United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) Receives Consensus Recommendation of "Hold" from Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts are cautious on UNFI: The stock carries a consensus rating of “Hold” from 10 analysts, with an average 1-year price target of about $46.38. Recent ratings were mixed, including upgrades and downgrades from firms like Zacks Research, Goldman Sachs, Roth Capital, and Weiss Ratings.
• Latest quarterly results missed expectations: United Natural Foods reported EPS of $0.77, below estimates of $0.81, and revenue of $7.72 billion, also slightly under forecast. Revenue fell 4.2% year over year, though the company still posted a positive return on equity of 7.42%.
• Shares and ownership activity remain active: The stock was up 0.3% to $48.99, near its 50-day average of $50.08. Insider selling continued, while institutional investors own a large majority of the company at 87.63%.

Shares of United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI - Get Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of "Hold" by the ten analysts that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, three have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $46.3750.

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on UNFI shares. Zacks Research upgraded United Natural Foods from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Friday, July 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "neutral" rating and set a $47.00 target price on shares of United Natural Foods in a report on Wednesday, June 10th. Wall Street Zen downgraded United Natural Foods from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Sunday. Roth Capital reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $43.00 price target on shares of United Natural Foods in a research report on Wednesday, June 10th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of United Natural Foods in a research note on Monday, July 6th.

United Natural Foods Stock Up 0.3%

United Natural Foods stock opened at $48.99 on Tuesday. United Natural Foods has a fifty-two week low of $23.36 and a fifty-two week high of $57.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a current ratio of 1.33. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $50.08 and a 200 day moving average price of $43.56. The company has a market capitalization of $2.97 billion, a PE ratio of -74.23 and a beta of 0.83.

United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, June 9th. The company reported $0.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.81 by ($0.04). United Natural Foods had a negative net margin of 0.12% and a positive return on equity of 7.42%. The firm had revenue of $7.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $7.79 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.44 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. United Natural Foods has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.400-2.600 EPS. Research analysts expect that United Natural Foods will post 2.52 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at United Natural Foods

In related news, insider Mark Bushway sold 10,000 shares of United Natural Foods stock in a transaction on 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 in the company, valued at approximately $2,635,695.64. This trade represents a 16.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Danielle Benedict sold 4,807 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.00, for a total value of $249,964.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 98,470 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,120,440. The trade was a 4.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 2.40% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Natural Foods

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Brighton Jones LLC purchased a new position in United Natural Foods in the fourth quarter worth approximately $656,000. SG Americas Securities LLC grew its holdings in United Natural Foods by 12,660.4% during the 4th quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 678,979 shares of the company's stock worth $22,861,000 after acquiring an additional 673,658 shares in the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of United Natural Foods by 312.3% in the 4th quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 159,123 shares of the company's stock valued at $5,358,000 after purchasing an additional 120,525 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System purchased a new stake in shares of United Natural Foods in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $1,217,000. Finally, Private Advisory Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of United Natural Foods in the 4th quarter valued at $1,046,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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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