Shares of United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI – Get Free Report) have earned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the nine analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $47.8571.
UNFI has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of United Natural Foods in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Roth Capital restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $43.00 price objective on shares of United Natural Foods in a report on Wednesday, June 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $47.00 price objective on shares of United Natural Foods in a research report on Wednesday, June 10th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $56.00 target price on shares of United Natural Foods in a report on Wednesday, June 10th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded United Natural Foods from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, August 3rd.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on United Natural Foods
United Natural Foods Stock Performance
United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, September 8th. The company reported $0.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.62 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $7.64 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.71 billion. United Natural Foods had a positive return on equity of 7.42% and a negative net margin of 0.12%.The company’s quarterly revenue was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.11) EPS. United Natural Foods has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.000-3.500 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that United Natural Foods will post 2.52 earnings per share for the current year.
Trending Headlines about United Natural Foods
Here are the key news stories impacting United Natural Foods this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings beat expectations: UNFI reported fourth-quarter adjusted EPS of $0.69, above the $0.62 consensus and well ahead of a $0.11 loss in the year-ago period. The result marked a return to profitability and exceeded estimates despite modestly lower sales. UNFI Q4 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
- Positive Sentiment: FY2027 outlook supports the stock: Management forecast adjusted EPS of $3.00–$3.50, with the midpoint above analysts’ $3.18 estimate. The company expects productivity improvements—not price increases—to drive margin expansion, while targeting leverage below 2x. UNFI Fiscal 2027 EPS and Leverage Outlook
- Positive Sentiment: New $200 million buyback: The board authorized a new share-repurchase program, potentially supporting per-share earnings and signaling confidence in the company’s cash-flow and balance-sheet plans. UNFI Announces New $200 Million Share Buyback
- Neutral Sentiment: Sales and business mix remain mixed: Fourth-quarter revenue of $7.64 billion fell short of the $7.71 billion consensus and declined 0.7% year over year. Natural-product sales increased, but the conventional segment weakened. FY2027 revenue guidance of $31.2–$31.8 billion is also slightly below the $31.9 billion consensus. UNFI Natural Sales Rise as Conventional Segment Declines
- Negative Sentiment: Inflation remains a risk: Management expects additional inflation in FY2027, creating execution pressure as UNFI seeks to protect margins through productivity rather than higher prices. The company still reported a slightly negative net margin in the quarter.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other United Natural Foods news, insider Mark Bushway sold 10,000 shares of United Natural Foods stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.56, for a total value of $515,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 51,119 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,635,695.64. The trade was a 16.36% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 2.40% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Nykredit A S acquired a new position in shares of United Natural Foods in the second quarter valued at approximately $104,000. Corient Private Wealth LP lifted its holdings in United Natural Foods by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Corient Private Wealth LP now owns 51,301 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,343,000 after buying an additional 318 shares in the last quarter. Amundi boosted its position in United Natural Foods by 1,489.8% in the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 193,430 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,834,000 after buying an additional 181,263 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC boosted its position in United Natural Foods by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 7,726 shares of the company’s stock valued at $353,000 after buying an additional 222 shares during the period. Finally, VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al acquired a new position in shares of United Natural Foods in the second quarter worth $1,904,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.63% of the company’s stock.
About United Natural Foods
United Natural Foods, Inc (NYSE: UNFI) is a leading distributor of natural, organic and specialty foods in North America. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, the company has grown through strategic acquisitions and organic expansion to become one of the largest food distributors serving retail, foodservice and e-commerce customers.
UNFI’s core business centers on the procurement, warehousing and distribution of a broad portfolio of products, including fresh produce, groceries, frozen foods, dairy, bakery items, beverages, supplements and household essentials.
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