US Foods Holding Corp. USFD is likely to witness top and bottom-line growth when it reports third-quarter 2026 earnings on Nov. 5. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $10.6 billion, indicating a 3.7% increase from the prior-year quarter’s reported figure.
The consensus mark for earnings has moved down a penny in the past 30 days to $1.25 per share, which implies 16.8% growth from the figure reported a year ago. USFD has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.5%, on average.
US Foods Holding Corp. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
US Foods Holding Corp. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | US Foods Holding Corp. Quote
Factors Likely to Influence USFD’s Upcoming Results
US Foods’ third-quarter 2026 performance is likely to have benefited from new customer wins and deeper penetration among existing independent restaurant accounts. The company has been witnessing momentum in healthcare and hospitality, supported by its Vitals and Signature programs. These gains, alongside Pronto’s flexible delivery options and broader market reach, are likely to have supported case volumes despite subdued industry traffic.
Exclusive brands and digital capabilities are likely to have strengthened customer engagement during the quarter. On its second-quarter earnings call, management noted that restaurant operators’ cost pressures have supported private-label adoption, while Menu IQ helps customers optimize menu costs. AI-enabled sales insights are likely to have improved account targeting and selling effectiveness, helping deepen penetration among existing customers and reinforce the company’s differentiated service offering.
Operational improvements are likely to have supported profitability through procurement savings, tighter inventory controls and more efficient distribution. Strategic vendor management and disciplined indirect spending are expected to have lowered costs, while better demand forecasting, labor planning and route optimization are likely to have enhanced productivity. Improved inventory accuracy and order fulfillment are expected to have further reduced waste and strengthened product availability during the quarter.
However, persistent restaurant traffic weakness and cautious consumer spending are likely to have constrained demand, particularly among chain operators. Higher fuel expenses, operating cost inflation and elevated selling costs tied to salesforce hiring and the compensation transition are expected to have limited margin expansion.
Earnings Whispers for USFD Stock
Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for US Foods this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here.
US Foods carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) and has an Earnings ESP of -0.46%. You can uncover the best stocks before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Stocks With a Favorable Combination
Here are some companies worth considering, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.
Dollar General Corporation DG has an Earnings ESP of +8.66% and currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dollar General’s upcoming quarter’s earnings per share is pegged at 1.40 cents, implying 9.4% year-over-year growth. The consensus estimate for Dollar General’s quarterly revenues is pegged at $11.1 billion, which indicates an increase of 4.5% from the figure reported in the prior-year quarter. DG has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 19.1%, on average.
Burlington Stores, Inc. BURL currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.19% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Burlington Stores’ upcoming quarter’s earnings per share is pegged at $1.71, which implies a 5% decrease year over year.
The consensus estimate for Burlington Stores’ quarterly revenues is pegged at $3 billion, which indicates a surge of 10.5% from the figure reported in the prior-year quarter. BURL delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of around 16.7%, on average.
The Kroger Co. KR currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.43% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Kroger’s upcoming quarter’s EPS is pegged at $1.16, implying a 10.5% year-over-year increase.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues is pegged at $34.6 billion, which indicates an increase of 2.1% from the figure reported in the prior-year quarter. KR has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 2.7%, on average.
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US Foods Holding Corp. (USFD): Free Stock Analysis Report
Dollar General Corporation (DG): Free Stock Analysis Report
The Kroger Co. (KR): Free Stock Analysis Report
Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL): Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).