CHEFMEDIUM SIGNALOPERATIONAL10-K

CHEF demonstrated strong operational performance with 30% net income growth and revenue expansion from $3.8B to $4.1B, while removing all references to COVID-19 pandemic impacts and shifting technology investment focus.

The company has clearly moved beyond pandemic-related challenges and is now emphasizing organic growth and strategic technology investments in supply chain planning systems. The removal of specific acquisition metrics (sixteen acquisitions totaling $326.2M) suggests a potential shift from acquisition-heavy growth to more organic expansion strategies.

Comparing 2026-02-24 vs 2025-02-25View on EDGAR →
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

CHEF delivered robust profitability with net income surging 30.4% to $72.4M and operating income growing 13.2% to $145.1M, supported by strong revenue growth to $4.1B. However, operating cash flow declined 15.6% to $129.2M despite higher profits, while inventory increased 22.1% to $385.7M, suggesting either growth-related working capital needs or potential efficiency challenges. The overall picture shows a company successfully scaling operations and profitability but requiring closer monitoring of cash conversion and inventory management.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT CHANGES
Net Income
P&L
+30.4%
$55.5M$72.4M

Net income grew 30.4% — bottom-line growth signals improving overall business health.

Inventory
Balance Sheet
+22.1%
$316.0M$385.7M

Inventory built 22.1% — monitor whether demand supports this build or if write-downs may follow.

Operating Cash Flow
Cash Flow
-15.6%
$153.1M$129.2M

Operating cash flow softened — monitor whether temporary working capital timing or structural deterioration.

Share Buybacks
Cash Flow
-13.7%
$17.4M$15.0M

Buyback activity reduced 13.7% — capital being redeployed elsewhere or cash conservation underway.

Operating Income
P&L
+13.2%
$128.2M$145.1M

Operating income improving — cost discipline or growing revenue base absorbing fixed costs.

Stockholders Equity
Balance Sheet
+12.4%
$537.6M$604.3M

Equity base grew 12.4% — retained earnings accumulation or equity issuance strengthening the balance sheet.

Current Assets
Balance Sheet
+11.7%
$868.0M$969.9M

Current assets grew 11.7% — improving short-term liquidity or inventory/receivables build.

Current Liabilities
Balance Sheet
+11.3%
$425.4M$473.5M

Current liabilities rose 11.3% — increased short-term obligations, watch current ratio.

LANGUAGE CHANGES
NEW — 2026-02-24
PRIOR — 2025-02-25
ADDED
Our net revenues have increased from approximately $1.7 billion for the fiscal year ended December 24, 2021 to $4.1 billion for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2025.
Our historical sales growth is the result of an increase in the breadth and depth of our product portfolio, our commitment to customer service, the efforts of our experienced and sophisticated sales professionals, the increased use of technology in the operations and management of our business and our ongoing consolidation of the fragmented specialty foodservice distribution industry.
Our completed acquisitions have increased our penetration in existing markets, expanded our footprint into new markets and/or enhanced our product capabilities.
We funded these acquisitions with cash generated from our operations and borrowings under our credit facilities.
We have no meaningful customer concentration as our top ten customers accounted for approximately 6% of total net sales for our 2025 fiscal year.
Over recent years, we have made significant investments in warehousing technology, business intelligence and customer relationship management software and are in the process of implementing a supply chain planning system.
Our systems improvements include the implementation of advanced picking solutions, mobile selling tools and analytical finance tools.
We are utilizing advancements in search and artificial intelligence to enable us to better predict our customers needs so that we can deliver the same level of service online as we do offline.
We are also leveraging reporting and analytics platforms that provides our sales and operations management with the information required to drive efficiency and growth.
We believe that our current systems are scalable and can be leveraged together with targeted investments in new technology like artificial intelligence, robotics, drones and low-code development to provide the fuel to drive profitable growth.
REMOVED
Our net revenues have increased from approximately $1.1 billion for the fiscal year ended December 25, 2020 to $3.8 billion for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2024.
Our historical sales growth and our ability to manage through the material adverse impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on our business are the result of an increase in the breadth and depth of our product portfolio, our commitment to customer service, the efforts of our experienced and sophisticated sales professionals, the increased use of technology in the operations and management of our business and our ongoing consolidation of the fragmented specialty foodservice distribution industry.
Since December 25, 2020, we have completed sixteen acquisitions which have increased our penetration in existing markets, expanded our footprint into new markets and/or enhanced our product capabilities.
The up-front cash purchase prices for these sixteen acquisitions was more than $326.2 million, which we funded with cash generated from our operations and borrowings under our then existing credit facilities.
We have no meaningful customer concentration as our top ten customers accounted for less than 6% of total net sales for our 2024 fiscal year.
Over recent years, we have made significant investments in distribution, sales, information and warehouse management systems and are in the process of implementing and improving a fully-integrated Enterprise Resource Planning system.
Our systems improvements include the implementation of route optimization software, a warehouse management system at all specialty warehouses that integrates with pick-to-voice and directed put-away systems.
We believe we will be able to utilize advancements in search and artificial intelligence to enable us to better predict our customers needs so that we can deliver the same level of service online as we do offline.
We also leverage a reporting and analytics platform that provides our sales team and management with the information required to drive efficiency and growth.
We believe that our current systems are scalable and can be leveraged together with targeted investments in new technology to provide the fuel to drive profitable growth.
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