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US Foods Holding Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 narrowed, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 2.1%: Net sales rose 2.1% to $10.4 billion, with case volume growth and food cost inflation of 0.4% as the stated drivers. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 9.9%: Adjusted EBITDA rose 9.9% to $555 million, compared with $505 million a year earlier. Source
  • Full-year ranges narrowed on all three: Net sales, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS growth ranges were each narrowed. Upper ends came down from 6%, 13% and 24%. Source
  • Independent restaurant volume rose 5.0%: Organic independent restaurant case volume rose 5.0%, while total organic case volume rose 1.2%. Source
  • Net leverage fell to 2.4 times: Net Debt was $5.1 billion, and the ratio of Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA was 2.4x, versus 2.7x at fiscal year-end 2025. Source
  • $191 million repurchased in quarter: The company repurchased $191 million of common stock in the third quarter. Source
  • Prime Line acquisition closed: The company closed its acquisition of Prime Line Distributors after the quarter ended. Source

“Our third quarter results reflect the strength of our strategy and disciplined execution”

Dave Flitman, Chair of the Board and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales growth SourceFiscal year 20264% to 5%Narrowed, top end cut from 4% to 6%
Adjusted EBITDA growth SourceFiscal year 20269% to 11%Narrowed, top end cut from 9% to 13%
Adjusted Diluted EPS growth SourceFiscal year 202618% to 20%Narrowed, top end cut from 18% to 24%
Effect of 53rd week on total case growth and Adjusted EBITDA growth SourceFiscal year 2026approximately 1%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Growth ranges for net sales, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS were each narrowed, with lower upper ends than the February 12, 2026 guidance. Source
  • New: The Prime Line Distributors acquisition, a Fort Lauderdale specialty food distributor, closed after quarter-end. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 2.1%: Net sales rose 2.1% to $10.4 billion, with case volume growth and food cost inflation of 0.4% as the stated drivers. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income rose 42.5% to $218 million, and diluted EPS rose 49.3% to $1.00. Adjusted Diluted EPS rose 17.8% to $1.26. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 9.9%: Adjusted EBITDA rose 9.9% to $555 million, compared with $505 million a year earlier. Source

Full-year guidance tightened

  • Full-year ranges narrowed on all three: Net sales, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Diluted EPS growth ranges were each narrowed. Upper ends came down from 6%, 13% and 24%. Source
  • 53rd week included in ranges: Full-year guidance includes a 53rd week, which management expects to add about 1% to total case growth and Adjusted EBITDA growth. Source
  • Macro and fuel cited for narrowing: Management said the tighter ranges reflect the reality of a sustained slower macroeconomic environment and elevated fuel costs. Source

“Our third quarter performance reflects continued topline growth and EBITDA margin expansion, driven by ongoing operational excellence and disciplined cost management,”

Dirk Locascio, CFO

Customer types and case volume

  • Independent restaurant volume rose 5.0%: Organic independent restaurant case volume rose 5.0%, while total organic case volume rose 1.2%. Source
  • Healthcare and hospitality grew: Healthcare volume rose 3.3% and hospitality volume rose 3.7% in the quarter. Source
  • Chain volume declined 1.5%: Chain volume fell 1.5%, which management said partly offset growth in the other customer types. Source
  • Share gains extended for customer types: Management said share gains extended to 22 consecutive quarters with Independent Restaurants and 24 consecutive quarters with Healthcare. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Food cost inflation eased to 0.4%: Food cost inflation was 0.4% this quarter, compared with 2.3% in the second quarter. Net sales growth was driven by case volume and this inflation. Source
  • Gross profit margin reached 18.3%: Gross profit was 18.3% of net sales, up from 18.2% in the second quarter. The gross profit increase included a LIFO benefit. Source
  • Operating expenses rose 4.2%: Operating expenses rose $62 million, or 4.2%, to $1.5 billion, or 14.7% of net sales. Adjusted operating expenses rose 4.0%. Source
  • Streamlining partly offset cost growth: Management said actions to streamline administrative processes and costs partially offset the rise in operating expenses. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin up 38 basis points: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 5.3%, up 38 basis points, and net income margin was 2.1%, up 60 basis points. Source

“Despite these external headwinds, we continue to compound Adjusted EPS growth at a double-digit rate,”

Dirk Locascio, CFO

Cash flow and leverage

  • Operating cash flow rose to $1.16 billion: Nine-month cash flow from operations was $1,160 million, up from $1,076 million, which management attributed to higher net income. Source
  • Capital spending slightly lower: Nine-month cash capital expenditures were $266 million, down $10 million, for technology, property and distribution facilities. Source
  • Net leverage fell to 2.4 times: Net Debt was $5.1 billion, and the ratio of Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA was 2.4x, versus 2.7x at fiscal year-end 2025. Source

Share repurchases

  • $191 million repurchased in quarter: The company repurchased $191 million of common stock in the third quarter. Source
  • Nine-month buybacks reached $690 million: For the first nine months, the company repurchased $690 million of common stock, inclusive of fees, commissions and any related excise tax. Source
  • $450 million left under authorization: Remaining funds under the November 2025 program were $450 million, down from $640 million at the end of the second quarter. Source

Strategy, acquisition and associates

  • Prime Line acquisition closed: The company closed its acquisition of Prime Line Distributors after the quarter ended. Source
  • Prime Line adds specialty assortment: Management described Prime Line as broadening the specialty and imported assortment and adding capabilities for Pronto and broadline. Source
  • Digital and AI initiatives advancing: Management said digital ecosystem and AI initiatives drive topline growth, productivity gains and margin expansion. Source
  • Associates thanked for customer dedication: The CEO thanked the company's 30,000 associates for their continued dedication to customers. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • Tuck-in acquisitions and capital returns: Management said the balance sheet provides flexibility to invest, pursue tuck-in acquisitions such as Prime Line, and return capital to shareholders. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total case volume growth Source1.3%
Independent restaurant case volume growth Source5.0%
Healthcare volume growth Source3.3%
Hospitality volume growth Source3.7%
Chain volume growth Source-1.5%
Customer locations served Sourceapproximately 250,000

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management cited a sustained slower macroeconomic environment and elevated fuel costs as reasons for narrowing the full-year ranges. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it continues to compound Adjusted EPS growth at a double-digit rate. Source
  • Not stated: Management updated the Fiscal Year 2026 guidance it had provided on February 12, 2026. 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.