Sysco Corporation (SYY) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

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Overview

The earnings call summary reflects strong financial performance with growth in adjusted operating income and EBITDA. The Q&A section supports this with positive insights on local case growth, EPS guidance, and strategic initiatives like AI and automation. Despite a slight gross margin improvement, the overall sentiment remains positive due to strong top-line growth and operational efficiencies. The company's optimistic guidance and strategic growth plans suggest a positive stock price movement, potentially in the 2% to 8% range.

Key Financial Performance

Total Revenue Nearly $21 billion, a growth rate of 3% versus the prior year. The improvement was driven by positive case growth in local, specialty, national, and international business units.

USFS Local Case Volume Up 1.2% in the quarter, an improvement of 140 basis points versus Q1. This improvement was approximately 40 basis points stronger than previously guided, despite a decline in restaurant traffic.

National Business Volume Growth Generated volume growth of 0.4%. Growth in foodservice management, travel and entertainment, and healthcare was offset by softness in the national restaurant segment due to declining foot traffic.

International Segment Sales Growth Sales growth of 7.3% on a reported basis and 9.9% excluding the divestiture of Mexico. Local case growth was up 4.5%, driven by expanded supply chain capacity, increased availability of Sysco branded merchandise, increased sales headcount, and easier-to-use technology.

Adjusted Operating Income Growth (International) Nearly 26%, marking the ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit operating income growth. This was driven by disciplined expense management and local case growth.

Gross Profit $3.8 billion, up 3.9%, with gross margin expansion of 15 basis points to 18.3%. This reflects strategic sourcing efforts and effective management of product cost inflation.

Inflation Rates Approximately 2.9% for the enterprise and 1.4% for USBL. Moderation in inflation rates helped improve affordability across the industry.

Adjusted Operating Expenses $3 billion for the quarter or 14.4% of sales, a 15 basis points increase from the prior year. This reflects planned investments in growth areas, fleet, building expansion, and sales headcount.

Adjusted Operating Income $807 million for the quarter, reflecting improvements in local case volumes and strong growth in the International segment.

Adjusted EBITDA $1 billion, up 3.3% versus the prior year.

Free Cash Flow $413 million year-to-date, up 25%, highlighting strong quality of earnings and reflecting typical seasonality and timing of CapEx.

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Operating Highlights

Value Tier Product Expansion: Sysco is focusing on increasing the availability of products in the value tier of their product hierarchy to meet customer needs and grow business profitably.

AI 360 CRM Tool: Sysco has deployed an AI-powered CRM tool to improve sales productivity, with 95% of sales colleagues using it weekly. The tool provides suggestions for cost-saving product swaps, enhancing customer and sales rep profitability.

International Segment Growth: Sysco's international segment delivered 7.3% sales growth, with local case growth of 4.5%. This was driven by expanded supply chain capacity, increased availability of branded merchandise, and improved sales technology.

Acquisition of Ginsberg's Foods: Sysco acquired Ginsberg's Foods, a regional distributor in the Northeast, to expand customer base and leverage supply chain capabilities in a high-value region.

Supply Chain Productivity: Sysco improved supply chain productivity through better retention of warehouse and driver colleagues, leading to cost performance improvements.

Sales Colleague Retention: Sales colleague retention rates are at historical highs, contributing to improved productivity and customer retention.

Strategic Sourcing Efforts: Sysco's strategic sourcing initiatives have led to gross margin expansion and improved gross profit per case.

Leadership Transition: Sysco's COO, Greg Bertrand, is transitioning to retirement and will serve as a strategic adviser for a year, focusing on leadership development and strategic initiatives.

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Risk or Challenges

Declining Restaurant Traffic: The transcript highlights a decline in foot traffic to restaurants, which has negatively impacted Sysco's national chain restaurant customers. This poses a risk to volume growth in this segment.

Softening Macroeconomic Environment: Sysco acknowledges operating in a softening macroeconomic backdrop, which could impact overall business performance and customer demand.

National Restaurant Segment Weakness: The national restaurant segment experienced volume declines year-over-year, partially offsetting growth in other areas. This indicates challenges in maintaining growth in this key segment.

Supply Chain and Retention Challenges: While improvements were noted, Sysco's supply chain and workforce retention remain critical areas that could impact productivity and service levels if not managed effectively.

Inflation and Cost Management: Sysco faces inflationary pressures, particularly in product costs, which require disciplined margin management to maintain profitability.

Integration Risks from Acquisitions: The acquisition of Ginsberg's Foods introduces potential integration risks, including aligning operations and realizing expected synergies.

Dependence on AI Tools: Sysco's reliance on AI tools like AI360 for sales productivity could pose risks if adoption or effectiveness declines.

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Guidance & Outlook

Full Year Adjusted EPS: Sysco expects full year adjusted EPS to be at the high end of the previously provided annual guidance range of $4.50 to $4.60.

Second Half Local Case Growth: Sysco projects local case growth of at least 2.5% in both Q3 and Q4 of fiscal 2026, with 2.1% from organic growth and 0.5% from recent M&A activity.

National Contract Business Volume Growth: Case volume growth for national contract customers is expected to exceed 2% for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, driven by new customer wins and strength in non-restaurant business segments.

International Segment Growth: Sysco anticipates continued strong performance in its International segment, with sales growth driven by expanded supply chain capacity, increased availability of Sysco branded merchandise, and disciplined expense management.

Revenue Expectations: Sysco expects net sales growth of approximately 3% to 5% for fiscal year 2026, reaching $84 billion to $85 billion, supported by inflation of approximately 2%, volume growth, and M&A contributions.

Gross Margin Expansion: Sysco expects continued gross margin expansion in Q3, supported by strategic sourcing efforts and effective management of product cost inflation.

Dividend and Share Repurchase: Sysco plans to return approximately $1 billion in dividends and $1 billion in share repurchases for fiscal year 2026.

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Shareholder Return Plan

Dividend Growth: Sysco remains on target for shareholder returns through approximately $1 billion in dividends for FY '26. This represents a 6% year-over-year increase on a per share basis.

Share Repurchase Plan: Sysco plans to execute approximately $1 billion in share repurchases for FY '26. Share repurchase activity is expected to resume starting in Q3.

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Key Q&A

Q:Did you see much variation in local case growth on a monthly basis, and has January accelerated further given your momentum comment? Are you expecting much of a headwind related to recent winter storms?

A:Sysco's performance relative to the industry strengthened each month of Q2, with continued strength into January. January started strong, aided by favorable weather compared to the prior year, though some of that favorability may be offset by recent winter storms. The company does not speculate on weather impacts for the future.

Q:What is your assumption for the back half of the year when factoring in year-over-year comparisons and broader industry optimism?

A:Sysco anticipates a 2-year stack improvement in the second half versus the first half, with at least 2.5% growth in Q3 and Q4. The company is optimistic about the restaurant industry's adjustments to consumer value needs, such as menu price adjustments and portion sizes. Sysco also expects improved performance in its national business and potential tailwinds from higher consumer confidence and tax refunds.

Q:How much of the local case growth is coming from new account wins versus expanding penetration with existing accounts? Can you provide additional color on the spread between new versus lost accounts this quarter?

A:The improvement in local case growth is driven by new customer wins, improved customer retention due to better sales consultant retention, and increased penetration with existing customers. The spread between new and lost accounts widened in Q2 compared to the prior quarter and year. Penetration also improved despite a decline in restaurant traffic.

Q:What is driving the increased EPS guidance for fiscal 2026?

A:The increased EPS guidance is not driven by D&A but by strong top-line momentum, gross profit improvements, and operational efficiencies. Key drivers include local case growth, strategic sourcing benefits, specialty business momentum, and supply chain leverage. The company expects all growth in the back half to come from self-help initiatives rather than macroeconomic improvements.

Q:Why did gross margin improve only slightly in U.S. Foodservice despite strong top-line growth? How much do you expect gross margin to improve in the second half?

A:Gross margin improved due to local case growth outpacing national, strategic sourcing benefits, specialty business momentum, and international growth. The company expects gross margin expansion to continue in the second half, supported by these factors and a healthy supply chain ecosystem.

Q:What is the status of Sysco brand penetration, and what steps are being taken to improve it?

A:Sysco brand penetration is still down year-over-year but showed nominal improvement in Q2. The company is addressing this through merchandising (filling gaps in the value tier), pricing architecture (ensuring Sysco brand offers value), and sales force focus (promoting Sysco brand products during customer visits). Sysco expects positive year-over-year penetration in the second half of fiscal 2026.

Q:What are Sysco's plans for automation and AI in its operations?

A:Sysco is exploring material handling automation for warehouses, particularly for new facilities or expansions, to address rising labor costs and availability challenges. The company is also leveraging AI tools across various functions, including sales (AI360), HR, merchandising, and finance, to improve productivity and reduce costs.

Q:What is the capacity of seasoned sales consultants, and how does AI impact their productivity?

A:Seasoned sales consultants have capacity due to reduced administrative burdens enabled by AI tools like AI360. This allows them to spend more time with customers, increasing productivity. The company is using this increased capacity to drive sales growth rather than reducing headcount.

Q:Review of Unclear Management Responses

A:Management avoided providing a direct answer regarding the specific breakdown of the 140 basis points of local case growth improvement among new customer wins, customer retention, and penetration. Additionally, they did not provide a clear prediction on the impact of weather or macroeconomic factors on future performance, citing uncertainty.

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Earnings Word Cloud

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