Core Viewpoint - Colabor Group Inc. and its subsidiaries are seeking creditor protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) due to financial difficulties and are initiating a formal sale and investment solicitation process (SISP) to explore potential transactions [1][2]. Group 1: CCAA Application and SISP - The company is applying for an initial order to protect itself from creditors and to facilitate a SISP, allowing interested parties to submit proposals for the best possible transaction [2]. - The application includes a request for a stay of proceedings against the company and its subsidiaries, as well as interim debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing from major banks to support operations during the restructuring [2]. Group 2: Financial Obligations and Trading Status - The announcement follows a previous disclosure that the company failed to meet its obligations to provide non-binding letters of intent for refinancing and raising at least $15 million in equity by December 15, 2025 [3]. - Trading of the company's common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) has been halted, and the company is under delisting review due to its financial situation [4]. Group 3: Company Overview - Colabor is a distributor and wholesaler of food products serving the hotel, restaurant, and institutional markets in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces, as well as the retail market [5].

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of efficiency levels in assessing a company's potential for profit generation, with a high efficiency level correlating positively with price performance [1] Efficiency Ratios - The article identifies key efficiency ratios for stock selection, including Receivables Turnover, Asset Utilization, Inventory Turnover, and Operating Margin, which help gauge a company's ability to manage credit, assets, inventory, and operating expenses effectively [2][3][4][5] - A favorable Zacks Rank (1 Strong Buy) is also included as a criterion to enhance the profitability of the stock screening process [6] Stock Screening Results - The screening process narrowed down over 7,906 stocks to 16, highlighting five companies that excel in efficiency ratios compared to industry averages [7] - The top five stocks identified are: - **United Natural Foods (UNFI)**: A leading distributor with a 52.10% average four-quarter earnings surprise [8][9] - **Northrim BanCorp (NRIM)**: A full-service commercial bank with a 19% average four-quarter earnings surprise [10] - **Lightspeed POS (LSPD)**: A commerce platform provider with a 17.9% average four-quarter earnings surprise [11] - **Ulta Beauty (ULTA)**: A prominent beauty retailer with a 15.7% average four-quarter earnings surprise [12] - **Electromed (ELMD)**: A manufacturer of airway clearance therapy products with a 13.6% average four-quarter earnings surprise [13]

Core Viewpoint - The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. will participate in a fireside chat at the ICR Conference on January 13, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. ET, highlighting its role as a premier distributor of specialty food products [1]. Company Overview - The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. is a leading distributor of specialty food products in the United States, the Middle East, and Canada, catering to chefs and operators of independent restaurants, fine dining establishments, and various culinary businesses [3]. - The company distributes over 88,000 products to more than 50,000 customer locations across its operational regions [3]. Investor Engagement - Investors and interested parties can access a webcast of the fireside chat through the company's investor relations website [2]. Contact Information - For further inquiries, the company's CFO, Jim Leddy, can be contacted at (718) 684-8415 [4].

Core Viewpoint - Colabor Group Inc. is currently facing challenges in securing satisfactory refinancing options and is exploring strategic alternatives to address its financial situation [1][3][4]. Financial Situation - The company extended its forbearance agreement with senior lenders and Investissement Québec until January 30, 2026, requiring maintenance of $1 million in liquidity and a minimum trailing twelve-month EBITDA [2]. - Colabor must provide non-binding letters of intent for refinancing and raise at least $15 million in equity by December 15, 2025, but it does not anticipate meeting these requirements [2][3]. Strategic Alternatives - The company is negotiating further amendments to the forbearance agreements to secure additional liquidity for short-term cash needs and to continue its strategic alternatives review [4]. - In the absence of successful strategic alternatives, Colabor's operations could be significantly impacted, and the company is considering seeking protection under creditor protection laws [5]. Business Overview - Colabor operates as a distributor and wholesaler of food products, serving the hotel, restaurant, and institutional markets in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces, as well as the retail market [6].

Financial Performance & Targets - FY25 Net Sales were approximately $32 billion[21], with Natural, Conventional, and Retail segments contributing 49%, 44%, and 7% respectively[21] - FY25 Adjusted EBITDA was approximately $552 million[21], resulting in a 1.7% Adjusted EBITDA Margin Rate[21] - The company aims for Low-Single Digit (LSD) Average Annual Net Sales Growth and Low-Double Digit (LDD) Average Annual Adjusted EBITDA Growth through FY28[13] - The company targets approximately $33 billion in Net Sales and approximately $800 million in Adjusted EBITDA by FY28[34] - The company projects approximately $300 million in annual Free Cash Flow through FY28[13] - The company aims to increase the Adjusted EBITDA Margin Rate to approximately 2.4% by FY28, a +65 bps increase[34] Operational Improvements & Strategy - The company reduced its net leverage ratio from 4x to 3.3x in FY25[31] - The company is implementing Lean practices across the business to improve effectiveness and efficiency[31] - The company is focused on adding value for customers and suppliers while improving effectiveness and efficiency[25] - The company is working to improve throughput in distribution centers, projecting a >13% increase from FY24 to FY26E[223]

Core Insights - Greystone Capital Management reported a median account return of -3.6% for Q3 2025, underperforming the S&P 500 and Russell 2000 which returned +8.1% and +12.4% respectively [1] - The fund's year-to-date return stands at +1.6%, with a concentrated investment strategy focusing on small companies outside major indexes [1] Company Focus: Innovative Food Holdings, Inc. (OTC:IVFH) - Innovative Food Holdings, Inc. experienced a one-month return of -20.77% and a significant decline of 81.68% over the past 52 weeks, closing at $0.348 per share with a market cap of $19.065 million as of December 04, 2025 [2] - Greystone Capital Management initially held a top five position in Innovative Food Holdings, expressing regret for not taking profits above $2.00/share as the valuation became stretched [3] - The company is optimistic about a management change aimed at refocusing on its core specialty food business, which historically has shown a 20% growth rate, indicating potential upside if stability and growth are restored [3] Investment Perspective - Innovative Food Holdings is not among the top 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, with the company acknowledging the potential of IVFH but suggesting that certain AI stocks may offer better upside potential and lower downside risk [4]

Core Thesis - United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) has shown potential for recovery and growth following a significant cyberattack that disrupted operations, with a focus on operational efficiency and margin expansion [2][3][4] Company Overview - UNFI is a major food distributor serving retailers, including Whole Foods, and has experienced significant volatility in its share price over the past year [2] - As of December 2nd, UNFI's share price was $35.95, with trailing and forward P/E ratios of 9.45 and 17.64 respectively [1] Recent Developments - The implementation of the "Simplified Supplier Agreement" initially boosted profitability and market sentiment by increasing fees for suppliers [2] - A large-scale cyberattack led to operational disruptions and product shortages, causing a sharp decline in stock price as investor confidence waned [3] Recovery and Future Outlook - UNFI responded to the cyberattack by restoring operations and reinforcing its digital infrastructure, while continuing to execute its long-term plan to optimize logistics and enhance margins [3][4] - As operational stability returned, investor confidence improved, positioning UNFI to navigate a competitive landscape effectively [4] - The company's streamlined structure and strengthened supplier relationships are expected to support sustainable performance and attract investors [4]

Core Insights - United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) is a leading distributor of natural, organic, and specialty foods in the U.S. and Canada, facing competition from Sysco and US Foods [1] Financial Performance - UNFI reported Earnings Per Share (EPS) of $0.56, exceeding the estimated $0.39 [2][5] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 24.6% to $167 million, despite a net loss of $4 million [2][5] - Revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 was $7.84 billion, slightly below the estimated $7.91 billion, with a minor decrease in net sales of 0.4% [3][5] Financial Ratios - The debt-to-equity ratio stands at 2.24, indicating a higher level of debt compared to equity [4] - The current ratio of 1.38 suggests reasonable short-term liquidity to cover liabilities [4] - The enterprise value to sales ratio is 0.174, and the enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio is 10.17, providing insights into valuation and cash flow efficiency [4]

Core Insights - Chefs' Warehouse has chosen RELEX Solutions to enhance its forecasting and replenishment processes across 49 distribution centers [1] - The partnership aims to improve operational efficiency with a focus on fresh food categories [1] - Chefs' Warehouse manages over 88,000 SKUs across various business units, indicating a complex supply chain that requires advanced planning solutions [1]

Core Insights - The Chefs' Warehouse reported a 9.6% increase in net sales for Q3 2025, reaching $1,021.3 million compared to $931.5 million in Q3 2024, indicating strong demand and market share gains [4][11] - Gross profit rose by 10.0% to $247.2 million, driven by increased sales and price inflation, with gross profit margins slightly improving to 24.2% [5][11] - The company updated its fiscal 2025 guidance, projecting net sales between $4.085 billion and $4.115 billion, and adjusted EBITDA between $247 million and $253 million [16][31] Financial Performance - Net sales for Q3 2025 increased to $1,021.3 million from $931.5 million in Q3 2024, with organic case count up by approximately 3.2% [4][11] - Gross profit for Q3 2025 was $247.2 million, a 10.0% increase from $224.7 million in Q3 2024, with gross profit margins at 24.2% [5][11] - Selling, general and administrative expenses rose by 7.9% to $208.1 million, primarily due to higher compensation and benefits [6][11] Income Metrics - Operating income for Q3 2025 was $38.9 million, up from $31.9 million in Q3 2024, with operating income as a percentage of net sales increasing to 3.8% [7][11] - Net income for Q3 2025 was $19.1 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, compared to $14.1 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, in Q3 2024 [8][11] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 2025 was $65.1 million, compared to $54.5 million in Q3 2024, reflecting improved operational performance [9][11] Market Trends - Business and demand trends showed improvement throughout Q3 2025, with momentum continuing into October, indicating a positive outlook heading into the holiday season [3] - The company experienced strong year-over-year growth in unique item placements, enhancing its relevance with the customer base [3] Guidance and Future Outlook - The company raised its fiscal 2025 full-year financial guidance, projecting net sales between $4.085 billion and $4.115 billion, and adjusted EBITDA between $247 million and $253 million [16][31] - The effective tax rate for Q3 2025 was 32.6%, up from 30.0% in Q3 2024, impacting net income calculations [8][11]