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United Natural Foods Inc (UNFI)



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Upturn Advisory Summary
03/20/2025: UNFI (2-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit -34.23% | Avg. Invested days 25 | Today’s Advisory PASS |
Upturn Star Rating ![]() ![]() | Upturn Advisory Performance ![]() | Stock Returns Performance ![]() |
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Key Highlights
Company Size Small-Cap Stock | Market Capitalization 1.67B USD | Price to earnings Ratio - | 1Y Target Price 30 |
Price to earnings Ratio - | 1Y Target Price 30 | ||
Volume (30-day avg) 751915 | Beta 0.55 | 52 Weeks Range 8.58 - 34.76 | Updated Date 04/1/2025 |
52 Weeks Range 8.58 - 34.76 | Updated Date 04/1/2025 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) - | Basic EPS (TTM) -1.36 |
Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth
Revenue by Products
Product revenue - Year on Year
Revenue by Geography
Geography revenue - Year on Year
Earnings Date
Report Date 2025-03-04 | When Before Market | Estimate 0.1649 | Actual 0.22 |
Profitability
Profit Margin -0.26% | Operating Margin (TTM) 0.66% |
Management Effectiveness
Return on Assets (TTM) 1.45% | Return on Equity (TTM) -4.76% |
Valuation
Trailing PE - | Forward PE 30.96 | Enterprise Value 5332756413 | Price to Sales(TTM) 0.05 |
Enterprise Value 5332756413 | Price to Sales(TTM) 0.05 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 0.17 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA 14.18 | Shares Outstanding 60524100 | Shares Floating 59703441 |
Shares Outstanding 60524100 | Shares Floating 59703441 | ||
Percent Insiders 2.01 | Percent Institutions 92.22 |
Analyst Ratings
Rating 3 | Target Price 28.88 | Buy - | Strong Buy 1 |
Buy - | Strong Buy 1 | ||
Hold 9 | Sell - | Strong Sell 1 | |
Strong Sell 1 |
Upturn AI SWOT
United Natural Foods Inc

Company Overview
History and Background
United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) was founded in 1976. Initially a natural foods distributor in the Northeast, UNFI has grown through acquisitions and organic growth to become the largest publicly traded grocery distributor in the US. Significant milestones include the acquisition of competitor Tree of Life in 2010 and SUPERVALU in 2018.
Core Business Areas
- Wholesale: UNFI's primary business is wholesale distribution of natural, organic, and specialty foods, as well as conventional grocery products. It supplies independent retailers, supermarket chains, e-commerce retailers, and foodservice providers.
- Retail: UNFI operates a small number of retail stores under various banners. The retail segment supports building brand recognition with new products.
Leadership and Structure
The CEO of UNFI is Sandy Douglas. The organizational structure consists of various departments including supply chain, sales, marketing, finance, and operations. UNFI has a board of directors providing oversight and guidance.
Top Products and Market Share
Key Offerings
- Grocery: UNFI distributes a wide range of grocery products including dry goods, refrigerated and frozen items, and fresh produce. The natural and organic market has many competitors; Amazon/Whole Foods Market (AMZN), KeHE Distributors, and independent regional distributors.
- Wellness: UNFI offers health and beauty products, vitamins, and supplements. Many competitors exist, from large pharmacies like CVS (CVS) to online retailers like iHerb.
- Private Label: UNFI develops and distributes its own private label brands, providing retailers with exclusive products. Amazon/Whole Foods Market (AMZN), Kroger (KR) and other grocery stores offer their own private label options.
Market Dynamics
Industry Overview
The grocery distribution industry is highly competitive, with increasing demand for natural and organic products. Trends include e-commerce growth, supply chain optimization, and consolidation among distributors.
Positioning
UNFI is the largest publicly traded grocery distributor focused on natural and organic foods. Its competitive advantages include its scale, extensive distribution network, and focus on sustainable and healthy products.
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
The TAM for grocery distribution in the US is estimated to be in the hundreds of billions of dollars. UNFI is well positioned to capture a significant share of the growing natural and organic segment.
Upturn SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Largest natural and organic distributor
- Extensive distribution network
- Strong relationships with suppliers and retailers
- Focus on sustainability
Weaknesses
- High debt levels (post-SUPERVALU acquisition)
- Integration challenges with acquired companies
- Relatively low profit margins
- Dependence on key customers
Opportunities
- Growing demand for natural and organic foods
- Expansion into new markets and product categories
- E-commerce growth
- Supply chain optimization
Threats
- Intense competition
- Economic downturn
- Changing consumer preferences
- Supply chain disruptions
Competitors and Market Share
Key Competitors
- Amazon (AMZN)
- Kroger (KR)
- KeHE Distributors
Competitive Landscape
UNFI is the largest player in the natural and organic distribution market, but faces competition from larger retailers like Amazon/Whole Foods Market and Kroger, as well as other distributors like KeHE. UNFI's advantage lies in its specialized focus, while its disadvantages include higher debt and integration challenges.
Major Acquisitions
SUPERVALU
- Year: 2018
- Acquisition Price (USD millions): 2900
- Strategic Rationale: The acquisition of SUPERVALU significantly expanded UNFI's scale and distribution network, allowing it to serve a broader range of customers and product categories.
Growth Trajectory and Initiatives
Historical Growth: UNFI's growth has been driven by acquisitions and increasing demand for natural and organic foods. However, recent years have been impacted by integration challenges and competitive pressures.
Future Projections: Analyst estimates vary, but generally project moderate revenue growth driven by the increasing popularity of natural and organic foods. Profitability improvements are expected as UNFI integrates acquired businesses.
Recent Initiatives: Recent initiatives include supply chain optimization efforts, investments in technology and e-commerce, and expansion of private label offerings.
Summary
United Natural Foods Inc. is the largest natural and organic food distributor in the US with a large distribution network. However, UNFI has relatively low profit margins and is challenged with integrating the SUPERVALU acquisition from 2018. The company should look to optimize supply chains and take advantage of growth in e-commerce. Their primary weakness is high debt levels from the SUPERVALU acquisition and dependence on key customers.
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Sources and Disclaimers
Data Sources:
- Company Filings
- Industry Reports
- Analyst Estimates
Disclaimers:
This analysis is based on publicly available information and is for informational purposes only. It is not financial advice.
AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.
Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.
Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.
AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.
About United Natural Foods Inc
Exchange NYSE | Headquaters Providence, RI, United States | ||
IPO Launch date 1996-11-01 | CEO & Director Mr. James Alexander Miller Douglas Jr. | ||
Sector Consumer Defensive | Industry Food Distribution | Full time employees 28333 | Website https://www.unfi.com |
Full time employees 28333 | Website https://www.unfi.com |
United Natural Foods, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, distributes natural, organic, specialty, produce, and conventional grocery and non-food products in the United States and Canada. It operates in two segments, Wholesale and Retail. The company offers grocery and general merchandise, produce, perishables and frozen foods, wellness and personal care items, and bulk and foodservice products. It also provides nuts, dried fruit, seeds, trail mixes, granola, natural and organic snack items, and confections under the Woodstock Farms Manufacturing name; organic, non-GMO project verified, and specialty food and non-food items under the Blue Marble brand name; pet food under the WILD HARVEST brand name; and various products under the ESSENTIAL EVERYDAY, SHOPPERS VALUE, Field Day, EQUALINE, CULINARY CIRCLE, and STONE RIDGE CREAMERY brand names. In addition, the company provides home, health and beauty care, and pharmacy products, as well as private label products through a network of Cub Foods and Shoppers retail grocery stores; and retail store support, pricing strategy, shelf and planogram management, advertising, couponing, ecommerce, consumer convenience, store design, equipment sourcing, electronic payments processing, network and data hosting, point-of-sale hardware and software, automation tools, sustainability, and administrative back-office solution services, as well as professional services. Further, it offers consumer and trade marketing programs, and programs to support suppliers in understanding its markets. The company serves chains, independent retailers, and supernatural chains, as well as ecommerce, foodservice, conventional military business, and other sales customers. United Natural Foods, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island.
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