive costs, a $0.01 impact. Source
  • Gross margin edged down in quarter: Gross margin was 18.7% in the quarter, down 17 basis points, and 18.5% for the year, up 10 basis points. Adjusted operating margin was 5.2%, down 3 basis points. Source

“These efforts will improve how we serve our customers and expand our operating margins.”

Kevin Hourican, Sysco’s Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

Fiscal 2027 guidance and cost programs

  • Management expects continued momentum in FY27: Management said it expects positive momentum to continue in fiscal 2027, with guidance set on a 53-week basis. Source
  • AI program targets process workflows: The multi-year AI-enabled program covers inventory management and forecasting, coding, routing optimization and back-office automation, alongside earlier cost-out actions. Source
  • Incremental cost-out lifts FY27 savings: Management said the incremental cost-out efforts, combined with the Q3 update, are expected to deliver $100 million of net cost savings in fiscal 2027. Source

Cash, balance sheet and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow and free cash flow rose: Fiscal 2026 cash flow from operations was $2.6 billion, up 5.1%, and free cash flow was $2.1 billion, up 16.3% from the prior year. Source
  • Returned $1.2 billion to shareholders: Dividends totaled $1.0 billion and share repurchases $200 million for fiscal 2026. Prior-year repurchases were $1.25 billion, per the cash flow statement. Source
  • Leverage and liquidity figures reported: Cash was $1.8 billion and total liquidity $4.8 billion. Debt to net earnings was about 7.7 times, and net debt to adjusted EBITDA about 2.7 times. Source
  • Capital spending net of disposals: Net capital expenditures for fiscal 2026 were $524 million, after proceeds from sales of plant and equipment. Source

Pending Jetro deal and footprint

  • Jetro bridge and rate lock costs excluded: Fiscal 2026 GAAP results carry a bridge loan amortization charge and a rate lock loss tied to the planned Jetro acquisition; adjusted measures remove both. Source
  • Target described in prior release: The prior release described Jetro Restaurant Depot's network and customer base, and said the agreement was announced March 30, 2026.
  • Distribution and customer counts changed: The About Sysco paragraph gives 333 distribution centers and about 670,000 customer locations; the prior release gave 337 and about 730,000. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 August 2026

  • AI and cost-out benefits expected in FY27: Management expects the AI initiatives and earlier cost-out efforts to deliver bottom-line benefits in fiscal 2027. Source
  • Jetro closing targeted for fiscal Q3 2027: The prior release said the Jetro transaction is expected to close by the third quarter of fiscal 2027, subject to customary closing conditions.

Figures management reported

FigureReported
U.S. Foodservice total case volume, Q4 Source+2.5%
U.S. Foodservice local case volume, Q4 Source+2.6%
U.S. Foodservice total case volume, fiscal 2026 Source+1.4%
U.S. Foodservice local case volume, fiscal 2026 Source+1.7%
International local volume, Q4 Source+4.5%
Sysco Brand share of U.S. local cases, Q4 Source46.4%
Distribution centers Source333
Customer locations Sourceapproximately 670,000

Risks management discussed

  • External: Product cost inflation was concentrated in meat and fresh produce for the quarter, a cost pressure the release discusses. Source
  • Financial: The release says a $54 million rate lock loss sits in other expense, from hedging interest rates on possible future permanent debt for Jetro. Source
  • Regulatory: The prior release said the Jetro transaction remains subject to regulatory review and is expected to close by the third quarter of fiscal 2027.

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: The prior release expected adjusted EPS at the high end of $4.50 to $4.60. The release reports $4.61 and says guidance was exceeded.
  • Not stated: The prior release expected local volume growth over 2.5% in Q4. The release reports 2.6% local case volume growth and does not state whether the commitment was met.

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.