United Natural Foods(US:UNFI) The Motley Foolยท2024-10-01 19:57Core Viewpoint - United Natural Foods reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings, including a surprise profit, leading to a significant increase in its stock price by 22.1% [1] Financial Performance - Revenue for the quarter increased by 10% to $8.16 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $7.94 billion, aided by an extra week in the calendar [2] - On a comparable 13-week basis, net sales rose by 2.1% [2] - Adjusted EBITDA grew by 53.8% to $143 million, which included a $10 million benefit from the extra week [3] Earnings Results - Adjusted earnings per share improved from a loss of $0.25 in the same quarter last year to a profit of $0.01, exceeding expectations of a loss of $0.10 per share [4] - The CFO highlighted the achievement of four consecutive quarters of increasing profitability, strengthening the company's foundation as it approaches fiscal 2025 [4] Future Outlook - United Natural Foods anticipates revenue between $30.3 billion and $30.8 billion for the upcoming fiscal year, reflecting a 1.5% decline at the midpoint compared to fiscal 2024, but essentially flat when adjusted for the extra week [4] - The projected adjusted EPS is between $0.20 and $0.80, compared to the consensus estimate of $0.57, indicating a cautious outlook despite the recent stock surge [5]