Chefs' Warehouse Q4 Earnings Exceed Expectations
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 11 2026
0mins
Should l Buy CHEF?
Source: Benzinga
- Earnings Beat: Chefs' Warehouse reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 68 cents, surpassing the analyst estimate of 63 cents, indicating strong profitability in a competitive market.
- Significant Sales Growth: Quarterly sales reached $1.143 billion, up 10.5% year-over-year, not only exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.098 billion but also reflecting robust demand in the upscale dining sector.
- Operating Income Decline: While adjusted EBITDA increased from $68.2 million to $80.3 million, operating income for the fourth quarter fell to $43.2 million from $46.5 million year-over-year, primarily due to a $10.5 million rise in other operating expenses.
- Optimistic Outlook: The company affirmed its fiscal year 2026 sales guidance of $4.350 billion to $4.450 billion, expecting gross profit to range between $1.053 billion and $1.076 billion, demonstrating management's confidence in future market demand.
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Analyst Views on CHEF
Wall Street analysts forecast CHEF stock price to rise
7 Analyst Rating
6 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 64.010
Low
66.00
Averages
76.71
High
85.00
Current: 64.010
Low
66.00
Averages
76.71
High
85.00
About CHEF
The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. is a distributor of specialty food products in the United States, the Middle East, and Canada. The Company offers stock-keeping units (SKUs), ranging from specialty foods and ingredients to basic ingredients and staples, produce and center-of-the-plate proteins. Its product categories include center-of-the-plate, dry goods, pastry, cheeses and charcuterie, produce, dairy and eggs, oils and vinegars and kitchen supplies. It operates through the foodservice distribution segment, which is concentrated primarily in the United States. The Company’s customer base consists primarily of menu-driven independent restaurants, fine dining establishments, country clubs, hotels, caterers, culinary schools, bakeries, patisseries, chocolateries, cruise lines, casinos and specialty food stores. Its center-of-the-plate products include custom cut beef, seafood and hormone-free poultry, as well as produce and food products, such as cooking oils, butter, eggs, milk, and flour.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
The Chefs' Warehouse Q4 2025 Earnings Highlights
- Significant Sales Growth: The Chefs' Warehouse reported net sales of $1.143 billion for Q4 2025, reflecting a 10.5% increase from $1.034 billion in Q4 2024, demonstrating strong demand and continued market share growth in the upscale dining sector.
- Profit Improvement: Gross profit for Q4 reached $276.6 million, up 10.2% from $251 million in the same quarter last year, although gross margin slightly decreased to 24.2%, indicating robust overall profitability despite margin pressures.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Management projects net sales for 2026 to range between $4.35 billion and $4.45 billion, reflecting confidence in market demand, with an expected year-over-year growth rate of 6% to 8%, showcasing ongoing business expansion potential.
- Strategic Investments and Acquisitions: The company acquired Italco Specialty Foods in Colorado and plans to invest in new markets and facility consolidation, enhancing its competitive position and financial flexibility.
See More
Chefs' Warehouse Q4 Earnings Exceed Expectations
- Earnings Beat: Chefs' Warehouse reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 68 cents, surpassing the analyst estimate of 63 cents, indicating strong profitability in a competitive market.
- Significant Sales Growth: Quarterly sales reached $1.143 billion, up 10.5% year-over-year, not only exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.098 billion but also reflecting robust demand in the upscale dining sector.
- Operating Income Decline: While adjusted EBITDA increased from $68.2 million to $80.3 million, operating income for the fourth quarter fell to $43.2 million from $46.5 million year-over-year, primarily due to a $10.5 million rise in other operating expenses.
- Optimistic Outlook: The company affirmed its fiscal year 2026 sales guidance of $4.350 billion to $4.450 billion, expecting gross profit to range between $1.053 billion and $1.076 billion, demonstrating management's confidence in future market demand.
See More
The Chefs' Warehouse Q4 Earnings Beat Expectations
- Earnings Performance: The Chefs' Warehouse reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.68, beating expectations by $0.06, indicating ongoing improvements in profitability that bolster investor confidence.
- Significant Revenue Growth: The company achieved $1.14 billion in revenue for Q4, a 10.7% year-over-year increase that surpassed market expectations by $40 million, reflecting strong market performance and rising customer demand.
- Organic Sales Increase: Organic sales rose by $99.9 million, or 9.7%, demonstrating robust growth in core business areas, while acquisitions contributed an additional $9.1 million to sales growth.
- Future Financial Guidance: The company projects fiscal 2026 net sales between $4.35 billion and $4.45 billion, with gross profit expected between $1.053 billion and $1.076 billion, and adjusted EBITDA between $276 million and $286 million, indicating a positive outlook for future performance.
See More
The Chefs' Warehouse to Announce Q4 Earnings on February 11
- Earnings Announcement: The Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) is set to release its Q4 earnings on February 11 before market open, with a consensus EPS estimate of $0.62, reflecting a 12.7% year-over-year increase, indicating ongoing improvements in profitability.
- Revenue Expectations: The anticipated revenue for Q4 is $1.1 billion, representing a 6.4% year-over-year growth, showcasing the company's stable growth in the market despite competitive pressures.
- Historical Performance: Over the last two years, CHEF has exceeded EPS estimates 100% of the time and revenue estimates 88% of the time, reinforcing investor confidence through consistent performance.
- Estimate Revisions: In the past three months, EPS estimates have seen one upward and one downward revision, while revenue estimates have had one upward revision with no downward adjustments, reflecting a cautiously optimistic outlook from analysts regarding the company's future performance.
See More
Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) Projects FY 2026 Sales Between $4.35B and $4.45B
- Strong Sales Outlook: Chefs' Warehouse projects net sales for FY 2026 to be between $4.35 billion and $4.45 billion, reflecting robust performance in Q4 2025, indicating sustained market demand that could drive stock price appreciation.
- Stable Gross Profit: The company anticipates gross profit to range from $1.053 billion to $1.076 billion for FY 2026, showcasing its success in cost control and operational efficiency, thereby strengthening its position in the competitive food distribution market.
- Adjusted EBITDA Forecast: The expected adjusted EBITDA is projected to be between $276 million and $286 million, providing investors with a clearer view of the company's core operating performance, which may attract increased investor interest.
- Dilution Impact on Shares: The diluted share count is forecasted to be between 46.0 million and 46.7 million shares, including approximately 6.5 million shares from convertible notes, which may pressure earnings per share but also offers flexibility for future financing.
See More
CHEF Stock Fluctuates: 52-Week Low at $47.39
- Stock Price Analysis: CHEF's 52-week low is $47.39, with a high of $68.94, and the last trade at $60.20 indicates significant price fluctuations, reflecting market caution regarding its future performance.
- Technical Indicator Observation: The current price of $60.20 is below the 200-day moving average, suggesting a potentially bearish sentiment in the short term, prompting investors to monitor subsequent trends to assess risk.
- Market Sentiment Assessment: Despite the fluctuations within the 52-week range, the current price remains above the low point, indicating some market confidence in CHEF's fundamentals, though potential pullback risks should be noted.
- Investor Focus: Investors should closely watch CHEF's price movements in the coming trading days to adjust their investment strategies accordingly.
See More
The Chefs' Warehouse Q4 2025 Earnings Highlights
- Significant Sales Growth: The Chefs' Warehouse reported net sales of $1.143 billion for Q4 2025, reflecting a 10.5% increase from $1.034 billion in Q4 2024, demonstrating strong demand and continued market share growth in the upscale dining sector.
- Profit Improvement: Gross profit for Q4 reached $276.6 million, up 10.2% from $251 million in the same quarter last year, although gross margin slightly decreased to 24.2%, indicating robust overall profitability despite margin pressures.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Management projects net sales for 2026 to range between $4.35 billion and $4.45 billion, reflecting confidence in market demand, with an expected year-over-year growth rate of 6% to 8%, showcasing ongoing business expansion potential.
- Strategic Investments and Acquisitions: The company acquired Italco Specialty Foods in Colorado and plans to invest in new markets and facility consolidation, enhancing its competitive position and financial flexibility.
See More
Chefs' Warehouse Q4 Earnings Exceed Expectations
- Earnings Beat: Chefs' Warehouse reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 68 cents, surpassing the analyst estimate of 63 cents, indicating strong profitability in a competitive market.
- Significant Sales Growth: Quarterly sales reached $1.143 billion, up 10.5% year-over-year, not only exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.098 billion but also reflecting robust demand in the upscale dining sector.
- Operating Income Decline: While adjusted EBITDA increased from $68.2 million to $80.3 million, operating income for the fourth quarter fell to $43.2 million from $46.5 million year-over-year, primarily due to a $10.5 million rise in other operating expenses.
- Optimistic Outlook: The company affirmed its fiscal year 2026 sales guidance of $4.350 billion to $4.450 billion, expecting gross profit to range between $1.053 billion and $1.076 billion, demonstrating management's confidence in future market demand.
See More
The Chefs' Warehouse Q4 Earnings Beat Expectations
- Earnings Performance: The Chefs' Warehouse reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.68, beating expectations by $0.06, indicating ongoing improvements in profitability that bolster investor confidence.
- Significant Revenue Growth: The company achieved $1.14 billion in revenue for Q4, a 10.7% year-over-year increase that surpassed market expectations by $40 million, reflecting strong market performance and rising customer demand.
- Organic Sales Increase: Organic sales rose by $99.9 million, or 9.7%, demonstrating robust growth in core business areas, while acquisitions contributed an additional $9.1 million to sales growth.
- Future Financial Guidance: The company projects fiscal 2026 net sales between $4.35 billion and $4.45 billion, with gross profit expected between $1.053 billion and $1.076 billion, and adjusted EBITDA between $276 million and $286 million, indicating a positive outlook for future performance.
See More
The Chefs' Warehouse to Announce Q4 Earnings on February 11
- Earnings Announcement: The Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) is set to release its Q4 earnings on February 11 before market open, with a consensus EPS estimate of $0.62, reflecting a 12.7% year-over-year increase, indicating ongoing improvements in profitability.
- Revenue Expectations: The anticipated revenue for Q4 is $1.1 billion, representing a 6.4% year-over-year growth, showcasing the company's stable growth in the market despite competitive pressures.
- Historical Performance: Over the last two years, CHEF has exceeded EPS estimates 100% of the time and revenue estimates 88% of the time, reinforcing investor confidence through consistent performance.
- Estimate Revisions: In the past three months, EPS estimates have seen one upward and one downward revision, while revenue estimates have had one upward revision with no downward adjustments, reflecting a cautiously optimistic outlook from analysts regarding the company's future performance.
See More
Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) Projects FY 2026 Sales Between $4.35B and $4.45B
- Strong Sales Outlook: Chefs' Warehouse projects net sales for FY 2026 to be between $4.35 billion and $4.45 billion, reflecting robust performance in Q4 2025, indicating sustained market demand that could drive stock price appreciation.
- Stable Gross Profit: The company anticipates gross profit to range from $1.053 billion to $1.076 billion for FY 2026, showcasing its success in cost control and operational efficiency, thereby strengthening its position in the competitive food distribution market.
- Adjusted EBITDA Forecast: The expected adjusted EBITDA is projected to be between $276 million and $286 million, providing investors with a clearer view of the company's core operating performance, which may attract increased investor interest.
- Dilution Impact on Shares: The diluted share count is forecasted to be between 46.0 million and 46.7 million shares, including approximately 6.5 million shares from convertible notes, which may pressure earnings per share but also offers flexibility for future financing.
See More
CHEF Stock Fluctuates: 52-Week Low at $47.39
- Stock Price Analysis: CHEF's 52-week low is $47.39, with a high of $68.94, and the last trade at $60.20 indicates significant price fluctuations, reflecting market caution regarding its future performance.
- Technical Indicator Observation: The current price of $60.20 is below the 200-day moving average, suggesting a potentially bearish sentiment in the short term, prompting investors to monitor subsequent trends to assess risk.
- Market Sentiment Assessment: Despite the fluctuations within the 52-week range, the current price remains above the low point, indicating some market confidence in CHEF's fundamentals, though potential pullback risks should be noted.
- Investor Focus: Investors should closely watch CHEF's price movements in the coming trading days to adjust their investment strategies accordingly.
See More
