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US Foods Holding Corp.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 12 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fiscal 2025 sales, EBITDA and EPS rose: Fiscal 2025 net sales rose 4.1% to $39.4 billion, Adjusted EBITDA rose 11.0% to $1.93 billion, and Adjusted Diluted EPS rose 26.3% to $3.98. Diluted EPS was $2.94. Source
  • Independent and healthcare volume grew: Fiscal 2025 total case volume rose 1.0%. Independent restaurant volume rose 3.3%, healthcare rose 4.4% and hospitality rose 2.9%. Source
  • Gross profit rose 5.1% for the year: Fiscal 2025 gross profit was $6.9 billion, a gross margin of 17.4% and an adjusted gross margin of 17.6%. Management cited case volume, cost of goods sold and inventory management. Source
  • Net sales growth guided at 4% to 6%: Management guided fiscal 2026 net sales growth of 4% to 6%. The January release had reaffirmed fiscal 2025 guidance only. Source
  • Adjusted Diluted EPS growth guided at 18% to 24%: Adjusted Diluted EPS growth of 18% to 24% is guided for fiscal 2026, compared with 26.3% growth reported for fiscal 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose $195 million: Cash flow from operations was $1.37 billion for fiscal 2025, up $195 million, reflecting higher net income and lower tax payments. Source
  • Buybacks totaled $934 million for the year: Fiscal 2025 repurchases were 11.9 million shares for $934 million, including 4.2 million shares for $327 million in the fourth quarter. Source

“We grew Adjusted EBITDA 11% to a record $1.9 billion, expanded Adjusted EBITDA margin by 30 basis points to 4.9%, and increased Adjusted Diluted EPS 26% to a record $3.98”

Dave Flitman, CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales growth Sourcefiscal 20264% to 6%New
Adjusted EBITDA growth Sourcefiscal 20269% to 13%New
Adjusted Diluted EPS growth Sourcefiscal 202618% to 24%New
53rd week effect on growth Sourcefiscal 2026approximately 1%New
Cumulative operating cash flow Source2025 to 2027more than $4 billionNew
Adjusted Diluted EPS growth beyond 2027 Sourcebeyond 2027double-digitNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fiscal 2026 guidance for net sales, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS growth was given in this release; the January release covered fiscal 2025 only. Source
  • New: Shetakis, an independent food distributor in Las Vegas, was acquired, with the deal funded from cash on hand and closed November 24, 2025. Source
  • New: A share repurchase program of $1 billion was approved by the Board of Directors on November 24, 2025. Source

Full-year results and growth

  • Fiscal 2025 sales, EBITDA and EPS rose: Fiscal 2025 net sales rose 4.1% to $39.4 billion, Adjusted EBITDA rose 11.0% to $1.93 billion, and Adjusted Diluted EPS rose 26.3% to $3.98. Diluted EPS was $2.94. Source
  • Fourth-quarter sales and EBITDA rose: Fourth-quarter net sales rose 3.3% to $9.8 billion and Adjusted EBITDA rose 11.1% to $490 million. Diluted EPS was $0.82, against $0.28 a year earlier. Source
  • Net income rose 36.8% for the year: GAAP net income was $676 million, up $182 million, with net income margin at 1.7%. Fiscal 2024 included a $124 million pension settlement charge that did not recur. Source

Case volume by customer type

  • Independent and healthcare volume grew: Fiscal 2025 total case volume rose 1.0%. Independent restaurant volume rose 3.3%, healthcare rose 4.4% and hospitality rose 2.9%. Source
  • Organic volume growth reported separately: Organic total case volume rose 0.4% for fiscal 2025 and 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Organic independent restaurant volume rose 2.7% for the year and 3.7% in the quarter. Source
  • Fourth-quarter volume rose 0.8%: Fourth-quarter total case volume rose 0.8%, with independent restaurant volume up 4.1%, healthcare up 2.9% and hospitality up 3.1%. Source
  • Chain volume declined: Chain volume fell 3.5% for fiscal 2025 and 3.4% in the fourth quarter, partly offsetting growth in other customer types. Source

“Our fourth quarter performance capped off a very good year, demonstrating the strength and resilience of our business model”

Dirk Locascio, CFO

Costs, margins and productivity

  • Gross profit rose 5.1% for the year: Fiscal 2025 gross profit was $6.9 billion, a gross margin of 17.4% and an adjusted gross margin of 17.6%. Management cited case volume, cost of goods sold and inventory management. Source
  • Adjusted operating expenses rose 3.2%: Adjusted operating expenses were $5.0 billion, or 12.7% of net sales. Management cited distribution productivity improvement and streamlined administrative processes as partial offsets. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 4.9% for fiscal 2025, up 30 basis points, and 5.0% in the fourth quarter, up 35 basis points. Source

Fiscal 2026 guidance

  • Net sales growth guided at 4% to 6%: Management guided fiscal 2026 net sales growth of 4% to 6%. The January release had reaffirmed fiscal 2025 guidance only. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA growth guided at 9% to 13%: Adjusted EBITDA growth of 9% to 13% is guided for fiscal 2026, and the guidance includes the 53rd week. Source
  • Adjusted Diluted EPS growth guided at 18% to 24%: Adjusted Diluted EPS growth of 18% to 24% is guided for fiscal 2026, compared with 26.3% growth reported for fiscal 2025. Source

“We are excited about our recently announced $1 billion share repurchase authorization, which reinforces our confidence in the company's future”

Dirk Locascio, CFO

Cash flow, leverage and capital spending

  • Operating cash flow rose $195 million: Cash flow from operations was $1.37 billion for fiscal 2025, up $195 million, reflecting higher net income and lower tax payments. Source
  • Capital spending rose to $410 million: Cash capital expenditures were $410 million, up $69 million, for information technology, property and equipment, and distribution facility construction and improvements. Source
  • Net leverage ratio at 2.7x: Net debt was $5.2 billion at fiscal year-end. The ratio of net debt to Adjusted EBITDA was 2.7 times, compared with 2.8 times a year earlier. Source

Share repurchases and authorization

  • Buybacks totaled $934 million for the year: Fiscal 2025 repurchases were 11.9 million shares for $934 million, including 4.2 million shares for $327 million in the fourth quarter. Source
  • About $1,090 million authorization remaining: About $1,090 million remained authorized across repurchase programs at fiscal year-end, including $1 billion approved by the board on November 24, 2025. Source

Acquisition, long-range plan and transformation costs

  • Shetakis acquisition completed in Q4: Shetakis, an independent food distributor in Las Vegas, was acquired in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025. Source
  • Long-range plan targets reaffirmed: Management said it is committed to its long-range plan algorithm and financial targets, including the cumulative operating cash flow goal. Source
  • Transformation costs rose to $48 million: Business transformation costs were $48 million in fiscal 2025, up from $39 million, for information technology infrastructure projects and related workforce efficiencies. They are excluded from adjusted results. Source

Associates, focus areas and capital framework

  • Associates credited for momentum: The CEO credited the company's 30,000 associates for momentum entering 2026 and for serving customers and creating shareholder value. Source
  • Focus on share gains and productivity: The CEO named capturing incremental market share across target customer types and operational excellence and productivity initiatives as the areas management controls. Source
  • Capital allocation framework cited: The CFO credited the fiscal 2025 results to execution and the disciplined capital allocation framework. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total case volume growth, fiscal 2025 Source1.0%
Independent restaurant case volume growth, fiscal 2025 Source3.3%
Healthcare volume growth, fiscal 2025 Source4.4%
Hospitality volume growth, fiscal 2025 Source2.9%
Chain volume growth, fiscal 2025 Source-3.5%
Customer locations served Sourceapproximately 250,000
Broadline locations Sourcemore than 70
Cash and carry stores Sourcemore than 90
Associates Source30,000

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management said results came despite a softer economic environment and pointed to controllable areas such as market share and productivity. Source
  • Financial: An unfavorable year-over-year LIFO adjustment in the fourth quarter partly offset gross profit growth. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it remains committed to achieving its long-range plan algorithm and financial targets, with no progress status given. Source
  • Not stated: The January 12, 2026 release reaffirmed fiscal 2025 guidance previously announced on the third quarter earnings call, with no status given.

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.