Is UNFI a buy according to UQS?

UQS rates UNFI as Below Average at 32.0/100, driven primarily by a Valuation pillar of 77.3 offset by a Risk pillar of just 7.8. The low composite score reflects structural concerns — interest coverage of 0.8x, ROIC of 1.5% vs the sector median of 5.2%, and decelerating forward revenue growth of 0.8% — that outweigh the apparent valuation cheapness on P/FCF and forward P/E metrics.

What is UNFI's PEG ratio and what does it mean?

UNFI's PEG ratio is -1.54, which is not analytically meaningful because trailing earnings are negative (TTM net margin of -0.3%). A negative PEG cannot be interpreted using the standard framework where below 1.0 signals cheapness relative to growth. The more relevant valuation anchors are the forward P/E of 15.2 and P/FCF of 6.9, both of which appear undemanding in isolation. See the [PEG ratio explainer](/learn/peg-ratio).

Why might UNFI's UQS Score change?

The UQS Score updates daily based on trailing twelve-month financials and forward analyst estimates. For UNFI, the most sensitive inputs are operating margin (currently 0.3%), interest coverage (0.8x), and forward EPS estimates (263.9% growth expected). If margin recovery materializes or leverage decreases, the Risk and Quality pillars could improve. Conversely, estimate downgrades or EBITDA compression would likely push the composite score lower.

UNFI

Consumer Defensive

United Natural Foods, Inc. · Food Distribution · $3B

UQS Score — Balanced Preset

32.8

Below Average

United Natural Foods, Inc. scores 32.8/100 using the Balanced preset.

UQS vs Consumer Defensive Sector

UNFI

32.8

Sector avg

38.4

Quality

Weak

Moat

Weak

Growth

Weak

Risk

Weak

Valuation

Attractive

UNFI Price History

+37.6% over 5Y

Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.

Return Calculator

What if I invested in United Natural Foods, Inc.?

If I had invested

Starting

Today it would be worth

$12,353

That's a +23.5% total return, or +4.3% annualized.

Based on United Natural Foods, Inc.'s historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.

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Pro Analysis

UNFI — Score History

Score changes· 30/40 most recent

Date	UQS	Quality	Moat	Growth	Risk	Value	Change
Jul 8, 2026	32.2	35.4	22.0	25.5	8.8	76.0	0.0
Jul 7, 2026	32.2	35.4	22.0	25.5	8.8	76.2	-0.2
Jul 1, 2026	32.4	35.4	22.0	25.5	8.8	77.5	+0.1
Jun 30, 2026	32.3	35.4	22.0	25.5	8.8	76.8	+0.3
Jun 28, 2026	32.0	35.4	22.0	25.5	8.8	75.2	+0.4
Jun 27, 2026	31.6	35.4	22.0	25.5	8.8	72.5	+0.1
Jun 26, 2026	31.5	35.4	22.0	25.5	8.8	71.4	-0.7
Jun 25, 2026	32.2	35.4	22.0	25.5	8.8	76.1	+0.6
Jun 23, 2026	31.6	35.5	22.0	25.4	8.8	71.9	+0.1
Jun 20, 2026	31.5	35.5	22.0	25.4	8.8	71.3	0.0

UNFI — Pillar Breakdown

◆

Quality

— 35.4/100 (25%)

United Natural Foods, Inc. has average quality metrics, with room for improvement in margins or capital efficiency.

Capital Efficiency (ROIC)Weak

How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.

Return on EquityWeak

Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.

Operating ProfitabilityWeak

Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.

Net ProfitabilityWeak

Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.

Gross Profit / AssetsStrong

Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.

Cash GenerationStrong

Free cash flow relative to market value.

▲

Growth

— 25.5/100 (20%)

United Natural Foods, Inc. faces growth headwinds with declining or stagnant revenue trends.

Recent Revenue TrendWeak

Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.

3Y Revenue CAGRWeak

Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.

EPS GrowthWeak

Year-over-year earnings per share growth.

Forward Revenue OutlookWeak

Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.

Forward EPS GrowthStrong

Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.

◈

Risk

— 8.8/100 (15%)

United Natural Foods, Inc. presents elevated risk with concerns around leverage or financial stability.

Financial LeverageWeak

Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.

Debt/EquityWeak

Total debt relative to shareholder equity.

Current RatioWeak

Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.

Interest CoverageWeak

Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.

●

Valuation

— 80.1/100 (15%)

United Natural Foods, Inc. appears attractively valued relative to its earnings, cash flows, and sector peers.

Earnings YieldModerate

Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.

Price to Free Cash FlowStrong

How many years of FCF the market cap represents.

PEG RatioStrong

P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.

EV/EBITDA vs SectorModerate

Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.

⬡

Moat

— 22/100 (25%)

United Natural Foods, Inc. operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for UNFI.

Score Composition

Quality

35.4×25%8.8

Growth

25.5×20%5.1

Risk

8.8×15%1.3

Valuation

80.1×15%12.0

Moat

22.0×25%5.5

Total

32.8Below Average

Financial Data

More Stock Analysis

How is the UNFI UQS Score Calculated?

The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for United Natural Foods, Inc. is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.

Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.

Moat (25%) assesses United Natural Foods, Inc.'s competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.

Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.

Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.

Valuation (15%) measures whether United Natural Foods, Inc. is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.

Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.