A decade ago, Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR | MSTR Price Prediction) was a forgettable enterprise analytics company that traded under the name MicroStrategy. The business intelligence software was fine. The stock was sleepy. Then founder Michael Saylor decided to torch the playbook.
In August 2020, the company made bitcoin its primary treasury reserve asset, becoming the first major public company to do so. The stock stopped behaving like a software ticker and started behaving like a leveraged bitcoin proxy. A 10-for-1 stock split hit in August 2024, the company officially rebranded to Strategy in February 2025, and CEO Phong Le turned the capital markets desk into a perpetual motion machine, raising $25.3 billion in 2025 alone to buy more coins. Today, Strategy holds 713,502 bitcoins, the largest corporate stash on earth.
Your $1,000 Became $6,212, But the Last Year Hurt 10-Year Return
Initial Investment: $1,000 Current Value: $6,212 Total Return: 521.21% Annualized Return: ~20% S&P 500 (same period): $3,484 (248.43%) 5-Year Return
Initial Investment: $1,000 Current Value: $2,485 Total Return: 148.5% Annualized Return: ~20% S&P 500 (same period): $1,745 (74.53%) 1-Year Return
Initial Investment: $1,000 Current Value: $327 Total Return: -67.34% S&P 500 (same period): $1,244 (24.37%) The 10-year number crushes the S&P 500, but almost all of that outperformance came after the 2020 bitcoin pivot. Holding through it required stomach. Shares ran to $396.51 at the Q2 2025 filing in July, then collapsed to $106 by the February 2026 Q4 earnings report as bitcoin slid roughly 40% over the past year. Q4 2025 alone produced a $12.44 billion net loss, driven by a $17.44 billion unrealized loss on the bitcoin pile.
I’d Buy It Only If I Wanted Leveraged Bitcoin I’d put $1,000 into Strategy today if I genuinely believe bitcoin heads materially higher from here and I want amplified exposure with no key-management headache. The bull case is simple: BTC rebounds, the $3.4 billion STRC platform keeps scaling, and the Bitcoin Per Share flywheel makes every dilutive raise accretive. The software business is a quiet kicker, with subscription services up 62.1% YoY.
But I’d avoid it if I’m not ready to underwrite bitcoin itself. Strategy carries $8.2 billion in long-term debt, perpetual preferred dividend obligations growing toward 11.25%, constant ATM dilution, and trades at a premium to its underlying coins. When BTC falls, MSTR falls harder. That last year proved it.
Personally, I lean to the sidelines. If I want bitcoin, I’ll buy bitcoin. The leverage cuts both ways, and the past twelve months were the wrong direction.
Strategy Inc. remains a leveraged play on Bitcoin, despite a recent deviation from its 'never sell' doctrine. The company's preferred stock overhang introduces a genuine new risk, with annual dividend obligations exceeding $750 million and declining USD reserves. MSTR's recent purchase of 1,550 BTC at $65,332 per coin helps average down its cost basis, reinforcing the long-term bullish thesis.
Michael Saylor said Monday that Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) shareholders had approved an amendment moving STRC preferred dividends from monthly to semi-monthly.
The first record date is June 30 and the first payment July 15.
Schiff’s Flywheel ArgumentPeter Schiff, the gold bug and persistent Bitcoin critic, was not impressed by the new changes.
He posted that Strategy’s original model generated positive Bitcoin yield by issuing common stock at a premium to net asset value, then later by issuing preferred stock at coupons below Bitcoin’s expected appreciation.
Now, Schiff argued, Saylor is “forcing common shareholders to accept a negative Bitcoin yield just to prop up Bitcoin.”
The dedicated $1 billion preferred-dividend backstop, disclosed the same morning, lines up neatly with that structural critique. Schiff has spent the past several weeks calling STRC a classic centralized Ponzi, arguing the dividend model depends on continuous capital inflows.
The First Bitcoin Sale Since 2022Strategy also sold 32 Bitcoin for roughly $2.5 million between May 26 and May 31, its first disclosed sale since December 2022. The amount is symbolic, but it puts Saylor’s May earnings call line about selling bitcoin “to inoculate the market” into practice.
Two Prime CEO Alexander Blume warned last week that Saylor may have “flown too close to the sun,” arguing the preferred-stack math could force more Bitcoin sales to fund STRC dividends.
MSTR is trading at $127, up roughly 5% Monday, with Bitcoin near $63,500.
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Strategy (MSTR - Free Report) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.
Shares of this business software company have returned -35.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% change. The Zacks Financial - Miscellaneous Services industry, to which Strategy belongs, has lost 6.5% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
For the current quarter, Strategy is expected to post earnings of $52.04 per share, indicating a change of +59.6% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
The consensus earnings estimate of $116.7 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +866.3%. This estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $74.73 indicates a change of -36% from what Strategy is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) for Strategy.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth ForecastWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
In the case of Strategy, the consensus sales estimate of $126.95 million for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +10.9%. The $503.9 million and $498 million estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +5.6% and -1.2%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryStrategy reported revenues of $124.3 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +11.9%. EPS of -$38.25 for the same period compares with -$16.49 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $124.6 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -0.24%. The EPS surprise was -1021.7%.
Over the last four quarters, Strategy surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.
ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Strategy is graded F on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Strategy. However, its Zacks Rank #5 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.
Lawrence Lepard, a longtime bitcoin investor and advocate, laid out one of the most aggressive bull cases for Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR | MSTR Price Prediction) on a recent appearance on Thoughtful Money with Adam Taggart. Lepard says he is buying shares both for his fund and personally, and his target price is striking: “I think it’s a $1,000 stock within a few years.”
MSTR last traded around $127.69 after falling 35.53% over the past month and 67.34% over the past year, alongside a sharp pullback in Bitcoin, which is down 21.27% over the past month to about $63,495.
The $1,000 Call and the Leverage Thesis Lepard’s idea is that MSTR is a leveraged proxy on Bitcoin. Strategy borrows in dollars, issues equity and preferred stock, and channels the proceeds into Bitcoin. That structure amplifies Bitcoin’s moves in both directions, which is why MSTR has historically outrun Bitcoin in rallies and undercut it in drawdowns. “I’m very, very bullish on MicroStrategy,” Lepard said, framing Strategy stock as the most concentrated way to express his view that Bitcoin annual returns continue in the 30-40% range.
The Weimar Germany Analogy Lepard compares Michael Saylor’s strategy of borrowing in fiat currency to buy bitcoin to that of a Weimar-era investor who borrowed money to buy industrial businesses. As the value of the German currency collapsed, investors who had borrowed money to purchase hard assets such as businesses, real estate, or commodities often saw their assets rise in value while their debt became easier to repay in increasingly devalued currency.
In an inflationary environment, debt denominated in a depreciating currency becomes easier to service over time, while the hard asset purchased with that debt appreciates in real terms. Lepard’s broader macro view is that, “the monetary system we’ve constructed is fatally flawed.” This is his foundation for treating Bitcoin as digital gold and MSTR as a vehicle to compound it.
The Stretch Preferred and Financial Engineering The newest piece of Saylor’s financing stack is the Stretch preferred stock. It pays an 11.5% dividend, with proceeds generated from the preferred stock used to buy more bitcoin. “To me, it’s an intelligent corporate financial engineering bet,” he said.
The strategy is straightforward: raise capital through high-yield preferred stock offerings, invest the proceeds into Bitcoin, and rely on Bitcoin’s appreciation to more than cover the dividend payments. The challenge is that an 11.5% dividend is a fixed obligation that must be paid regardless of whether Bitcoin is trading at $100,000 or $40,000.
Saylor Becomes the “Richest Man in the World” or Bankrupt Lepard is candid that the outcome for Strategy is binary. On the upside, he believes Saylor “will end up probably the richest man in the world, but it’ll probably take 20 years for that to happen.” On the downside, if Bitcoin fails, Saylor “is going to go bankrupt faster than anybody else.” His conviction is unambiguous: “I kind of feel like we’ve won this game now. It’s become pretty obvious we’ve won this game.”
Prediction markets paint a more measured picture. Polymarket traders assign only an 8% probability of a MicroStrategy margin call in 2026, but just a 36% probability that the company reaches 1 million BTC by year-end. Sell-side analysts maintain a consensus target of $351.54, with 14 buy ratings and 1 hold, well below Lepard’s $1,000 figure but well above today’s price.
Lepard’s MSTR thesis is among the most aggressive expressions of Bitcoin bullishness in public markets. The same financial engineering that makes the $1,000 scenario possible, layered preferreds and dollar-denominated debt funding bitcoin purchases, also stacks fixed obligations that get harder to meet if Bitcoin keeps sliding. MSTR is a leveraged, binary-outcome way to play bitcoin rather than a substitute for owning it directly.
Cryptocurrency markets began soaring following the 2024 U.S. presidential election, reaching new all-time highs in August 2025 as the crypto-friendly Trump administration began implementing policies. But this summer has been anything but sunny for crypto markets. Bitcoin has erased all its post-election gains over the last few weeks, dipping below the critical $60,000 level for the first time since September 2024. Crypto is naturally a tornado of volatility, but this time the market action appears to be generating from major institutional players, not retail investors.
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Why Crypto Markets Are Crashing in 2026The total crypto assets market cap has fallen to under $2.5 trillion, down from nearly $4.4 trillion just eight months ago. After moving in tandem with the Nasdaq 100 for much of the AI rally, Bitcoin and its cohorts have become dislocated from the tech sector due to a host of industry and macroeconomic factors.
Institutional Derisking: This should be the biggest concern amongst crypto investors. Bitcoin ETFs are seeing record outflows so far in 2026, including the newer spot ETFs that were viewed as less risky than the futures-based funds. Institutional funds have been a constant and reliable liquidity source, and if this capital exits the market, volatility will only get worse.
Treasury Drag: Digital asset treasury companies have become a popular trade over the last few years. These companies would issue equity to buy digital assets, and investors would happily pay a premium for the stock to gain crypto exposure. However, as crypto prices plummet, these treasury companies could be forced sellers at prices below cost basis to cover other obligations. We’ll delve into an example in a minute.
Geopolitical Shocks, Hawkish Policy, and Risk Rotation: While not crypto-specific, the specter of lingering inflation and high rates continues to weigh on volatile, risky assets. Market participants now consider rate hikes as likely as rate cuts this year, which is dampening crypto enthusiasm. Additionally, AI stocks have stolen the spotlight for retail risk seekers, and many former crypto traders now seek the volatility of memory or AI infrastructure stocks.
3 Stocks to Avoid as Cryptocurrencies PlummetCrypto’s in trouble at the moment, and any urge to buy the dip is probably best left ignored. Bitcoin at $60,000 is still “only” 50% off its all-time high (a drawdown for ants, Bitcoin HODLers will tell you), and industry news continues to lean negative. Here are three stocks unlikely to get hot this summer:
Strategy: Bitcoin Sales Trigger Larger WorriesCEO Michael Saylor has been one of the world's biggest Bitcoin bulls, but apparently even he sees trouble ahead. Last week, Strategy Inc. NASDAQ: MSTR announced it had sold Bitcoin for the first time since 2022, dumping 32 tokens for approximately $2.5 million. Yes, 32 Bitcoins is a trivial amount for a company that holds more than 800,000 in total, but the reason for the sale spooked investors more than the amount. Strategy sold Bitcoin to cover dividend obligations from its preferred stock, STRC, which dipped below par to $95 on June 3. STRC is issued to fund Strategy’s Bitcoin purchases and prevent dilution of common shareholders, but the dividend bump signals softening demand for the preferred.
Strategy purchased more Bitcoin during the recent dip, but the “Never Sell” narrative has blown up, and weak demand for preferred shares puts the company’s whole treasury strategy at risk. MSTR shares have closely tracked Bitcoin spot prices, and like BTC, the stock is back at September 2024 levels. No technical signals hinting at a reversal yet either; in fact, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicators both continue to shed momentum.
Bullish: High Beta Exchange With Dwindling VolumeBullish Inc. NYSE: BLSH went public last summer, and its first year in public markets hasn’t exactly lived up to its namesake. Bullish is a cryptocurrency exchange similar to Coinbase Global Inc. NASDAQ: COIN.
Its shares now trade below their IPO price, thanks to declining trading volumes. The company missed earnings-per-share estimates in its Q1 2026 report on May 14, largely due to slowing growth in trading revenue. The $4.2 billion acquisition of Equiniti is also a huge risk, considering Bullish’s current market cap sits at $4.1 billion.
There appears to be no end in sight to the drawdown. The stock is revisiting the February all-time lows, and the RSI and MACD show sellers are in full control at the moment. Unless trading volumes return, it's probably best to bet bearish on Bullish.
ProShares Bitcoin ETF: Higher Costs and Risks Compared to Spot ETFsThe ProShares Bitcoin ETF NYSEARCA: BITO was one of the first Bitcoin ETFs available on U.S. exchanges, but its strategy has quickly become outdated. BITO holds a combination of CME Bitcoin futures contracts and U.S. Treasuries, aiming to mimic Bitcoin's price without actually holding it. But now that spot ETFs are on the market, holders are paying a 0.95% expense ratio for a fund facing decay risk. When Bitcoin prices decline, BITO is forced to roll its expiring futures into more expensive, later-dated contracts, which erodes the fund's net asset value (NAV) and causes underperformance relative to Bitcoin's spot price. A sustained drawdown is the worst type of bear market for futures-based funds like BITO.
BITO has lost more than 60% over the last 52 weeks, failing to capitalize on the crypto rally following Trump’s election win. The stock recently hit a new all-time low after another failed 50-day moving average breakout, and the MACD shows a complete collapse in buying. With assets under management (AUM) now below $1.50 billion, this is looking increasingly like an obsolete asset headed for dissolution.
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Lawrence Lepard, a longtime bitcoin investor and author, spoke with host Adam Taggart on the Thoughtful Money podcast episode "The Next Big Money Printing Cycle Is Almost Here," and planted a contrarian flag. With Bitcoin sliding to around $63,000 from its all-time high of $124,000-$126,000, Lepard told listeners, "There were a lot of people ready to... Top Bitcoin Analyst Predicts $200K Within Two Years: 'We're Either At Or Within Spitting Distance Of A Bottom'
On Friday, June 5, Bitcoin fell below $60,000 for the first time since October 2024, putting the asset down roughly 50% from its peak. While Bitcoin has rebounded to over $63,000 as of Monday, June 8, it’s clear that crypto investors have missed out on the gains the market has seen so far this year. However, John D’Agostino, Head of Institutional Strategy at Coinbase, told CNBC on June 8 that both retail and institutional investors are treating crypto as a long-duration asset to buy and hold, signaling confidence in the asset.
Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN | COIN Price Prediction) trades at $161.49 after a 32.61% year-to-date drawdown, and spot bitcoin proxy Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (NYSEARCA:FBTC) is down 31.18% YTD. The behavioral question D’Agostino raises matters precisely because the tape looks ugly.
The Institutional “Buy The Discount” Signal D’Agostino frames institutional behavior as conviction buying. “I have the luxury of speaking to institutional investors. They’ve put months and years into looking at this asset class. So when they do that, and it’s cheaper, they like it,” he said. His line captures the mindset: “They loved it at 125, they liked it at 100, and they love it even more at 65.”
Investors should remember that D’Agostino is a Coinbase executive and benefits when interest in crypto grows. At the same time, few people have more direct exposure to institutional crypto flows, giving him a unique vantage point on how large investors are behaving during market downturns.
The new entrants he flags are family offices and sovereign wealth funds in the UAE, accumulating at lower prices. That mirrors what Coinbase has been reporting in its filings: institutional transaction revenue of $136 million in Q1 2026 held up even as total crypto market capitalization and trading volumes both fell more than 20% sequentially. Coinbase also flagged its 12th consecutive quarter of net native unit inflows, with strength in BTC, ETH, and SOL.
The Retail Stickiness Signal “We’re still at about $100 billion of bitcoin ETF exposure. Just think about that. This is a very, very new product. The price has dropped almost 50% from the peak. And we’ve only seen about 15% drawdown in the retail interest,” D’Agostino said, pointing to retail ETF balances that have barely budged.
In prior cycles, retail capitulated hard on drawdowns of this size. ETF holdings barely budging against a roughly 50% price decline is a different behavioral pattern. D’Agostino’s summary: “I think both retail and institutional are signaling this is a long-term asset you want to hold.”
Conversations on Reddit tell a more cautious story. Discussions around MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) in early June centered on the company’s first bitcoin sale since 2022, a $2.5 million disposition, with sentiment skewing bearish.
The Regulatory Infrastructure Tailwind D’Agostino also pointed to policy progress: “We have seven bills circulating that will do great things for the institutional piping that supports bitcoin and other crypto assets.” Cleaner tax treatment and market-structure rules lower friction for large allocators to participate at scale, which supports the durable-asset-class thesis over time.
Coinbase recently detailed a 14% headcount reduction targeting approximately $500 million in annualized cost savings, alongside $303.3 million in adjusted EBITDA, marking its 13th consecutive positive quarter.
What It Means For Investors The broader thesis is that crypto is evolving from a speculative trade into a long-term portfolio allocation. According to D’Agostino, both institutional and retail investors held through Bitcoin’s roughly 50% drawdown rather than rushing for the exits. Investors who want regulated exposure typically use spot bitcoin ETFs or crypto-linked equities such as Coinbase or MicroStrategy, the latter of which holds 845,256 BTC as of June 8, 2026.
Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR | MSTR Price Prediction) is positioned as a long-horizon vehicle because it is the only public-market structure engineered to compound a fixed-supply monetary asset across unlimited capital-markets cycles, with a balance sheet built to outlast bitcoin’s drawdowns rather than be liquidated by them.
Pillar 1: Structural Durability The forever case starts with a balance sheet no peer has replicated. Strategy holds 818,334 BTC as of May 3, 2026, a position worth roughly $54 billion and backed by $36.65 billion in shareholders’ equity. In 2025 the company raised $25.3 billion in capital, making it the largest equity issuer among U.S. public companies for the second consecutive year, and it has already pulled in $11.68 billion through ATM offerings YTD 2026. That capital-markets machinery, paired with the legacy software business whose subscription revenue grew to $58.88 million at a 67.1% gross margin, is the durable engine.
Pillar 2: Compounding, Not Income MSTR common stock pays no dividend. The compounding mechanism is bitcoin-per-share growth, measured as BTC Yield, which ran 9.4% YTD 2026 after 22.8% in full-year 2025. The preferred stack handles cash income for investors who want it: STRC scaled to an $8.5 billion market cap in 9 months, paying $0.96 per share monthly at an 11.50% annualized rate. For the common, the long arithmetic is bitcoin’s own: BTC is up 10,228% over the past ten years, and MSTR has captured that asymmetry, returning 577.46% over the same decade.
Pillar 3: Cycle Survival Surviving bitcoin winters is the entire engineering problem, and Strategy has built for it. A $2.25 billion USD Reserve covers 2.5 years of dividend and interest obligations against $8.17 billion in long-term debt. The ASU 2023-08 fair value accounting standard means quarterly mark-to-market noise no longer threatens covenants the way it once did. Prediction markets agree: traders on Polymarket assign a 92.5% probability that MSTR is not margin called in 2026. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Citi are launching bitcoin ETFs, trading, custody, and lending, validating the thesis the company built five years before Wall Street arrived.
Where the Thesis Underperforms A multi-year bitcoin bear market is the clear failure mode. Q1 2026 produced a $14.46 billion unrealized loss, BTC has fallen 43.15% over the past year, and MSTR has dropped 66.03% with it. A holder who needed to sell in this window would be punished. That doesn’t change the forever thesis because the structural design, perpetual preferreds, term debt, and the USD Reserve, means time is the variable the company manages. Drawdowns are the cost of entry under this design.
At $127.20, with the stock trading near a price-to-book ratio of 1, the math favors holders who can wait through cycles. The structural design rewards multi-cycle holders.
Is Strategy Safe?The bet has seen limited participation as of this writing, attracting slightly more than $162,000 in wagers.
The State Of Saylor’s StrategyConcerns about the Strategy's financial strength rose after it disclosed Bitcoin sales last week, undermining the "never sell" thesis that bullish investors had counted on.
The sale triggered instant panic, with Bitcoin tumbling below $60,000 to hit its lowest level since October 2024. The company’s shares plunged 40% over the week, and unrealized losses on its BTC holdings have ballooned to a record $12 billion.
As of this writing, Strategy’s Bitcoin reserves are valued at nearly $52 billion, enough to cover 30 months of its dividend and interest obligations. The firm also holds $1 billion in cash reserves, and there are no major debt maturities until 2028.
Critics Aren’t ConvincedEconomist Peter Schiff, meanwhile, predicted doomsday for the Bitcoin treasury company, highlighting a major problem with its capital allocation model.
Grayscale Head of Research Zach Pandl said last week that the firm’s levered business model “is under pressure” and creating problems for the BTC market as a whole.
Price Action: At the time of writing, BTC was exchanging hands at $61,429.92, down 2.24% over the last 24 hours, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
Strategy shares fell 0.36% in after-hours trading after closing 8% lower at $117.02 during Tuesday’s regular trading session. Year-to-date, the stock has plummeted 23%.
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate that MSTR has underperformed with a weaker price trend across short-, medium-, and long-term timeframes.
Photo: PJ McDonnell / Shutterstock.com
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The Edge Ranking CollapseThe momentum score, which measures a stock’s relative strength based on price movement patterns and volatility, collapsed from 10.43 to 6.32 for all five funds.
This steep decline squarely places these ETFs in the bottom 10% of the market. Furthermore, all five funds are exhibiting negative price trends across short, medium, and long-term horizons, signaling intense and sustained downward pressure.
BTC Price ActionAt the last check, Bitcoin was trading 3.15% lower at $61,329.31 per coin, as per the last 24 hours. It was lower by 51.37% from its all-time high of $126,198.07. Meanwhile, here is how the five BTC-linked ETFs have performed.
Triggers Behind The PlungeAlthough financially small, the move was symbolically significant, raising concerns about corporate treasury models. Lucy Gazmararian described the current environment as a “classic mid-cycle” bear market.
Compounding the stress was the geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East, accelerating ETF outflows.
A Silver Lining For Accumulation?Despite the bleeding, some experts view this downturn as a cyclical reset. Analyst Michaël van de Poppe called the recent sell-off “relatively irrational,” suggesting that a clean break above $65,000 could trigger a strong run to $74,000.
Additionally, analyst Ali Martinez noted that the flush-out is creating “premier accumulation windows” in the $53,900 and $43,150 ranges.
While market sentiment remains “incredibly shaky,” CryptoQuant emphasizes that the current “meaningful” stress—with 40% of supply in loss—often precedes deep bear market bottoms.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
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Key Takeaways Strategy posted $124.3M in Q1 revenues against Bitcoin holdings valued above $64B.MSTR reported a $12.5B net loss after a $14.5B unrealized Bitcoin-related loss.Strategy raised $11.7B via capital markets as external financing remains critical. Strategy Inc.’s (MSTR - Free Report) relatively small operating revenue base is raising concerns about whether its core business can adequately support the risks associated with its rapidly expanding Bitcoin-heavy balance sheet.
In the first quarter of 2026, Strategy generated just $124.3 million in revenues, while its Bitcoin holdings were valued at more than $64 billion. The disparity underscores how heavily the company now relies on Bitcoin price appreciation and capital market activity rather than recurring software revenue growth. Although revenues rose 11.9% year over year, they remain modest relative to the company’s massive exposure to digital assets and growing financial obligations.
The imbalance became more evident during the quarter, when Strategy reported a $14.5 billion unrealized loss tied to Bitcoin price declines, resulting in a net loss of $12.5 billion. At the same time, the company carried $13.5 billion in preferred equity outstanding and $8.2 billion in convertible debt. Cumulative preferred dividend payments have already exceeded $692 million.
MSTR continues to rely primarily on equity and preferred issuances, rather than internally generated operating cash flow, to finance Bitcoin purchases. Year to date, Strategy raised roughly $11.7 billion through capital markets activities.
In May 2026, Strategy’s $1.5 billion debt repurchase reduced its USD reserve, underscoring how MSTR’s relatively small operating revenue base is increasing balance sheet risks as the company remains heavily dependent on Bitcoin performance and external financing. Unless the software business scales meaningfully over time, continued reliance on external financing could place additional pressure on the balance sheet.
How Rivals Compare Against MSTR’s Financial StrategyCoinbase Global (COIN - Free Report) benefits from diversified crypto revenues, stronger liquidity and regulatory engagement versus Strategy, reducing dependence on leveraged Bitcoin accumulation. COIN also maintains sizeable custodial and subscription businesses that support recurring cash flow stability. Compared with MSTR’s concentrated Bitcoin balance sheet strategy, COIN appears operationally stronger, though COIN still faces earnings volatility during prolonged digital asset downturns.
Riot Platforms, Inc. (RIOT - Free Report) competes with Strategy through direct Bitcoin mining exposure and infrastructure ownership rather than debt-driven Bitcoin purchases. RIOT benefits from energy partnerships, scalable mining capacity and operational leverage tied to Bitcoin prices. Still, RIOT faces risks from power costs, mining difficulty and weaker recurring revenue visibility. Compared with MSTR’s leveraged treasury model, RIOT offers asset-backed exposure.
MSTR’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Strategy have declined 23% in the year-to-date period, underperforming the Zacks Finance sector’s modest 1.2% gain and the Financial - Miscellaneous Services industry’s 9.9% fall.
MSTR’s YTD Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, MSTR appears overvalued, trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio of 81.81, significantly higher than the sector’s 8.82X. MSTR carries a Value Score of F.
MSTR’s Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MSTR’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $116.7 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days. The estimate also indicates a sharp year-over-year improvement from a loss of $15.23 per share.
$10,000 dropped into T-REX 2X LONG MSTR DAILY TARGET ETF (NASDAQ:MSTU) on November 1, 2024 is worth about $561 today, and that figure already accounts for the 1-for-10 reverse split that took effect on December 3, 2025. The fund went out at a split-adjusted $67.40 in early November 2024, and it trades at $3 today. MSTU printed a return of negative 94% over that window. From the late-November 2024 intraday peak (which sat well above the split-adjusted open), buy-and-hold drawdown lands closer to 98%.
Crucially, the underlying did not lose anywhere near that much. Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR | MSTR Price Prediction), the Michael Saylor Bitcoin-treasury vehicle that MSTU is built to track at 2x daily, fell 45% over the exact same November 2024 to June 2026 window, from $229.71 to $127.20. Bitcoin itself fell 43% year over year and trades near $62,500. The leveraged equity wrapper on top of it lost about 70% in a year, and the leveraged ETF wrapper on top of that lost about 96%. That escalation is the entire story.
How a 45% decline becomes a 98% wipeout MSTU promises 200% of MSTR’s return for a single trading day, then it resets at the close and starts the next day from scratch. It uses swap agreements and daily rebalancing, and the issuer’s own materials describe it as a short-term tactical tool because of the risks associated with daily compounding.
Consider what the volatility actually looks like. In just the past month MSTR fell 42%, and MSTU fell 68%. That ratio (call it 1.8x) looks roughly right for a 2x daily product. Stretch the window to one year, though, and MSTR is down 66% while MSTU is down 96%. The ratio is no longer 2x of anything. It is the compounding penalty that leveraged-ETF prospectuses warn about in bold, applied to one of the most volatile large-cap equities in the United States.
There is also a tracking-error problem that sits underneath the volatility drag. Sahm Capital reported in December 2024 that leveraged ETFs tracking MicroStrategy were experiencing significant tracking errors due to the company’s volatile stock and the ETFs’ exposure to swaps and options, and that MicroStrategy’s relatively small size made it challenging for these ETFs to maintain accurate performance, posing heightened risks for investors.
The fund was so successful at gathering assets (over $2.5 billion in AUM in just over two months) that swap counterparties effectively ran out of capacity to write the other side of the trade at scale, which forced compromises in how the daily exposure was achieved. Add in the fund’s 1.05% expense ratio, the fact that it pays no dividend, and the December 2025 1-for-10 reverse split that quietly hid an order-of-magnitude price collapse from the casual chart reader, and you have the full anatomy of a structural value-destroyer.
The stacked-leverage problem Strategy is already a leveraged bet. The company issues convertible debt and preferred stock to buy Bitcoin, which means a holder of MSTR is implicitly running a Bitcoin position financed with debt. When MSTU then promises 2x of MSTR’s daily move, the end buyer is sitting on leverage on top of leverage on top of Bitcoin, with a daily reset on the outermost layer. In a calm uptrend, all three layers compound in the same direction and the screenshots look spectacular. In a choppy downtrend, which is what 2025 and 2026 have delivered, the layers compound against you.
The Reddit and Moomoo posts feel like a small museum exhibit on the psychology of holding a daily-reset product. One user on May 2, 2026 expressed relief and excitement about MSTU finally becoming profitable, mentioning that a slight drop the previous day had caused them mental distress. Another posted on May 14, 2026, “I hope it goes up a little more…[Sob],” the parenthetical doing more work than the sentence. These are people who treated a daily-reset 2x fund like a buy-and-hold expression of a long-term Bitcoin thesis, which the prospectus explicitly tells them not to do.
What you should actually watch The forward look here is the easy part, because the mechanism is structural rather than regime-dependent. MSTU will continue to bleed value over any meaningfully long horizon in which MSTR is volatile, regardless of whether MSTR ends the period higher or lower. Exposure to Bitcoin is available through Bitcoin itself or a spot Bitcoin ETF. If you want a leveraged equity wrapper around Bitcoin, MSTR is itself that wrapper. If you want intraday or multi-day directional torque on MSTR, MSTU is built for exactly that and nothing else, which the issuer’s own language about a short-term tactical tool makes plain.
As long as MSTR trades like a Bitcoin-with-extra-steps small-cap (and right now it absolutely does), the compounding penalty inside MSTU stays brutal. A Bitcoin rally back to the highs would help, but it would not restore the dollars lost on the way down, because daily-reset products do not get those dollars back. They reset at the close, and the calendar moves on. That is the trade-off, and it is the only thing about MSTU that has ever really been worth understanding.
As far as crypto goes, you’d be hard-pressed to find something that comes to mind quicker than Strategy, as Strategy has been a major player with Michael Saylor, of course, being the face of the company. They have had some serious issues as of late, as Bitcoin has struggled, but Strategy Incorporated does see some support in this general vicinity.
If we can recapture the $125 level, it might be good for a pop from here. If it starts to break down from here, maybe significantly below the $119 level, we probably reset near the $100 level. That being said, this is a market that needs to make some type of move to the upside soon, or it’s going to be in very serious trouble.
Bitcoin treasury companies are becoming something much bigger than Bitcoin holders. In this episode of The Daily Wolf, Scott Melker sits down with Strategy President & CEO Phong Le to discuss why the company believes Bitcoin-backed capital markets could reshape financial infrastructure.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In accordance with the terms of Annaly’s 6.95% Series F Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series F Preferred Stock”), the Board has declared a Series F Preferred Stock cash dividend for the second quarter of 2026 of $0.559639 per share of Series F Preferred Stock, which reflects a rate of 8.95422%, equal to three-month CME Term SOFR (plus a spread adjustment of 0.26161%) on the Dividend Determination date plus a spread of 4.993%.
In accordance with the terms of Annaly’s 6.50% Series G Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series G Preferred Stock”), the Board has declared a Series G Preferred Stock cash dividend for the second quarter of 2026 of $0.513974 per share of Series G Preferred Stock, which reflects a rate of 8.13322%, equal to three-month CME Term SOFR (plus a spread adjustment of 0.26161%) on the Dividend Determination date plus a spread of 4.172%.
In accordance with the terms of Annaly’s 6.75% Series I Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series I Preferred Stock”), the Board has declared a Series I Preferred Stock cash dividend for the second quarter of 2026 of $0.565604 per share of Series I Preferred Stock, which reflects a rate of 8.95022%, equal to three-month CME Term SOFR (plus a spread adjustment of 0.26161%) on the Dividend Determination date plus a spread of 4.989%.
In accordance with the terms of Annaly’s 8.875% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series J Preferred Stock”), the Board has declared a Series J Preferred Stock cash dividend for the second quarter of 2026 of $0.560851 per share of Series J Preferred Stock.
Dividends for the Series F Preferred Stock, Series G Preferred Stock, Series I Preferred Stock, and Series J Preferred Stock are payable on June 30, 2026 to preferred shareholders of record as of June 1, 2026.
About Annaly
Annaly is a leading diversified capital manager with investment strategies across mortgage finance. Annaly’s principal business objective is to generate net income for distribution to its stockholders and to optimize its returns through prudent management of its diversified investment strategies. Annaly is internally managed and has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, for federal income tax purposes. Additional information on the company can be found at www.annaly.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release and our public documents to which we refer contain or incorporate by reference certain forward-looking statements which are based on various assumptions (some of which are beyond our control) and may be identified by reference to a future period or periods or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “continue,” or similar terms or variations on those terms or the negative of those terms. Actual results could differ materially from those set forth in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates; changes in the yield curve; changes in prepayment rates; the availability of mortgage-backed securities and other securities for purchase; the availability of financing and, if available, the terms of any financing; changes in the market value of our assets; changes in business conditions and the general economy; our ability to grow our residential credit business; our ability to grow our mortgage servicing rights business; credit risks related to our investments in credit risk transfer securities and residential mortgage-backed securities and related residential mortgage credit assets; risks related to investments in mortgage servicing rights; the our ability to consummate any contemplated investment opportunities; changes in government regulations or policy affecting our business; our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes; our ability to maintain our exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and operational risks or risk management failures by us or critical third parties, including cybersecurity incidents. For a discussion of the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as required by law.
Annaly Capital (NLY 0.04%) is a behemoth among mortgage-focused real estate investment trusts (REITs). It has the largest market cap in the sector and is 12 times the size of its average peer.
Almost everything about Annaly Capital is big, including its dividend yield, which at around 13% is more than 10 times higher than the S&P 500's 1.1% yield. A high dividend yield typically suggests that a stock trades at a discount. However, Annaly's book value tells a different story.
Image source: Getty Images.
Digging into Annaly's book value Annaly Capital ended the first quarter with a total investment portfolio of $106.7 billion, up $2 billion from the end of last year. Most of its portfolio -- $92.2 billion -- was Agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS; pools of residential mortgages guaranteed against credit losses by government agencies such as Fannie Mae). The leading mortgage REIT also had $10.3 billion in residential credit investments (non-Agency residential mortgages) and $4.2 billion of mortgage servicing rights (MSR; the obligation to service residential loans for a fixed servicing fee). While its Agency MBS portfolio declined slightly in the quarter, Annaly grew its residential credit and MSR portfolios by 30% and 9%, respectively.
The REIT has invested $16.3 billion of shareholder capital in its portfolio, with the remaining funded by leverage. After subtracting its liabilities from its assets, Annaly's book value was $19.82 per share at the end of the first quarter. That's down from $20.21 per share at the end of last year. Annaly's book value is below its recent share price of more than $21.50 per share. That suggests investors are willing to pay a little more for Annaly because of the quality of its portfolio and operations.
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What this means for the dividend's sustainability Annaly's stock has traded at a premium to its book value over the past year. That has enabled the REIT to raise capital by selling shares and deploy it into accretive investments. For example, it raised $509 million in capital during the first quarter. CEO David Finkelstein noted on the first quarter conference call that the "capital raise was specifically related to Resi Credit and MSR in real time." He stated that "we felt it was highly productive to raise capital, and we did so." It deployed that capital into a couple of billion dollars of residential credit investments and nearly $400 million of MSR. By deliberately selling stock above book value and earmarking it for opportunistic investments, the company was able to grow its long-term earnings capacity.
The REIT's earnings available for distribution (EAD) came in at $0.76 per share during the quarter, well in excess of its $0.70 per share dividend. EAD has grown over the past year, from $0.72 per share in the first quarter of 2025 to $0.74 per share by the end of the year. The rise in the REIT's EAD allowed it to raise its dividend by nearly 8% early last year. That marked a notable turnaround for a company that had cut its payout several times previously.
Annaly might not be cheap, but the dividend looks safe Annaly currently trades at a premium to its book value. However, that benefits the REIT by allowing it to raise capital to make accretive investments, thereby growing its EAD. With its EAD rising, its big-time dividend is growing more sustainable.
Matt DiLallo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Annaly Capital Management (NLY - Free Report) . Shares have lost about 4.7% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.
But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Annaly due for a breakout? Well, first let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for Annaly Capital Management Inc before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late.
Annaly Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates, Net Interest Margin Improves Y/YAnnaly reported first-quarter 2026 earnings available for distribution per average share of 76 cents, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 74 cents. The figure increased from 72 cents in the year-ago quarter.
The company’s net interest income and net interest margin improved year over year in the reported quarter. Notably, the year-over-year increase in book value per common share was also encouraging. However, a lower economic capital ratio was concerning.
Net income available to common stockholders was $242 million compared with $87.1 million in the year-ago period.
Inside Annaly’s HeadlinesNet interest income was $452.7 million in the reported quarter, which lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8.4%. In the prior-year quarter, the company reported NII of $220 million.
Net interest spread (excluding PAA) of 1.42% in the first quarter increased from 1.35% in the prior-year quarter.
Annaly’s BVPS was $19.82 as of March 31, 2026, up from $19.02 in the prior-year quarter. At the end of the reported quarter, the company’s economic capital ratio was 14.7%, down from 14.8% in the prior-year quarter.
In the first quarter, the weighted average actual constant prepayment rate was 10.2%, up from 7.1% in the year-ago quarter.
Annaly generated an annualized EAD return on average equity of 14.58% in the first quarter, which increased from the prior-year quarter’s 14.43%.
Annaly’s total portfolio was $106.7 billion in the quarter, including a $92.2-billion Agency portfolio. The Residential Credit portfolio increased 30% to $10.3 billion, while the MSR portfolio increased 9% to $4.2 billion.
LiquidityAnnaly maintained a disciplined leverage profile in the quarter, with GAAP leverage at 7.3X and economic leverage at 5.7X, both modestly higher than the prior quarter’s levels. The company also reported total stockholders’ equity of $16.3 billion as of the quarter-end.
Liquidity remained a focal point, given ongoing macro and rate volatility. Annaly ended the quarter with $9 billion in total assets available for financing, including $5 billion in cash and unencumbered Agency MBS. This flexibility matters for a mortgage REIT because it helps sustain funding access and supports portfolio repositioning as market conditions shift.
HedgingAgainst a volatile rate environment, the company kept its hedge posture relatively steady. The company ended the quarter with a hedge ratio of 87%, while maintaining an $81-billion hedge portfolio that was broadly in line with the prior quarter.
Funding costs improved modestly, supporting underlying spread dynamics. Average economic costs of interest-bearing liabilities were 3.93% in the quarter, while the net interest margin (excluding PAA) was 1.71% compared with 1.69% in the first quarter of 2025. Average yield on interest-earning assets, excluding the premium amortization adjustment, was 5.35%, highlighting how asset yields continued to run ahead of funding costs as the company balanced carry opportunities with risk management.
Dividend Coverage & Capital RaisingA key highlight for income-focused investors was that earnings again exceeded the common dividend. Annaly declared a quarterly common stock cash dividend of 70 cents per share for the first quarter, supported by its earnings available for distribution.
The company also leaned on equity issuance to support growth. Annaly raised $509 million through its at-the-market sales program during the quarter, which management characterized as accretive, and framed the move as part of its broader approach to disciplined portfolio management.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?Since the earnings release, investors have witnessed a upward trend in estimates revision.
VGM ScoresAt this time, Annaly has a poor Growth Score of F, however its Momentum Score is doing a lot better with a B. However, the stock has a score of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
OutlookEstimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of this revision looks promising. Notably, Annaly has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
Key Takeaways NLY offers a 12.99% dividend yield with a 95% payout ratio, reflecting a high-income distribution model.NLY increased its quarterly dividend 7.7% in March 2025, signaling confidence in its earnings capacity.NLY maintains $9B in available assets and Agency MBS, supporting liquidity and near-term dividend stability. One of the most closely watched aspects of Annaly Capital Management. Inc.’s (NLY - Free Report) financial profile is its dividend policy. As a publicly traded mortgage real estate investment trust (mREIT), the company has historically delivered attractive shareholder returns while maintaining a high dividend yield that continues to attract income-focused investors.
Income-oriented investors generally favor REIT stocks because U.S. law requires these companies to distribute at least 90% of their annual taxable income as dividends. Against this backdrop, Annaly Capital’s dividend yield currently stands at 12.99%, making the stock appealing for investors seeking steady income streams. Further, its payout ratio of 95% highlights the company’s commitment to consistent shareholder distributions. In March 2025, Annaly Capital increased its quarterly cash dividend by 7.7% to 70 cents per share, reflecting management’s confidence in the company’s earnings capacity and long-term capital return strategy.
Dividend Yield
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Apart from dividends, Annaly Capital also has a share repurchase plan in place. On Jan. 31, 2025, the company’s board of directors authorized a new common share repurchase program that allows repurchases of up to $1.5 billion of outstanding common stock through Dec. 31, 2029. However, the company has not repurchased shares under the program since its announcement.
Annaly Capital also enjoys a decent liquidity position. As of March 31, 2026, the company had $9 billion of total assets available for financing, including cash and unencumbered Agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS) of $5 billion. These assets can readily provide liquidity during periods of adverse market conditions or economic stress.
Given its strong liquidity profile, disciplined capital management initiatives and sizable allocation toward highly liquid Agency MBS, Annaly Capital appears well-positioned to sustain its dividend payments in the near term.
How NLY Compares With AGNC & STWD on Dividend StrengthNLY operates alongside peers such as AGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC - Free Report) and Starwood Property Trust, Inc. (STWD - Free Report) , which also prioritize shareholder returns through consistent dividend payouts.
AGNC Investment offers a dividend yield of 14.05% and maintains a payout ratio of 96%. It holds a solid liquidity position, with $7 billion in cash and unencumbered Agency mortgage-backed securities as of March 31, 2026. It also maintains flexible access to diverse funding sources and opportunistic financing, supporting portfolio adjustments.
Additionally, AGNC Investment has an active share repurchase program authorized for up to $1 billion through Dec. 31, 2026, with full authorization remaining available. The company plans to execute buybacks when its stock trades below tangible net book value, offering a potential buffer to shareholder value during volatility.
On the other hand, Starwood Property offers a dividend yield of 11.20% with a payout ratio of 127%. While the company has announced a $400 million share repurchase authorization in February 2026, its liquidity position remains relatively weak.
As of March 31, 2026, Starwood Property held $666.1 million in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash against total debt of $23.1 billion. This narrow liquidity buffer raises concerns around financial flexibility and increases sensitivity to refinancing risk if macroeconomic conditions deteriorate.
Annaly Capital’s Price Performance & Zacks RankOver the past six months, NLY shares have gained 15.1% compared with the industry’s growth of 3.7%.
Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Annaly Capital Management, Inc. maintains its $0.70 per-share dividend, supported by growing net interest spread and strong earnings coverage. NLY's net interest spread improved for the fourth consecutive time in the last year, reaching 1.07%, driven by lower financing costs and stable asset yields. NLY shares trade at a 9% premium to book value, reflecting improved spreads and expectations of future rate cuts benefiting MBS investors.
Dividend investors often start their search for stocks by looking at dividend yields. That's a logical move given their income focus, but there's a risk that yield becomes more important than other factors that can also have a material impact on an investor's long-term results. Annaly Capital (NLY 0.04%) and AGNC Investment (AGNC +0.10%), with their huge double-digit yields, need extra careful vetting.
For reference, the S&P 500 index (^GSPC +0.50%) is yielding roughly 1.1% today. The average financial stock yields 1.5%. The average real estate investment trust (REIT) yields 3.6%. Mortgage REITs Annaly and AGNC yield 12.9% and 13.9%, respectively. Here are some key things to consider before buying either of these two mortgage REITs, and why you might prefer one over the other.
Image source: Getty Images.
What do mortgage REITs do? A property-owning REIT buys physical assets, such as office buildings, and then leases them to tenants. The core business of mortgage REITs like Annaly and AGNC is owning mortgage securities that have been pooled together into bond-like investments. In some ways, a mortgage REIT, which manages a portfolio of mortgage securities, is similar to a bond fund. Notably, both Annaly and AGNC highlight total return as a key goal.
This is important for dividend lovers. While most property-owning REITs focus on providing reliable, and often steadily growing, dividends, the dividend histories of Annaly and AGNC have been highly volatile. There have been long periods where dividends have steadily declined.
AGNC data by YCharts
If you are trying to live off the income your portfolio generates, neither of these two mREITs will be good choices for you, despite their massive yields. Worse, the stock prices of these mREITs have tended to follow their dividends both higher and lower. Overall, investors who spent the dividend have been left with less income and less capital. However, that does not mean that these companies are poorly run.
Investors that reinvested their dividends, focusing on total return, have been well rewarded. Both Annaly and AGNC have delivered total returns similar to those of the S&P 500 index. Notably, the return profiles of both mREITs differ from that of the S&P 500, so they may provide valuable diversification benefits for investors focused on asset allocation.
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Which is the better mREIT: Annaly or AGNC? Assuming you focus on total return rather than a consistent income stream, your choice between Annaly and AGNC will likely come down to one key preference. AGNC is fully focused on owning and managing its portfolio of agency mortgage securities. The term "agency" indicates that these mortgages are guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae. The key is that there is no credit risk associated with such loans. That said, the portfolio's value fell 5.6% in the first quarter of 2026. That resulted in a negative 1.8% economic return for investors, as the $0.50 per share drop in book value more than offset the $0.36 in dividends paid in the quarter. Diversification has its benefits.
Annaly's business is heavily focused on its portfolio of agency mortgage securities, but it also operates two other lines of business. Annaly's residential credit business oversees a portfolio of non-agency mortgages. It makes loans, securitizes loans, and manages a portfolio of loans. Annaly also operates a mortgage servicing business, which simply collects fees for processing mortgage payments. It is a fairly consistent cash flow generator and provides some offset for the increased risk associated with the company's non-agency mortgage operation. In the first quarter, Annaly's economic return was 1.5%, with a book value decline of $0.39 per share more than offset by dividends of $0.70.
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At the end of the day, investors seeking exposure to agency mortgage-backed securities will likely prefer AGNC Investment. Investors that focus on diversification, however, will probably lean toward Annaly and its more diverse business model.
Make sure you know what you own Annaly and AGNC have double-digit yields, but neither is a particularly reliable dividend stock. That should keep most dividend investors on the sidelines. However, they both have solid total return histories, with AGNC being the more focused business and Annaly the more diversified operation. If you are using an asset allocation approach, either of these two mREITs could be a good fit for your portfolio. Your choice between them will likely boil down to your diversification preferences.
Annaly Capital faces potential NAV erosion from rising rates and term spread compression but currently trades near its historical valuation premium versus peers. Lower hedge ratios have increased NLY's interest rate sensitivity, worsening the outlook if policy rates rise or stay elevated. Ongoing equity issuance dilutes shareholders but is partly offset by redeployment into higher‑yielding assets instead of lower‑yield agency MBS.
Annaly Capital Management (NLY - Free Report) closed at $21.85 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.16% move from the prior day. The stock exceeded the S&P 500, which registered a gain of 0.22% for the day. Elsewhere, the Dow saw an upswing of 0.72%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 0.21%.
Shares of the real estate investment trust have depreciated by 5.68% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Finance sector's gain of 1.12%, and the S&P 500's gain of 6.04%.
The upcoming earnings release of Annaly Capital Management will be of great interest to investors. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $0.74, marking a 1.37% rise compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $488 million, up 78.62% from the year-ago period.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $2.98 per share and a revenue of $1.93 billion, demonstrating changes of +2.05% and +69.62%, respectively, from the preceding year.
It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for Annaly Capital Management. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.
Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed an unchanged state. Annaly Capital Management presently features a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Investors should also note Annaly Capital Management's current valuation metrics, including its Forward P/E ratio of 7.25. This represents a discount compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 8.75.
Investors should also note that NLY has a PEG ratio of 6.59 right now. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. The average PEG ratio for the REIT and Equity Trust industry stood at 1.87 at the close of the market yesterday.
The REIT and Equity Trust industry is part of the Finance sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 214, putting it in the bottom 13% of all 250+ industries.
The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Don't forget to use Zacks.com to keep track of all these stock-moving metrics, and others, in the upcoming trading sessions.
Mortgage real estate investment trust (REIT) Annaly Capital (NLY 0.04%) has a shockingly large 12.9% dividend yield. For reference, the S&P 500 index (^GSPC +0.50%) has a yield of just 1.1% today. The average REIT has a yield of 3.6%. If you are looking at Annaly's juicy yield today, you need to be worried about interest rates.
The next rate move could be higher While consumers appear to be worried about a recession, tightening their budgets, inflation is running hot. Rising inflation could force the Federal Reserve to increase interest rates. A key part of Annaly Capital's business model is to borrow money short-term so it can buy long-term mortgage securities. If rates rise, the company's interest costs go up even though its interest income doesn't change. That would leave less money to pay dividends.
Image source: Getty Images.
To protect itself from interest rate volatility, the company hedges its portfolio. At the end of the first quarter of 2026, 87% of the portfolio was hedged, down from 90% at the end of 2025 and 95% in the first quarter of 2025. The company's hedging covers a range of different time periods, from short-term to long-term; the majority of its activity (45%) is at the short end.
Protecting the dividend is a complicated job Annaly assumed "a conservative hedge profile throughout the quarter given elevated rate and macro volatility." None of the first quarter's uncertainty has receded at this point, so it is highly likely that the mortgage REIT is still taking the same conservative approach. That's a positive for investors looking at the stock, since it suggests that Annaly will be able to continue paying its dividend in the near term even if rates change dramatically.
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That said, long-term dividend investors should tread with caution here. While Annaly's yield is attractive, the dividend has a history of volatility. The company is well-respected, but the real investment story is total return, which requires dividend reinvestment. In fact, from a total return perspective, the stock has outperformed the S&P 500 since Annaly's initial public offering. However, the dividend and stock price are both lower today than they were 10 years ago. In other words, if you spent the dividend, you would have been left with less income and less capital.
Safe for now, risky over the long term The big-picture story is that Annaly appears to be taking a prudent approach to its portfolio, actively hedging its near-term interest rate risk. That should allow it to support its dividend through the current market uncertainty, even if that uncertainty leads to rate changes. However, if you are a dividend investor using dividends to pay for living expenses, that still isn't enough to make this ultra-high-yield mREIT a reliable choice for long-term income.
Annaly Capital Management preferred shares, particularly NLY-G, are among the sector's least risky but currently trade at unattractive valuations. NLY-G offers an 8.22% yield but a negative yield to call, making it less compelling than baby bonds or other preferreds with higher yields and better risk profiles. The low floating spread on NLY-G means dividend income could fall sharply if short-term rates decline, amplifying downside risk in a rate-cut scenario.
Annaly Capital Management (NLY - Free Report) closed at $20.96 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.23% move from the prior day. This change lagged the S&P 500's 0.3% gain on the day. Elsewhere, the Dow lost 0.16%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.86%.
Prior to today's trading, shares of the real estate investment trust had lost 6.15% lagged the Finance sector's gain of 1.34% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.92%.
The upcoming earnings release of Annaly Capital Management will be of great interest to investors. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $0.74, signifying a 1.37% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $488 million, up 78.62% from the year-ago period.
For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $2.98 per share and a revenue of $1.93 billion, signifying shifts of +2.05% and +69.62%, respectively, from the last year.
Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Annaly Capital Management should also be noted by investors. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.
Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.
The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been no change in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Annaly Capital Management is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Valuation is also important, so investors should note that Annaly Capital Management has a Forward P/E ratio of 7.13 right now. This expresses a discount compared to the average Forward P/E of 8.55 of its industry.
We can also see that NLY currently has a PEG ratio of 6.48. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. The REIT and Equity Trust industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.46 as trading concluded yesterday.
The REIT and Equity Trust industry is part of the Finance sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 211, putting it in the bottom 14% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
To follow NLY in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Board of Directors of Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE: NLY) (“Annaly” or the “Company”) increased the second quarter 2026 common stock cash dividend to $0.75 per common share. This dividend is payable July 31, 2026, to common shareholders of record on June 30, 2026. The ex-dividend date is June 30, 2026.
“We are pleased to announce an increase in our common stock dividend from $0.70 to $0.75 per share, underscoring the strong performance of Annaly’s diversified housing finance portfolio and our focus on driving shareholder value,” remarked David Finkelstein, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Chief Investment Officer. “Our platform continues to deliver durable cash flows and superior risk-adjusted returns, enabled by our disciplined portfolio construction, proactive hedging and prudent capital structure.”
About Annaly
Annaly is a leading diversified capital manager with investment strategies across mortgage finance. Annaly’s principal business objective is to generate net income for distribution to its stockholders and to optimize its returns through prudent management of its diversified investment strategies. Annaly is internally managed and has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, for federal income tax purposes. Additional information on the company can be found at www.annaly.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release and our public documents to which we refer contain or incorporate by reference certain forward-looking statements which are based on various assumptions (some of which are beyond our control) and may be identified by reference to a future period or periods or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “continue,” or similar terms or variations on those terms or the negative of those terms. Actual results could differ materially from those set forth in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates; changes in the yield curve; changes in prepayment rates; the availability of mortgage-backed securities and other securities for purchase; the availability of financing and, if available, the terms of any financing; changes in the market value of our assets; changes in business conditions and the general economy; our ability to grow our residential credit business; our ability to grow our mortgage servicing rights business; credit risks related to our investments in credit risk transfer securities and residential mortgage-backed securities and related residential mortgage credit assets; risks related to investments in mortgage servicing rights; the our ability to consummate any contemplated investment opportunities; changes in government regulations or policy affecting our business; our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes; our ability to maintain our exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and operational risks or risk management failures by us or critical third parties, including cybersecurity incidents. For a discussion of the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as required by law.
Annaly Capital Management (NLY +2.80%) already offers a monster 12.7% dividend yield. That's more than 10 times higher than the S&P 500's 1.1% yield. It's now boosting that payout by another 7.1%.
Here's a look at how the real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on residential mortgages can afford its big-time yield and whether investors should buy it for income.
Image source: Getty Images.
Another raise Annaly Capital Management recently declared its latest dividend. The mortgage REIT will pay $0.75 per share on July 31 to investors who hold shares as of June 30. That's a 7.1% raise from the $0.70 per share it paid last quarter. It will boost the REIT's forward dividend yield to 13.6% at its recent share price. In commenting on the increase, CEO David Finkelstein stated that it underscores "the strong performance of Annaly's diversified housing finance portfolio and our focus on driving shareholder value."
The dividend increase follows Annaly's steadily improving earnings. The company reported $0.76 per share of earnings available for distribution (EAD) during the first quarter. That was up from $0.74 per share last quarter and $0.72 per share in the prior year period. It's a continuation of the improvement in the REIT's earnings over the past few years:
Data source: Annaly Capital Management. Chart by the author.
With its earnings rising, ample investment opportunities in the current market environment, and a strong financial profile, Annaly now has the confidence to increase its dividend. It's the REIT's second raise in the past 18 months. However, the dividend remains well below its peak due to a series of cuts in prior years.
Today's Change
(
2.80
%) $
0.60
Current Price
$
22.01
Diversification is paying dividends Annaly's investment strategy differs from that of other residential mortgage REITs, such as AGNC Investment. Whereas AGNC Investment only invests in Agency MBS (mortgage-backed securities guaranteed against credit losses by government agencies such as Fannie Mae), Annaly also invests in residential credit (non-agency residential mortgage assets) and mortgage servicing rights (MSR).
That diversification gives it the flexibility to invest where it sees the best opportunities. For example, Annaly ended the first quarter with $92 billion in Agency investments, down marginally from the year-end level. The REIT opportunistically repositioned the portfolio during the quarter by rotating out of higher-yielding MBS and into lower-yielding MBS, which it expects will provide more durable cash flows. Meanwhile, it raised $510 million of equity during the quarter to capitalize on opportunities to grow its residential credit and MSR portfolios. It expanded its residential credit portfolio by 30% to $10.3 billion in the quarter, while its MSR portfolio grew by 9% to $4.2 billion. The company expects to continue growing these platforms.
A higher risk, higher reward income stock Annaly Capital's diversification strategy is paying off. The REIT is capitalizing on opportunities to grow its residential credit and MSR portfolios, helping drive earnings growth. That's enabling the REIT to increase its dividend. While Annaly is a higher-risk income stock (it has cut its dividend many times in the past), it's a good option for more risk-tolerant investors looking to buy income.
Matt DiLallo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
AGNC Investment (AGNC +0.10%) is a mortgage real estate investment trust (REIT). This is a complex niche of the broader REIT sector that requires a bit more research to fully understand. All REITs pay out a material portion of their earnings as dividends to avoid corporate-level taxation, which basically forces them to sell shares to fund their growth. But the mREIT model changes the dynamic of stock sales in an important way.
What does AGNC Investment do? AGNC Investment owns a portfolio of mortgage securities. It manages that portfolio, generating an income stream that it uses to pay its dividend. The dividend yield is a lofty 13.7% today, which is likely what most investors are focused on when they buy the stock.
Image source: Getty Images.
In some ways, AGNC is similar to a mutual fund. One important similarity is that, like a mutual fund, AGNC Investment reports the value of its business. For a mutual fund, that number is called the net asset value (NAV), and it is reported daily. AGNC Investment reports its tangible net book value per share, which is roughly similar to an NAV, on a quarterly basis.
AGNC's tangible net book value is the per-share value of its mortgage securities portfolio. At the end of the first quarter of 2026, that number stood at $8.38. Investors paying more than that figure for the stock are paying a premium. The share price is more than $10, so that is exactly what is happening right now. This can actually be a good thing for shareholders if AGNC Investment is issuing new stock.
REITs pay out at least 90% of taxable earnings to avoid corporate taxation. To fund growth, REITs sell stock. But AGNC isn't buying buildings; it is buying mortgage securities. If it can sell stock for more than its tangible net book value per share, it is like finding free money. The mREIT can buy more new mortgage securities than it would otherwise be able to if stock buyers only paid what the existing portfolio was actually worth on a per-share basis. We know this because tangible net book value per share is based on the actual value of the mortgage securities AGNC owns, which trade daily. Buildings, by comparison, trade far less frequently, and their value is more subjective.
Today's Change
(
0.10
%) $
0.01
Current Price
$
10.31
AGNC is creating value, not diluting shareholders When a company sells new shares, it dilutes shareholders' ownership because the business's value is now spread across more shares. The hope is that the cash raised will be invested to increase the company's value, which may or may not happen. This is how investors should view most REIT stock sales. AGNC and other mortgage REITs are a little different.
If AGNC Investment sells shares for more than tangible net book value, the move is inherently beneficial to existing shareholders because of the unique dynamics of the mREIT niche. Of course, issuing shares below tangible net book value per share would have the opposite effect. Still, the mREIT's steadily rising share count isn't a concerning sign, as long as it continues to sell that stock at a price above its tangible net book value.
Pareto upgrades - swapping into strictly superior securities within the same issuer - can materially improve portfolio yield without increasing risk. Repeated Pareto upgrades raised yield on invested capital from 8.53% to 11.33% in under two years, demonstrating powerful compounding effects. Current actionable opportunity: ABR-D preferred offers an 18 basis point yield advantage over ABR-E with identical upside to par and risk profile.
Modern financial systems rely on third-party liquidity providers, creating a recession-resistant stream of dividends. Capitalize on the recent minor dip in Agency MBS prices to lock in a massive double-digit payout. When tech bubbles burst, value-centric bank funds historically act as dominant market safe havens.
In the latest trading session, AGNC Investment (AGNC - Free Report) closed at $10.23, marking a -1.73% move from the previous day. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily gain of 0.26%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw an upswing of 0.09%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 0.42%.
Shares of the real estate investment trust witnessed a loss of 4.84% over the previous month, trailing the performance of the Finance sector with its gain of 2.26%, and the S&P 500's gain of 6.32%.
Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of AGNC Investment in its upcoming earnings disclosure. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $0.38, marking stability compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $361.52 million, up 123.16% from the year-ago period.
For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $1.56 per share and a revenue of $1.47 billion, representing changes of +4% and +117.14%, respectively, from the prior year.
Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for AGNC Investment. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.
Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant within the past month. AGNC Investment presently features a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
In terms of valuation, AGNC Investment is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 6.66. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 8.76, which means AGNC Investment is trading at a discount to the group.
The REIT and Equity Trust industry is part of the Finance sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 213, which puts it in the bottom 13% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the vigor of our specific industry groups by computing the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks incorporated in the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.
Key Takeaways AGNC offers a 13.9% dividend yield, monthly payouts and a $1B share repurchase authorization.AGNC may benefit as lower mortgage rates support loan demand, refinancing and net interest spread.AGNC Investment increased higher-coupon Agency MBS exposure and saw upward earnings revisions. One of the most closely watched aspects of AGNC Investment Corp.’s (AGNC - Free Report) financial profile is its dividend policy. AGNC has a record of paying monthly dividends, currently yielding a staggering 13.9% compared with the industry’s average of 13.2%.
Dividend Yield
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Dividends aside, AGNC has a share repurchase plan in place. In October 2024, the company’s board of directors terminated the existing stock repurchase plan and replaced it with a new plan authorizing it to repurchase up to $1 billion of common stock through Dec. 31, 2026. As of March 31, 2026, the full authorization was available for repurchase.
AGNC Investment's peers, Annaly Capital Management (NLY - Free Report) and Starwood Property Trust (STWD - Free Report) , are also providing investors with solid dividend options. Annaly Capital Management has an annual dividend yield of 13.2%, whereas Starwood Property Trust has a dividend yield of 11.3%.
Coming back to AGNC, this publicly traded mortgage real estate investment trust (mREIT) offers favorable long-term stockholder returns and a gigantic dividend yield. Income-seeking investors have a large appetite for REIT stocks, as U.S. law requires REITs to distribute 90% of their annual taxable income as dividends. Hence, this may entice many investors to buy the stock.
Along with a lucrative dividend yield, shares of AGNC Investment have appreciated 12.9% in the past year compared with the industry's rise of 0.6%. Meanwhile, Annaly Capital Management has risen 11.6%, while Starwood Property Trust has fallen 15.4%.
Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Given the strength, many investors must be tempted to buy the AGNC stock. But is now the right time to invest? To answer this, it is essential to delve into the details and evaluate various factors at play.
AGNC Investment & Mortgage RatesAGNC’s performance and prospects are significantly influenced by the mortgage rate environment. The Federal Reserve has lowered the interest rates by 175 basis points since 2024. Given this, mortgage rates are easing. Per a Freddie Mac report, the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.48% as of June 4, 2026, down from 6.53% in the previous week and 6.85% in the same week a year ago.
The decline in mortgage rates is a positive development for AGNC. Housing affordability challenges are declining with lower mortgage rates. With rates trending lower and balanced supply/affordability playing out in the mortgage market, loan demand is witnessing an increase. With this turnaround, mortgage originations and refinancing a activity are seeing a positive trend. This will likely help boost AGNC's net interest spread and the book value of its portfolio.
Agency MBS: A Targeted Approach by AGNCAGNC Investment has maintained its focus on agency mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), a strategy that has positioned it as a strong player in this specialized market segment.
AGNC primarily focuses on leveraged investments in Agency RMBS, including residential mortgage pass-through securities and collateralized mortgage obligations. A U.S. Government agency or a U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise guarantees the principal and interest payments for such investments.
Agency MBS performance in first-quarter 2026 reflected a supportive start to the quarter as policy focus on lower rate volatility, steadier mortgage spreads and housing affordability lifted the broader fixed income complex. Conditions reversed in March as the war in Iran and broader conflict risk raised volatility and weakened sentiment, widening Agency MBS spreads and driving AGNC’s economic return on tangible common equity to negative 1.6%.
Nonetheless, the longer-term outlook for Agency MBS remains constructive despite near-term challenges associated with heightened geopolitical and macroeconomic risks. Other positive developments, such as recent Agency MBS purchases by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and other market initiatives contemplated by the Administration and the Federal Reserve, could be a catalyst for mortgage spread tightening. These dynamics, coupled with a balanced supply-demand outlook, are supportive of the optimistic perspective on Agency MBS.
As such, the company's focus on agency MBS puts it in a position to possibly profit from favorable trends. However, execution will be crucial to achieving these advantages. Hence, with $94 billion of Agency MBS in its investment portfolio (as of March 31, 2026), AGNC Investment is expected to enjoy attractive risk-adjusted returns within the fixed-income markets.
AGNC Investment & Portfolio Management StrategyAGNC has been maintaining an active and defensive portfolio-management strategy, which may support long-term growth despite elevated volatility in the mortgage market. By actively repositioning its portfolio and adjusting hedging strategies, the company is attempting to reduce interest-rate and prepayment risks while preserving attractive return opportunities.
The company continues to retain a significant hedge position. As of March 31, 2026, AGNC had interest-rate hedges covering 75% of its Investment Securities Repo, TBA position and other debt. At the same time, the company reduced certain credit-focused and non-agency holdings while increasing exposure to higher-coupon Agency mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”). These repositioning efforts are expected to improve cash flow stability and provide better protection against prepayment uncertainty.
This strategy has already helped AGNC navigate uncertain conditions. The first-quarter 2026 results benefited from higher average asset yields and increased net interest income (NII). AGNC’s focus on Agency mortgage-backed securities remains a key growth driver. These securities are supported by government agencies or government-sponsored enterprises, making them relatively safer within fixed-income markets. The company held a $94.7-billion investment portfolio at the end of the first quarter, including $84.4 billion in Agency MBS and $9.5 billion in net TBA securities. Such prudent asset-selection efforts might offer greater stability of cash flows and bode well for long-term growth.
AGNC Earnings Estimate Revision Trend & ValuationAGNC Investment’s earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 have been revised upward over the past 60 days, reflecting bullish analyst sentiment.
Estimate Revision Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, AGNC appears expensive relative to the industry. The company is currently trading at a premium with a forward 12-month price-to-tangible book (P/TB) multiple of 1.19X, above the industry average of 0.97X. AGNC Investment peers Annaly Capital Management and Starwood Property Trust have forward 12-month P/TB of 1.06X and 0.99X, respectively.
P/TB TTM
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Conclusion: AGNC Stock Is a Buy for Income-Focused InvestorsGiven AGNC’s outsized dividend yield, improving mortgage-rate backdrop and disciplined focus on Agency MBS, the stock appears well-positioned for income-oriented investors at this juncture. The company’s active portfolio-management approach, sizeable hedge position and increased exposure to higher-coupon Agency securities should help it navigate near-term volatility while supporting net interest income and book value stability. Upward earnings estimate revisions signal improving analyst confidence in AGNC’s earnings prospects.
Although AGNC trades at a premium to the industry, its attractive monthly dividend payout, favorable long-term return profile and constructive Agency MBS outlook justify the valuation. For investors seeking high current income and willing to tolerate interest-rate and spread-related volatility, AGNC Investment looks worth buying now.
AGNC currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Fifty thousand dollars a year is what a careful retiree might want to cover housing, groceries, and Medicare premiums on top of Social Security. Two mortgage REITs, Annaly Capital Management (NYSE:NLY | NLY Price Prediction) and AGNC Investment (NASDAQ:AGNC), currently throw off enough yield to fund that number on a $400,000 sleeve. The math works. The risk is what most 64-year-olds shopping for income do not price in.
NLY pays $0.70 quarterly, or $2.80 annualized, on a share price near $22. AGNC pays $0.12 monthly, or $1.44 annualized, on a share price near $10. Trailing yields land at 13% and 13.7%. A 50/50 split on $400,000 produces roughly $53,000 in cash distributions over a year. Headline rounded to $50,000 gives a small cushion.
The Same Income, Three Different Capital Requirements The amount of capital needed to generate $50,000 in annual income depends largely on the yield an investor is willing to accept. The math is straightforward: income target divided by yield equals capital required.
Conservative tier (3% to 4% yield). Dividend-growth ETFs and high-quality blue chips occupy this range. At a 3.5% yield, generating $50,000 annually requires approximately $1.43 million. The tradeoff is that dividends often grow over time, helping income keep pace with inflation while supporting long-term capital appreciation. The drawback is the substantial capital requirement.
Moderate tier (5% to 7% yield). Preferred-share funds, midstream energy partnerships, business development companies, and diversified high-dividend strategies generally fall into this category. At a 6% yield, an investor needs about $833,000 to generate $50,000 annually. Income starts higher, but payout growth is typically slower and returns can be more sensitive to credit conditions and economic cycles.
Aggressive tier (10% to 14% yield). Mortgage REITs, leveraged covered-call funds, and CLO equity strategies often operate in this range. At a 12.5% yield, producing $50,000 of annual income requires just $400,000. The income hurdle drops dramatically, but so does the margin for error. Higher yields generally come with greater volatility, higher distribution risk, and less room for mistakes.
Where the 14% Number Actually Comes From Annaly Capital Management (NLY) manages approximately $138.5 billion in assets across Agency mortgage-backed securities, residential credit, and mortgage servicing rights. AGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC) operates a roughly $94.7 billion Agency-focused portfolio with leverage of about 7.4x. Both mortgage REITs rely heavily on the spread between the yields earned on mortgage assets and their short-term funding costs.
With the 10-year Treasury yielding about 4.45% and the 10Y-2Y spread narrowing to 0.42% from 0.74% in February, the interest-rate environment has become less favorable for that business model. As financing spreads tighten, earnings pressure can build and dividend coverage may weaken.
The impact can be significant. Annaly reduced its quarterly dividend from $0.88 to $0.22 in 2022, while AGNC lowered its monthly payout from $0.18 to $0.12 in early 2020 and has maintained that level since. During challenging rate environments, income investors have often faced a double hit: lower distributions and declining share prices. In 2022, NLY fell 23% and AGNC fell 24%, illustrating how quickly a high-yield strategy can become less forgiving when market conditions deteriorate.
The Diversification Patch The iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF (NYSEARCA:REM) holds 35 positions with NLY at 21.7% and AGNC at 14.2% of the fund, plus Starwood Property Trust, Rithm Capital, Blackstone Mortgage Trust, and 30 other names. The 0.48% expense ratio is the toll. The benefit is that one issuer cutting its payout does not knock out a single-digit share of your income.
What to Actually Do Cap mortgage REIT exposure at 10% to 15% of total income assets. A $400,000 sleeve makes sense inside a $3 million portfolio, not as the whole plan. Compare ten-year total returns, not current yields. NLY is up 71% over ten years and AGNC is up 83%, both before dividends. A 3.5% yielder growing the payout 8% annually doubles the income stream in nine years. A 14% yielder that holds flat does not. Reinvest 20% to 30% of distributions back into the position. That offsets the next dividend cut and slows the principal erosion that defines this asset class. The $400,000 number is real. So is the $50,000. Whether either survives the next rate cycle intact is the question the yield alone cannot answer.
In the latest close session, AGNC Investment (AGNC - Free Report) was up +1.88% at $10.30. The stock's performance was ahead of the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.26%. Meanwhile, the Dow gained 0.17%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.97%.
Coming into today, shares of the real estate investment trust had lost 6.39% in the past month. In that same time, the Finance sector gained 0.29%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.23%.
Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of AGNC Investment in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $0.38, showcasing no movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Alongside, our most recent consensus estimate is anticipating revenue of $361.52 million, indicating a 123.16% upward movement from the same quarter last year.
Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $1.56 per share and revenue of $1.47 billion. These totals would mark changes of +4% and +117.14%, respectively, from last year.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for AGNC Investment. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the business and profitability.
Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant. Right now, AGNC Investment possesses a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Valuation is also important, so investors should note that AGNC Investment has a Forward P/E ratio of 6.47 right now. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 8.49, so one might conclude that AGNC Investment is trading at a discount comparatively.
The REIT and Equity Trust industry is part of the Finance sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 214, which puts it in the bottom 13% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.
, /PRNewswire/ -- AGNC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) ("AGNC" or the "Company") announced today that its Board of Directors has declared cash dividends on the outstanding depositary shares1 of the following series of preferred stock for the second quarter 2026:
Series of Preferred Stock
Ticker
Per Annum
Dividend Rate
Dividend Per
Depositary Share1
7.00% Series C Fixed-to-Floating Rate
AGNCN
9.05213%2
$0.57204
6.875% Series D Fixed-to-Floating Rate
AGNCM
8.27313%3
$0.52282
6.50% Series E Fixed-to-Floating Rate
AGNCO
8.93413%4
$0.56459
6.125% Series F Fixed-to-Floating Rate
AGNCP
8.63813%5
$0.54880
7.750% Series G Fixed-Rate Reset
AGNCL
7.750%6
$0.48438
8.750% Series H Fixed-Rate
AGNCZ
8.750 %
$0.54688
1.
Each depositary share represents a 1/1,000th interest in a share of preferred stock.
2.
The Series C Depositary Shares accrue dividends at a floating rate equal to Three-Month CME Term SOFR plus 0.26161% plus 5.111% per annum. The dividend rate for the dividend period ending July 14, 2026 is 9.05213% per annum.
3.
The Series D Depositary Shares accrue dividends at a floating rate equal to Three-Month CME Term SOFR plus 0.26161% plus 4.332% per annum. The dividend rate for the dividend period ending July 14, 2026 is 8.27313% per annum.
4.
The Series E Depositary Shares accrue dividends at a floating rate equal to Three-Month CME Term SOFR plus 0.26161% plus 4.993% per annum. The dividend rate for the dividend period ending July 14, 2026 is 8.93413% per annum.
5.
The Series F Depositary Shares accrue dividends at a floating rate equal to Three-Month CME Term SOFR plus 0.26161% plus 4.697% per annum. The dividend rate for the dividend period ending July 14, 2026 is 8.63813% per annum.
6.
The Series G Depositary Shares will accrue dividends from and including the original issue date to (but excluding) October 15, 2027 at a fixed rate of 7.75% per annum. From and including October 15, 2027, the dividend rate will reset during each reset period at a fixed rate equal to the five year U.S. Treasury Rate plus a spread of 4.39% per annum.
The dividend for each series of outstanding preferred stock is payable on July 15, 2026 to holders of record as of July 1, 2026.
For further information or questions, please contact Investor Relations at (301) 968-9300 or [email protected].
ABOUT AGNC INVESTMENT CORP.
Founded in 2008, AGNC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) is a leading investor in Agency residential mortgage-backed securities (Agency MBS), which benefit from a guarantee against credit losses by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae. We invest on a leveraged basis, financing our Agency MBS assets primarily through repurchase agreements, and utilize dynamic risk management strategies intended to protect the value of our portfolio from interest rate and other market risks.
AGNC has a track record of providing favorable long-term returns for our stockholders through substantial monthly dividend income, with over $15 billion of common stock dividends paid since inception. Our business is a significant source of private capital for the U.S. residential housing market, and our team has extensive experience managing mortgage assets across market cycles. To learn more about The Premier Agency Residential Mortgage REIT, please visit www.AGNC.com, follow us on LinkedIn and X, and sign up for Investor Alerts.
Resources Investor Relations Journalists Agencies Client Login Send a Release News Products Contact , /PRNewswire/ -- AGNC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.12 per share of common stock for June 2026. The dividend is payable on July 10, 2026 to common stockholders of record as of June 30, 2026.
For further information or questions, please contact Investor Relations at (301) 968-9300 or [email protected].
ABOUT AGNC INVESTMENT CORP.
Founded in 2008, AGNC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) is a leading investor in Agency residential mortgage-backed securities (Agency MBS), which benefit from a guarantee against credit losses by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae. We invest on a leveraged basis, financing our Agency MBS assets primarily through repurchase agreements, and utilize dynamic risk management strategies intended to protect the value of our portfolio from interest rate and other market risks.
AGNC has a track record of providing favorable long-term returns for our stockholders through substantial monthly dividend income, with over $15 billion of common stock dividends paid since inception. Our business is a significant source of private capital for the U.S. residential housing market, and our team has extensive experience managing mortgage assets across market cycles. To learn more about The Premier Agency Residential Mortgage REIT, please visit www.AGNC.com, follow us on LinkedIn and X, and sign up for Investor Alerts.
You can read all the published reports on inflation, jobs and guess what the Fed will do next. Or you could collect a rich income stream, no matter where interest rates are headed. We choose the latter, and are cash collectors across market conditions.
Summer is here; temperatures are rising. But unfortunately, for investors, inflation is getting hotter as well.
It’s not the 9% level of just a few years ago, but it’s enough to get investors hot and bothered. It also means that the Federal Reserve is less likely to cut rates anytime soon. The market is running hot as it is.
One strategy that some investors are employing is to rotate into dividend stocks. The idea is to buy stocks with dividend yields above the rate of inflation, with payout ratios that are safe and disciplined to ensure the company maintains them throughout this cycle of higher-for-longer inflation and interest rates.
With dividend stocks, investors get paid to wait for growth, which can be an ideal strategy in the summer months, when trading volume tends to be lower. That means investors can build a substantial position for a relatively nominal amount of money.
Get EPD alerts:
Enterprise Products Partners: Pipeline Income With AI Power Demand Tailwinds Enterprise Products Partners Dividend PaymentsDividend Yield5.93%
Annual Dividend$2.20
Dividend Increase Track Record28 Years
Annualized 5-Year Dividend Growth3.95%
Dividend Payout Ratio81.48%
Recent Dividend PaymentMay. 14
EPD Dividend History
Enterprise Products Partners NYSE: EPD is one of North America’s largest midstream energy companies, structured as a master limited partnership.
MLPs are not the same as REITs, but they often serve a similar role for income investors because their partnership structure is designed to pass cash flow through to unitholders. Unlike REITs, MLPs are not legally required to distribute most of their income; instead, they must meet qualifying-income rules to preserve partnership tax treatment.
That’s a key reason why they appeal to income-focused investors. In this case, Enterprise Products Partners has a dividend that yields nearly 6% and has been increasing for 28 years.
With the data center buildout expected to take place over years, and a company like Enterprise Products Partners contractually bound to receive that income, there’s a long runway for the company to continue increasing its dividend, and for shareholders to get some capital appreciation along the way.
The company owns and operates pipelines, storage facilities, processing plants, and export terminals that handle natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products, and petrochemicals. That gives Enterprise Products Partners indirect exposure to rising power demand from AI-driven data centers, especially as natural gas remains a critical fuel source for electricity generation.
That data-center angle adds another layer to an already steady income story. EPD is up more than 16% over the past year, and is currently trading about 6% below its consensus price target of $39.67. But stock price growth is the cherry on top for investors who own this stock.
AGNC Investment: The Mortgage REIT That Pays You Monthly AGNC Investment Dividend PaymentsDividend Yield13.92%
Annual Dividend$1.44
Annualized 5-Year Dividend Growth-1.59%
Dividend Payout Ratio119.01%
Next Dividend PaymentJul. 10
AGNC Dividend History
AGNC Investment Corp. NASDAQ: AGNC is a mortgage real estate investment trust, or mREIT, built to pass much of its income back to investors through dividends.
To maintain its REIT status, AGNC must generally distribute at least 90% of its taxable income—a major reason REIT yields often sit well above those of typical dividend stocks.
Where EPD channels midstream energy cash flow to unitholders, AGNC channels interest income from a leveraged portfolio of agency residential mortgage-backed securities backed by government-sponsored entities such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
That backing reduces credit risk. The real risk here is interest rate sensitivity.
AGNC uses leverage to invest in agency mortgage-backed securities, a model that depends heavily on funding costs, mortgage spreads, prepayment trends and book value stability. Because the company effectively borrows short and invests long, a higher-for-longer rate environment can pressure margins and weigh on returns.
This is a legitimate concern that investors shouldn't ignore. It's also one reason that AGNC is down about 4% in 2026.
The payoff for accepting that risk is a yield of around 14%, paid monthly. At around $10 per share, it's one of the more accessible high-yield names on the market. Investors who can tolerate rate volatility may be early to a compelling setup if and when the Fed eventually pivots.
General Mills: A 7% Yield With Turnaround Risk General Mills Dividend PaymentsDividend Yield7.12%
Annual Dividend$2.44
Dividend Increase Track Record5 Years
Annualized 5-Year Dividend Growth4.13%
Dividend Payout Ratio59.66%
Recent Dividend PaymentMay. 1
GIS Dividend History
General Mills NYSE: GIS has an ugly chart, and its Q3 2026 earnings report wasn’t that pretty either.
Like many consumer staples stocks, General Mills is facing a volume problem.
Many companies have taken to raising prices to make up for input cost inflation, including tariffs on some goods and commodities that flow through their supply chains.
But that doesn’t matter if consumers are not buying, buying as much, or trading down to cheaper alternatives.
That's one problem that General Mills has. Another is that it’s starting to show weakness in the Pet category that was a shining star in recent quarters.
That would make the stock’s 7.2% dividend yield scream value trap. But the dividend is well supported by the company’s cash flow, which makes it worth a look as a stock to hold for better days.
Why? At nearly 10x forward earnings, GIS is undervalued compared to its own history, the sector average, and the S&P 500. That means the stock is not just “cheap” because it’s under $50. It’s truly offering investors good value at its current price.
Consumer psychology is real. If consumers have decided that house brands are just as good as the branded products they can get from General Mills, that will be a problem. But investors won’t get the answer to that for several quarters. Until then, GIS is a good option for investors looking for a stock to ride through the lazy summer months.
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HOUSTON, April 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY) (“Sysco” or the “company”) today announced financial results for its 13-week third fiscal quarter ended March 28, 2026.
Key financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2026 include the following (comparisons are to the same period in fiscal year 2025):
Sales increased 4.7%; U.S. Foodservice volume increased 2.3%, U.S. local volumes increased 3.3%;Gross profit increased 6.5% to $3.8 billion;Operating income decreased 9.1% to $619 million, and adjusted operating income decreased 0.6% to $768 million1;Net earnings decreased 15.2% to $340 million, and adjusted net earnings decreased 3.6% to $452 million1;Cash flow from operations increased 11% to $1.5 billion and free cash flow2 increased 19% to $1.1 billion on a year-to-date basis;EBITDA decreased 5.1% to $864 million3, and adjusted EBITDA increased 0.1% to $970 million1,3; andEPS4 decreased 13.4% to $0.71, and adjusted EPS1 decreased 2.1% to $0.94, inclusive of higher incentive compensation costs of $63 million, as previously disclosed, representing a $0.10 impact to EPS. “Sysco delivered strong results in the third quarter of fiscal 2026, driven by continued acceleration in local case volume and expanded gross margins,” said Kevin Hourican, Sysco’s Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. “Importantly, our U.S. local volumes grew 3.3%, the highest quarterly rate in over three years. This exceeded our prior commitment, and we remain confident in delivering over 2.5% U.S. local growth in Q4, which would put us on pace to accelerate on a two-year stack basis. Our USFS segment returned to operating profit growth for the quarter. We are encouraged by the progress, results, and momentum across each of our business segments. As we look ahead, our strong operating foundation, improving productivity, and the compelling opportunity presented by the pending Jetro Restaurant Depot combination, position Sysco to grow profitably, deepen our relationships with more local customers, and create incremental value for our shareholders.”
“Third quarter results reflected strong earnings execution and solid cash flow generation, supported by continued volume acceleration, gross margin expansion, and disciplined cost management, which included headwinds from lapping $63 million of incentive compensation,” said Brandon Sewell, Sysco’s Interim Chief Financial Officer. “Year‑to‑date free cash flow increased 19%, and we are encouraged by improving productivity, particularly in our U.S. Foodservice local business. These results support our confidence in delivering full‑year adjusted EPS at the high end of our $4.50 to $4.60 guidance range, which continues to include an approximate $100 million ($0.16 per diluted share) headwind from lapping lower incentive compensation in fiscal 2025.”
(1) Adjusted financial results, including adjusted operating expense, adjusted operating income (loss), adjusted net earnings, adjusted earnings per share (EPS) and adjusted EBITDA, among others, are non-GAAP financial measures that exclude certain items, which primarily include acquisition-related costs, restructuring and severance costs, and transformational project costs. Adjustments provided herein for fiscal 2026 results of operations also remove the impact of a charge associated with a legal matter. Reconciliations of all non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest corresponding GAAP financial measure are included at the end of this release. For additional information regarding forward-looking full year adjusted EPS see section below entitled “Projected Adjusted EPS Guidance.”
(2) Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure that represents net cash provided from operating activities less purchases of plant and equipment and includes proceeds from sales of plant and equipment. Reconciliations of all non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest corresponding GAAP financial measure are included at the end of this release.
(3) Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations of all non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest corresponding GAAP financial measure are included at the end of this release.
(4) Earnings per share (EPS) is shown on a diluted basis, unless otherwise specified.
Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Results (comparisons are to the same period in fiscal year 2025)
Total Sysco
Sales for the third quarter increased 4.7% to $20.5 billion.
Gross profit increased 6.5% to $3.8 billion, and gross margin increased 31 basis points to 18.6%. Product cost inflation was 2.8% at the total enterprise level, as measured by the estimated change in Sysco’s product costs, primarily in the dairy, meat, and seafood categories. The increase in gross profit for the third quarter was primarily driven by positive volumes, strategic sourcing efficiencies, and effective management of product cost inflation.
Operating expenses increased 10.1%, primarily driven by higher incentive compensation, sales headcount and capacity investments. Adjusted operating expenses increased 8.4%1.
Operating income decreased 9.1% to $619 million, and adjusted operating income decreased 0.6% to $768 million1.
U.S. Foodservice Operations
The U.S. Foodservice Operations segment results reflected positive case growth across local and national customers, higher gross margins, partially offset by lapping incentive compensation from the prior year and planned investments in sales headcount and expanded capacity.
Sales for the third quarter increased 3.1% to $14.2 billion. Total case volume within U.S. Foodservice Operations increased 2.3% for the third quarter, while local case volume within U.S. Foodservice Operations increased 3.3%.
Gross profit increased 5.2% to $2.7 billion, and gross margin increased 38 basis points to 19.2%.
Operating expenses increased 6.3%, and adjusted operating expenses increased 5.2%1.
Operating income increased 2.4% to $772 million, and adjusted operating income increased 5.1% to $830 million1.
International Foodservice Operations
The International Foodservice Operations segment delivered strong sales growth, robust local volume gains, and double-digit adjusted operating income growth.
Sales for the third quarter increased 12.4% to $3.9 billion. On a constant currency basis5, sales for the third quarter increased 5.2% to $3.6 billion. Foreign exchange rates increased both International Foodservice Operations sales by 7.2% and total Sysco sales by 1.3% during the quarter.
Gross profit increased 14.6% to $834 million, and gross margin increased 41 basis points to 21.5%. On a constant currency basis5, gross profit increased 6.7% to $777 million. Foreign exchange rates increased both International Foodservice Operations gross profit by 7.9% and total Sysco gross profit by 1.7% during the quarter.
(5) Represents a constant currency adjustment, which eliminates the impact of foreign currency fluctuations on current year results. These adjusted measures are non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations of all non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest corresponding GAAP financial measure are included at the end of this release.
Operating expenses increased 18.8%, and adjusted operating expenses increased 15.0%1. On a constant currency basis5, adjusted operating expenses increased 6.7%. Foreign exchange rates increased both International Foodservice Operations operating expenses by 8.3% and total Sysco operating expenses by 1.8% during the quarter.
Operating income decreased 13.5% to $83 million, and adjusted operating income increased 12.5% to $144 million1. On a constant currency basis5, adjusted operating income increased 7.0% to $137 million. Foreign exchange rates increased both International Foodservice Operations operating income by 5.5% and total Sysco operating income by 1.0% during the quarter.
Balance Sheet, Cash Flow and Capital Spending
As of the end of the quarter, the company had a cash balance of $1.9 billion and total liquidity6 of $4.4 billion.
Debt to net earnings was approximately 8.1 times, and Net Debt to adjusted EBITDA7 was approximately 2.8 times.
During the first 39 weeks of fiscal year 2026, Sysco returned $978 million to shareholders via $200 million of share repurchases and $778 million of dividends.
Cash flow from operations was $1.5 billion and free cash flow8 was $1.1 billion for the first 39 weeks of fiscal year 2026.
Capital expenditures, net of proceeds from sales of plant and equipment, for the first 39 weeks of fiscal year 2026 were $330 million.
Details of Previously Announced Acquisition of Jetro Restaurant Depot
On March 30, 2026, subsequent to quarter-end, the company announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire Jetro Restaurant Depot, a leading U.S. wholesale cash-and-carry foodservice provider serving smaller, independent restaurants and businesses. Jetro Restaurant Depot operates 167 large-format warehouse stores across 35 states, serving more than 725,000 independent restaurants and foodservice operators with a broad assortment of fresh and low-priced products. This transaction remains subject to regulatory review and is expected to close by Sysco’s third quarter of fiscal 2027, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of the regulatory approvals.
(6) Available liquidity includes cash and cash equivalents, available borrowing capacity under our revolving credit facility, less outstanding drawings under our commercial paper program, as of the applicable reporting date.
(7) Net debt to adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure frequently used by investors and credit rating agencies. Our net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio is calculated using a numerator of our debt minus cash and cash equivalents, divided by the sum of the most recent four quarters of adjusted EBITDA. Reconciliations of all non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest corresponding GAAP financial measure are included at the end of this release.
(8) Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure that represents net cash provided from operating activities less purchases of plant and equipment and includes proceeds from sales of plant and equipment. Reconciliations of all non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest corresponding GAAP financial measure are included at the end of this release.
Conference Call & Webcast
Sysco will host a conference call to review the company’s third quarter fiscal year 2026 financial results on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. A live webcast of the call, accompanying slide presentation and a copy of this news release will be available online at investors.sysco.com.
Key Highlights: 13-Week Period Ended39-Week Period Ended Financial Comparison:March 28, 2026ChangeMarch 28, 2026ChangeGAAP: Sales$20.5 billion4.7%$62.4 billion3.6%Gross Profit$3.8 billion6.5%$11.5 billion4.8%Gross Margin18.6%31 bps18.4%20 bpsOperating Expenses$3.2 billion10.1%$9.4 billion6.9%Operating Income$619 million-9.1%
$2.1 billion-4.0%
Operating Margin3.0%-45 bps3.4%-27 bpsNet Earnings$340 million-15.2%
$1.2 billion-7.0%
Diluted Earnings Per Share$0.71-13.4%
$2.51-4.9%
Non-GAAP(1): Adjusted Operating Expenses$3.0 billion8.4%
$9.0 billion5.6%Adjusted Operating Income$768 million-0.6%
$2.5 billion1.9%Adjusted Operating Margin3.7%-20 bps4.0%-7 bpsEBITDA$864 million-5.1%
$2.8 billion-3.0%
Adjusted EBITDA$970 million0.1%$3.0 billion1.2%Adjusted Net Earnings$452 million-3.6%
$1.5 billion1.0%Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share(2)$0.94-2.1%
$3.083.4% Case Growth: U.S. Foodservice2.3% 1.0% Local3.3% 1.4% Sysco Brand Sales as a % of Cases(3): U.S. Broadline35.0%-62 bps35.3%-78 bpsLocal45.1%-50 bps45.5%-72 bpsNote:(1) Reconciliations of all non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest respective GAAP financial measures are included at the end of this release.(2) Individual components in the table above may not sum to the totals due to the rounding.(3) Amounts reflect the impact of current customer classifications; prior period history has been reclassified to match the current period customer classification. Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this press release or in our earnings call for the third quarter of fiscal year 2026 include statements that are forward-looking or that express management’s beliefs, expectations or hopes and are forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, among other things, our future financial performance and results, business strategy, plans, goals and objectives, including certain outlook, business trends, our dividend and share repurchase programs, our expectation of future macroeconomic conditions and other statements that are not historical facts, including our expectations regarding foot traffic and volume growth, and benefits to gross margins; and our expectations regarding our future growth, including growth in sales and earnings per share; as well as statements about the expected timing and completion of the proposed transaction with Jetro Restaurant Depot and the anticipated benefits of such proposed transaction.
Such forward-looking statements reflect the views of management at the time such statements are made and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, estimates, and assumptions, including those outside of Sysco’s control. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation: the impact of geopolitical, economic and market conditions and developments, including changes in global trade policies and tariffs and foreign conflicts; risks related to our business initiatives; periods of significant or prolonged inflation or deflation and their impact on our product costs, volume, foot traffic, and profitability generally; risks related to our efforts to implement our transformation initiatives and meet our other long-term strategic objectives; risks of interruption of supplies and increase in product costs; risks related to changes in consumer eating habits; and impact of natural disasters or adverse weather conditions, public health crises, adverse publicity or lack of confidence in our products, and product liability claims as well as risks and uncertainties associated with our proposed transaction with Jetro Restaurant Depot, including but not limited to, the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of either or both parties to terminate the merger agreement; the risk that regulatory approvals may not be obtained or other closing conditions may not be satisfied in a timely manner or at all, as well as the risk that regulatory approvals are obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated; the risk of other delays in closing the transaction; the possibility that any of the anticipated benefits and projected synergies of the transaction will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; and the risk that the proposed transaction and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the market price of the common stock of Sysco. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated in our forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on any of the forward-looking statements contained herein. For more information on these risks and other concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed or forecasted, see our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings with the SEC. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.
About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food and related products to customers who prepare meals away from home. This includes restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments, entertainment venues, and more. Sysco operates 337 distribution centers, in 10 countries, with 75,000 colleagues serving approximately 730,000 customer locations. The company generated sales of more than $81 billion in fiscal year 2025 that ended June 28, 2025.
As the world’s largest food-away-from-home distributor, Sysco offers customized supply chain solutions, bespoke specialty product offerings, and culinary support to drive customers to innovate and optimize their operations. We act as a trusted business partner to our customers, helping them grow through our industry-leading portfolio that includes fresh produce, premium proteins, specialty products, sustainably focused items, equipment and supplies, and innovative culinary solutions.
For more information, visit www.sysco.com. For important news and key information for Sysco investors, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at investors.sysco.com.
SYY-INVESTORS
Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
CONSOLIDATED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)
(In Millions, Except for Share and Per Share Data) 13-Week Period Ended 39-Week Period Ended Mar. 28, 2026 Mar. 29, 2025 Mar. 28, 2026 Mar. 29, 2025 Sales$20,519 $19,598 $62,429 $60,232Cost of sales 16,707 16,017 50,924 49,249Gross profit 3,812 3,581 11,505 10,983Operating expenses 3,193 2,900 9,393 8,783Operating income 619 681 2,112 2,200Interest expense 168 149 512 469Other expense (income), net 6 9 44 32Earnings before income taxes 445 523 1,556 1,699Income taxes 105 122 350 402Net earnings$340 $401 $1,206 $1,297 Net earnings: Basic earnings per share$0.71 $0.82 $2.52 $2.65Diluted earnings per share 0.71 0.82 2.51 2.64 Average shares outstanding 479,344,821 487,519,382 479,150,734 490,080,591Diluted shares outstanding 481,188,586 489,331,460 480,738,926 491,973,759 Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In Millions, Except for Share Data) Mar. 28, 2026 Jun. 28, 2025 (Unaudited) ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents$1,900 $1,071 Accounts receivable, less allowances of $87 and $17 5,755 5,502 Inventories 5,291 5,053 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 415 338 Income tax receivable 22 4 Total current assets 13,383 11,968 Plant and equipment at cost, less accumulated depreciation 5,888 6,084 Other long-term assets Goodwill 5,246 5,231 Intangibles, less amortization 995 1,080 Deferred income taxes 488 497 Operating lease right-of-use assets, net 1,320 1,131 Other assets 663 783 Total other long-term assets 8,712 8,722 Total assets$27,983 $26,774 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITYCurrent liabilities Accounts payable$6,387 $6,512 Accrued expenses 2,344 2,268 Accrued income taxes — 51 Current operating lease liabilities 147 136 Current maturities of long-term debt 1,190 949 Total current liabilities 10,068 9,916 Long-term liabilities Long-term debt 12,818 12,360 Deferred income taxes 380 345 Long-term operating lease liabilities 1,226 1,049 Other long-term liabilities 1,194 1,247 Total long-term liabilities 15,618 15,001 Commitments and contingencies Noncontrolling interest — 27 Shareholders’ equity Preferred stock, par value $1 per share Authorized 1,500,000 shares, issued none — — Common stock, par value $1 per share Authorized 2,000,000,000 shares, issued 765,174,900 shares 765 765 Paid-in capital 2,089 1,986 Retained earnings 13,461 13,061 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (1,055) (1,098)Treasury stock at cost, 286,996,640 and 287,678,658 shares (12,963) (12,884)Total shareholders’ equity 2,297 1,830 Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity$27,983 $26,774 Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)
(In Millions) 39-Week Period Ended Mar. 28, 2026 Mar. 29, 2025Cash flows from operating activities: Net earnings$1,206 $1,297 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to cash provided by operating activities: Share-based compensation expense 95 74 Depreciation and amortization 724 709 Operating lease asset amortization 113 102 Amortization of debt issuance and other debt-related costs 11 11 Deferred income taxes (14) (27)Provision for losses on receivables 62 72 Other non-cash items (40) (84)Additional changes in certain assets and liabilities, net of effect of businesses acquired: Increase in receivables (335) (228)Increase in inventories (233) (214)Increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets (19) (11)Increase (decrease) in accounts payable 43 (128)Increase (decrease) in accrued expenses 100 (98)Decrease in operating lease liabilities (158) (132)Decrease in accrued income taxes (69) (91)(Increase) decrease in other assets (13) 16 (Decrease) increase in other long-term liabilities (10) 49 Net cash provided by operating activities 1,463 1,317 Cash flows from investing activities: Additions to plant and equipment (461) (532)Proceeds from sales of plant and equipment 131 169 Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired (189) (40)Purchase of marketable securities (15) (25)Proceeds from sales of marketable securities 22 24 Other investing activities 23 12 Net cash used for investing activities (489) (392)Cash flows from financing activities: Bank and commercial paper borrowings (repayments), net 251 (33)Other debt borrowings including senior notes 1,252 1,254 Other debt repayments including senior notes (866) (143)Proceeds from stock option exercises 124 96 Stock repurchases (200) (700)Dividends paid (778) (752)Other financing activities (45) (21)Net cash used for financing activities (262) (299)Effect of exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (5) (7)Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 707 619 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period 1,349 945 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period$2,056 $1,564 Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information: Cash paid during the period for: Interest$521 $453 Income taxes, net of refunds 401 510 Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
Non-GAAP Reconciliation (Unaudited)
Impact of Certain Items The discussion of our results includes certain non-GAAP financial measures, including EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA, that we believe provide important perspective with respect to underlying business trends. Other than EBITDA and free cash flow, any non-GAAP financial measures will be denoted as adjusted measures to remove: (1) restructuring charges; (2) expenses associated with our various transformation initiatives; (3) severance charges; and (4) acquisition-related costs consisting of (a) intangible amortization expense and (b) acquisition costs and due diligence costs related to our acquisitions. Adjustments provided herein for fiscal 2026 results of operations also remove the impact of a charge associated with a legal matter. No similar charge was applicable in fiscal 2025. The results of our operations can be impacted due to changes in exchange rates applicable in converting local currencies to U.S. dollars. We measure our results on a constant currency basis. Constant currency operating results are calculated by translating current-period local currency operating results with the currency exchange rates used to translate the financial statements in the comparable prior-year period to determine what the current-period U.S. dollar operating results would have been if the currency exchange rate had not changed from the comparable prior-year period. We also measure our sales growth excluding the impact of our joint venture in Mexico which was divested in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025. Management believes that adjusting its operating expenses, operating income, operating margin, net earnings and diluted earnings per share to remove these Certain Items, presenting its results on a constant currency basis, and adjusting its sales results to exclude the impact of its joint venture in Mexico provides an important perspective with respect to our underlying business trends and results. It provides meaningful supplemental information to both management and investors that (1) is indicative of the performance of the company’s underlying operations and (2) facilitates comparisons on a year-over-year basis. Sysco has a history of growth through acquisitions and excludes from its non-GAAP financial measures the impact of acquisition-related intangible amortization, acquisition costs and due diligence costs for those acquisitions. We believe this approach significantly enhances the comparability of Sysco’s results for fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2025. Set forth on the following page is a reconciliation of sales, operating expenses, operating income, net earnings and diluted earnings per share to adjusted results for these measures for the periods presented. Individual components of diluted earnings per share may not be equal to the total presented when added due to rounding. Adjusted diluted earnings per share is calculated using adjusted net earnings divided by diluted shares outstanding. Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
Non-GAAP Reconciliation (Unaudited)
Impact of Certain Items
(Dollars in Millions, Except for Share and Per Share Data) 13-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 28, 2026 13-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 29, 2025 Change in
Dollars %/bps
ChangeSales (GAAP)$20,519 $19,598 $921 4.7%Impact of currency fluctuations(1) (252) (252) (1.3)Comparable sales using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$20,267 $19,598 $669 3.4% Cost of sales (GAAP)$16,707 $16,017 $690 4.3% Gross profit (GAAP)$3,812 $3,581 $231 6.5%Impact of currency fluctuations(1) (58) (58) (1.7)Comparable gross profit adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$3,754 $3,581 $173 4.8% Gross margin (GAAP) 18.58% 18.27% 31 bpsImpact of currency fluctuations(1) (0.06) -6 bpsComparable gross margin adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP) 18.52% 18.27% 25 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$3,193 $2,900 $293 10.1%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(2) (94) (50) (44) (88.0)Impact of acquisition-related costs(3) (55) (42) (13) (31.0)Operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP) 3,044 2,808 236 8.4 Impact of currency fluctuations(1) (51) (51) (1.8)Comparable operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$2,993 $2,808 $185 6.6% Operating expense as a percentage of sales (GAAP) 15.56% 14.80% 76 bpsImpact of certain item adjustments (0.72) (0.47) -25 bpsAdjusted operating expense as a percentage of sales (Non-GAAP) 14.84% 14.33% 51 bps Operating income (GAAP)$619 $681 $(62) (9.1)%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(2) 94 50 44 88.0 Impact of acquisition-related costs(3) 55 42 13 31.0 Operating income adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP) 768 773 (5) (0.6)Impact of currency fluctuations(1) (7) (7) (1.0)Comparable operating income adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$761 $773 $(12) (1.6)% Operating margin (GAAP) 3.02% 3.47% -45 bpsOperating margin adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP) 3.74% 3.94% -20 bpsOperating margin adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP) 3.75% 3.94% -19 bps Net earnings (GAAP)$340 $401 $(61) (15.2)%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(2) 94 50 44 88.0 Impact of acquisition-related costs(3) 55 42 13 31.0 Tax impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(4) (23) (13) (10) (76.9)Tax impact of acquisition-related costs(4) (14) (11) (3) (27.3)Net earnings adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$452 $469 $(17) (3.6)% Diluted earnings per share (GAAP)$0.71 $0.82 $(0.11) (13.4)%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(2) 0.20 0.10 0.10 100.0 Impact of acquisition-related costs(3) 0.11 0.09 0.02 22.2 Tax impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(4) (0.05) (0.03) (0.02) (66.7)Tax impact of acquisition-related costs(4) (0.03) (0.02) (0.01) (50.0)Diluted earnings per share adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)(5)$0.94 $0.96 $(0.02) (2.1)% Diluted shares outstanding 481,188,586 489,331,460 (1)Represents a constant currency adjustment, which eliminates the impact of foreign currency fluctuations on the current year results.(2)Fiscal 2026 includes $43 million related to restructuring costs, severance charges, and costs associated with a legal matter and $51 million related to various transformation initiative costs, primarily consisting of supply chain transformation costs and changes to our business technology strategy. Fiscal 2025 includes $15 million related to restructuring and severance charges and $35 million related to various transformation initiative costs, primarily consisting of supply chain transformation costs and changes to our business technology strategy.(3)Fiscal 2026 includes $42 million of intangible amortization expense and $13 million in acquisition and due diligence costs. Fiscal 2025 includes $32 million of intangible amortization expense and $10 million in acquisition and due diligence costs.(4)The tax impact of adjustments for Certain Items are calculated by multiplying the pretax impact of each Certain Item by the statutory rates in effect for each jurisdiction where the Certain Item was incurred.(5)Individual components of diluted earnings per share may not equal the total presented when added due to rounding. Total diluted earnings per share is calculated using adjusted net earnings divided by diluted shares outstanding. Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
Non-GAAP Reconciliation (Unaudited)
Impact of Certain Items
(Dollars in Millions, Except for Share and Per Share Data) 39-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 28, 2026 39-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 29, 2025 Change in
Dollars %/bps
ChangeSales (GAAP)$62,429 $60,232 $2,197 3.6%Impact of Mexico joint venture sales — (207) 207 0.4 Comparable sales excluding Mexico joint venture (Non-GAAP)$62,429 $60,025 $2,404 4.0% Sales (GAAP)$62,429 $60,232 $2,197 3.6%Impact of currency fluctuations(1) (481) (481) (0.8)Comparable sales using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$61,948 $60,232 $1,716 2.8% Cost of sales (GAAP)$50,924 $49,249 $1,675 3.4% Gross profit (GAAP)$11,505 $10,983 $522 4.8%Impact of currency fluctuations(1) (115) (115) (1.1)Comparable gross profit adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$11,390 $10,983 $407 3.7% Gross margin (GAAP) 18.43% 18.23% 20 bpsImpact of currency fluctuations(1) (0.04) -4 bpsComparable gross margin adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP) 18.39% 18.23% 16 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$9,393 $8,783 $610 6.9%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(2) (207) (107) (100) (93.5)Impact of acquisition-related costs(3) (155) (121) (34) (28.1)Operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP) 9,031 8,555 476 5.6 Impact of currency fluctuations(1) (102) (102) (1.2)Comparable operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$8,929 $8,555 $374 4.4% Operating expense as a percentage of sales (GAAP) 15.05% 14.58% 47 bpsImpact of certain item adjustments (0.58) (0.38) -20 bpsAdjusted operating expense as a percentage of sales (Non-GAAP) 14.47% 14.20% 27 bps Operating income (GAAP)$2,112 $2,200 $(88) (4.0)%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(2) 207 107 100 93.5 Impact of acquisition-related costs(3) 155 121 34 28.1 Operating income adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP) 2,474 2,428 46 1.9 Impact of currency fluctuations(1) (13) (13) (0.5)Comparable operating income adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$2,461 $2,428 $33 1.4% Operating margin (GAAP) 3.38% 3.65% -27 bpsOperating margin adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP) 3.96% 4.03% -7 bpsOperating margin adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP) 3.97% 4.03% -6 bps Net earnings (GAAP)$1,206 $1,297 $(91) (7.0)%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(2) 207 107 100 93.5 Impact of acquisition-related costs(3) 155 121 34 28.1 Tax impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(4) (50) (27) (23) (85.2)Tax impact of acquisition-related costs(4) (37) (31) (6) (19.4)Net earnings adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$1,481 $1,467 $14 1.0% Diluted earnings per share (GAAP)$2.51 $2.64 $(0.13) (4.9)%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(2) 0.43 0.22 0.21 95.5 Impact of acquisition-related costs(3) 0.32 0.25 0.07 28.0 Tax impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(4) (0.10) (0.05) (0.05) (100.0)Tax impact of acquisition-related costs(4) (0.08) (0.06) (0.02) (33.3)Diluted earnings per share adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)(5)$3.08 $2.98 $0.10 3.4% Diluted shares outstanding 480,738,926 491,973,759 (1)Represents a constant currency adjustment which eliminates the impact of foreign currency fluctuations on the current year results.(2)Fiscal 2026 includes $63 million related to restructuring costs, severance charges, and costs associated with a legal matter and $144 million related to various transformation initiative costs, primarily consisting of supply chain transformation costs and changes to our business technology strategy. Fiscal 2025 includes $31 million related to restructuring and severance charges and $76 million related to various transformation initiative costs, primarily consisting of supply chain transformation costs and changes to our business technology strategy.(3)Fiscal 2026 includes $108 million of intangible amortization expense and $47 million in acquisition and due diligence costs. Fiscal 2025 includes $97 million of intangible amortization expense and $24 million in acquisition and due diligence costs.(4)The tax impact of adjustments for Certain Items is calculated by multiplying the pretax impact of each Certain Item by the statutory rates in effect for each jurisdiction where the Certain Item was incurred.(5)Individual components of diluted earnings per share may not add up to the total presented due to rounding. Total diluted earnings per share is calculated using adjusted net earnings divided by diluted shares outstanding. Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
Segment Results
Non-GAAP Reconciliation (Unaudited)
Impact of Certain Items on Applicable Segments
(Dollars in Millions) 13-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 28, 2026 13-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 29, 2025 Change in
Dollars %/bps
ChangeU.S. FOODSERVICE OPERATIONS Sales (GAAP)$14,234 $13,800 $434 3.1%Gross profit (GAAP) 2,738 2,603 135 5.2%Gross margin (GAAP) 19.24% 18.86% 38 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$1,966 $1,849 $117 6.3%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(1) (39) (16) (23) NMImpact of acquisition-related costs(2) (19) (20) 1 5.0 Operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$1,908 $1,813 $95 5.2% Operating income (GAAP)$772 $754 $18 2.4%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(1) 39 16 23 NMImpact of acquisition-related costs(2) 19 20 (1) (5.0)Operating income adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$830 $790 $40 5.1% INTERNATIONAL FOODSERVICE OPERATIONS Sales (GAAP)$3,885 $3,457 $428 12.4%Impact of currency fluctuations(3) (249) (249) (7.2)Comparable sales using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$3,636 $3,457 $179 5.2% Gross profit (GAAP)$834 $728 $106 14.6%Impact of currency fluctuations(3) (57) (57) (7.9)Comparable gross profit using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$777 $728 $49 6.7% Gross margin (GAAP) 21.47% 21.06% 41 bpsImpact of currency fluctuations(3) (0.10) -10 bpsComparable gross margin using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP) 21.37% 21.06% 31 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$751 $632 $119 18.8%Impact of restructuring and transformational project costs(4) (39) (13) (26) NMImpact of acquisition-related costs(2) (22) (19) (3) (15.8)Operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP) 690 600 90 15.0 Impact of currency fluctuations(3) (50) (50) (8.3)Comparable operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$640 $600 $40 6.7% Operating income (GAAP)$83 $96 $(13) (13.5)%Impact of restructuring and transformational project costs(4) 39 13 26 NMImpact of acquisition-related costs(2) 22 19 3 15.8 Operating income adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP) 144 128 16 12.5 Impact of currency fluctuations(3) (7) (7) (5.5)Comparable operating income adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$137 $128 $9 7.0% SYGMA Sales (GAAP)$2,137 $2,084 $53 2.5%Gross profit (GAAP) 163 166 (3) (1.8)%Gross margin (GAAP) 7.63% 7.97% -34 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$145 $149 $(4) (2.7)%Operating income (GAAP) 18 17 1 5.9% OTHER Sales (GAAP)$263 $257 $6 2.3%Gross profit (GAAP) 68 60 8 13.3%Gross margin (GAAP) 25.86% 23.35% 251 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$61 $63 $(2) (3.2)%Operating income (loss) (GAAP) 7 (3) 10 NM GLOBAL SUPPORT CENTER Gross profit (GAAP)$9 $24 $(15) (62.5)% Operating expenses (GAAP)$270 $207 $63 30.4%Impact of restructuring and transformational project costs(5) (16) (21) 5 23.8 Impact of acquisition-related costs(6) (14) (3) (11) NMOperating expenses adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$240 $183 $57 31.1% Operating loss (GAAP)$(261) $(183) $(78) (42.6)%Impact of restructuring and transformational project costs(5) 16 21 (5) (23.8)Impact of acquisition-related costs(6) 14 3 11 NMOperating loss adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$(231) $(159) $(72) (45.3)% TOTAL SYSCO Sales (GAAP)$20,519 $19,598 $921 4.7%Gross profit (GAAP) 3,812 3,581 231 6.5%Gross margin (GAAP) 18.58% 18.27% 31 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$3,193 $2,900 $293 10.1%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(1) (4) (5) (94) (50) (44) (88.0)Impact of acquisition-related costs(2) (6) (55) (42) (13) (31.0)Operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$3,044 $2,808 $236 8.4% Operating income (GAAP)$619 $681 $(62) (9.1)%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(1) (4) (5) 94 50 44 88.0 Impact of acquisition-related costs(2) (6) 55 42 13 31.0 Operating income adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$768 $773 $(5) (0.6)% (1)Primarily represents severance charges, transformation initiative costs, and costs associated with a legal matter.(2)Fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2025 include intangible amortization expense and acquisition costs.(3)Represents a constant currency adjustment, which eliminates the impact of foreign currency fluctuations on current year results.(4)Includes restructuring and transformation initiative costs primarily in Europe.(5)Includes various transformation initiative costs, primarily consisting of changes to our business technology strategy.(6)Represents due diligence costs.NMRepresents that the percentage change is not meaningful. Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
Segment Results
Non-GAAP Reconciliation (Unaudited)
Impact of Certain Items on Applicable Segments
(Dollars in Millions) 39-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 28, 2026 39-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 29, 2025 Change in
Dollars %/bps
ChangeU.S. FOODSERVICE OPERATIONS Sales (GAAP)$43,397 $42,206 $1,191 2.8%Gross profit (GAAP) 8,281 8,003 278 3.5%Gross margin (GAAP) 19.08% 18.96% 12 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$5,809 $5,507 $302 5.5%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(1) (54) (26) (28) NMImpact of acquisition-related costs(2) (72) (53) (19) (35.8)Operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$5,683 $5,428 $255 4.7% Operating income (GAAP)$2,472 $2,496 $(24) (1.0)%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(1) 54 26 28 NMImpact of acquisition-related costs(2) 72 53 19 35.8 Operating income adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$2,598 $2,575 $23 0.9% INTERNATIONAL FOODSERVICE OPERATIONS Sales (GAAP)$11,851 $10,978 $873 8.0%Impact of Mexico joint venture sales — (207) 207 2.0 Comparable sales excluding Mexico joint venture (Non-GAAP)$11,851 $10,771 $1,080 10.0% Sales (GAAP)$11,851 $10,978 $873 8.0%Impact of currency fluctuations(3) (477) (477) (4.4)Comparable sales using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$11,374 $10,978 $396 3.6% Gross profit (GAAP)$2,492 $2,262 $230 10.2%Impact of currency fluctuations(3) (114) (114) (5.1)Comparable gross profit using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$2,378 $2,262 $116 5.1% Gross margin (GAAP) 21.03% 20.60% 43 bpsImpact of currency fluctuations(3) (0.12) -12 bpsComparable gross margin using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP) 20.91% 20.60% 31 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$2,177 $1,970 $207 10.5%Impact of restructuring and transformational project costs(4) (91) (39) (52) NMImpact of acquisition-related costs(2) (47) (56) 9 16.1 Operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP) 2,039 1,875 164 8.7 Impact of currency fluctuations(3) (102) (102) (5.4)Comparable operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$1,937 $1,875 $62 3.3% Operating income (GAAP)$315 $292 $23 7.9%Impact of restructuring and transformational project costs(4) 91 39 52 NMImpact of acquisition-related costs(2) 47 56 (9) (16.1)Operating income adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP) 453 387 66 17.1 Impact of currency fluctuations(3) (12) (12) (3.1)Comparable operating income adjusted for Certain Items using a constant currency basis (Non-GAAP)$441 $387 $54 14.0% SYGMA Sales (GAAP)$6,392 $6,246 $146 2.3%Gross profit (GAAP) 496 492 4 0.8%Gross margin (GAAP) 7.76% 7.88% -12 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$432 $438 $(6) (1.4)%Operating income (GAAP) 64 54 10 18.5% OTHER Sales (GAAP)$789 $802 $(13) (1.6)%Gross profit (GAAP) 202 197 5 2.5%Gross margin (GAAP) 25.60% 24.56% 104 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$185 $188 $(3) (1.6)%Operating income (GAAP) 17 9 8 88.9% GLOBAL SUPPORT CENTER Gross profit (GAAP)$34 $29 $5 17.2% Operating expenses (GAAP)$790 $680 $110 16.2%Impact of restructuring and transformational project costs(5) (62) (42) (20) 47.6 Impact of acquisition-related costs(6) (36) (12) (24) NMOperating expenses adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$692 $626 $66 10.5% Operating loss (GAAP)$(756) $(651) $(105) (16.1)%Impact of restructuring and transformational project costs(5) 62 42 20 47.6 Impact of acquisition-related costs(6) 36 12 24 NMOperating loss adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$(658) $(597) $(61) (10.2)% TOTAL SYSCO Sales (GAAP)$62,429 $60,232 $2,197 3.6%Gross profit (GAAP) 11,505 10,983 522 4.8%Gross margin (GAAP) 18.43% 18.23% 20 bps Operating expenses (GAAP)$9,393 $8,783 $610 6.9%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(1) (4) (5) (207) (107) (100) (93.5)Impact of acquisition-related costs(2) (6) (155) (121) (34) (28.1)Operating expenses adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$9,031 $8,555 $476 5.6% Operating income (GAAP)$2,112 $2,200 $(88) (4.0)%Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(1) (4) (5) 207 107 100 93.5 Impact of acquisition-related costs(2) (6) 155 121 34 28.1 Operating income adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$2,474 $2,428 $46 1.9% (1)Primarily represents severance charges, transformation initiative costs, and costs associated with a legal matter.(2)Fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2025 include intangible amortization expense and acquisition costs.(3)Represents a constant currency adjustment, which eliminates the impact of foreign currency fluctuations on current year results.(4)Includes restructuring and transformation initiative costs primarily in Europe.(5)Includes various transformation initiative costs, primarily consisting of changes to our business technology strategy.(6)Represents due diligence costs.NMRepresents that the percentage change is not meaningful. Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
Non-GAAP Reconciliation (Unaudited)
Free Cash Flow
(In Millions)
Free cash flow represents net cash provided from operating activities less purchases of plant and equipment and includes proceeds from sales of plant and equipment. Sysco considers free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated by the business after the purchases and sales of buildings, fleet, equipment and technology, which may potentially be used to pay for, among other things, strategic uses of cash including dividend payments, share repurchases and acquisitions. However, free cash flow may not be available for discretionary expenditures, as it may be necessary that we use it to make mandatory debt service or other payments. Free cash flow should not be used as a substitute for the most comparable GAAP financial measure in assessing the company’s liquidity for the periods presented. An analysis of any non-GAAP financial measure should be used in conjunction with results presented in accordance with GAAP. In the table that follows, free cash flow for each period presented is reconciled to net cash provided by operating activities.
39-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 28, 2026 39-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 29, 2025 39-Week
Period Change
in DollarsNet cash provided by operating activities (GAAP)$1,463 $1,317 $146 Additions to plant and equipment (461) (532) 71 Proceeds from sales of plant and equipment 131 169 (38)Free Cash Flow (Non-GAAP)$1,133 $954 $179 Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
Non-GAAP Reconciliation (Unaudited)
Impact of Certain Items on Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA)
(Dollars in Millions)
EBITDA represents net earnings (loss) plus (i) interest expense, (ii) income tax expense and benefit, (iii) depreciation and (iv) amortization. The net earnings (loss) component of our EBITDA calculation is impacted by Certain Items that we do not consider representative of our underlying performance. As a result, in the non-GAAP reconciliations below for each period presented, adjusted EBITDA is computed as EBITDA plus the impact of Certain Items, excluding certain items related to interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. Sysco's management considers growth in this metric to be a measure of overall financial performance that provides useful information to management and investors about the profitability of the business, as it facilitates comparison of performance on a consistent basis from period to period by providing a measurement of recurring factors and trends affecting our business. Additionally, it is a commonly used component metric used to inform on capital structure decisions. Adjusted EBITDA should not be used as a substitute for the most comparable GAAP financial measure in assessing the company’s financial performance for the periods presented. An analysis of any non-GAAP financial measure should be used in conjunction with results presented in accordance with GAAP. In the tables that follow, adjusted EBITDA for each period presented is reconciled to net earnings.
13-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 28, 2026 13-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 29, 2025 Change in
Dollars % ChangeNet earnings (GAAP)$340 $401 $(61) (15.2)%Interest (GAAP) 168 149 19 12.8 Income taxes (GAAP) 105 122 (17) (13.9)Depreciation and amortization (GAAP) 251 238 13 5.5 EBITDA (Non-GAAP)$864 $910 $(46) (5.1)%Certain Item adjustments: Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(1)$93 $49 $44 89.8 Impact of acquisition-related costs(2) 13 10 3 30.0 EBITDA adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)(3)$970 $969 $1 0.1%Other expense (income), net 6 9 (3) (33.3)Depreciation and amortization, as adjusted (Non-GAAP)(4) (208) (205) (3) (1.5)Operating income adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$768 $773 $(5) (0.6)% (1)Fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2025 include charges related to restructuring and severance, as well as various transformation initiative costs, primarily consisting of supply chain transformation costs and changes to our business technology strategy, excluding charges related to accelerated depreciation. In addition, fiscal 2026 includes charges associated with a legal matter.(2)Fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2025 include acquisition and due diligence costs.(3)In arriving at adjusted EBITDA, Sysco does not adjust out interest income of $6 million and $7 million or non-cash stock compensation expense of $31 million and $15 million in fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2025, respectively.(4)Fiscal 2026 includes $251 million in GAAP depreciation and amortization expense, less $43 million of Non-GAAP depreciation and amortization expense primarily related to acquisitions. Fiscal 2025 includes $238 million in GAAP depreciation and amortization expense, less $33 million of Non-GAAP depreciation and amortization expense primarily related to acquisitions. 39-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 28, 2026 39-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 29, 2025 Change in
Dollars % ChangeNet earnings (GAAP)$1,206 $1,297 $(91) (7.0)%Interest (GAAP) 512 469 43 9.2 Income taxes (GAAP) 350 402 (52) (12.9)Depreciation and amortization (GAAP) 724 709 15 2.1 EBITDA (Non-GAAP)$2,792 $2,877 $(85) (3.0)%Certain Item adjustments: Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(1) 203 104 99 95.2 Impact of acquisition-related costs(2) 46 24 22 91.7 EBITDA adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)(3)$3,041 $3,005 $36 1.2%Other expense (income), net 44 32 12 37.5 Depreciation and amortization, as adjusted (Non-GAAP)(4) (611) (609) (2) (0.3)Operating income adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)$2,474 $2,428 $46 1.9% (1)Fiscal 2026 and 2025 include charges related to restructuring and severance, as well as various transformation initiative costs, primarily consisting of supply chain transformation costs and changes to our business technology strategy, excluding charges related to accelerated depreciation. In addition, fiscal 2026 includes charges associated with a legal matter.(2)Fiscal 2026 and 2025 include acquisition and due diligence costs.(3)In arriving at adjusted EBITDA, Sysco does not exclude interest income of $18 million and $22 million or non-cash stock compensation expense of $95 million and $74 million for fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2025, respectively.(4)Fiscal 2026 includes $724 million in GAAP depreciation and amortization expense, less $113 million of Non-GAAP depreciation and amortization expense primarily related to acquisitions. Fiscal 2025 includes $709 million in GAAP depreciation and amortization expense, less $100 million of Non-GAAP depreciation and amortization expense primarily related to acquisitions. Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
Non-GAAP Reconciliation (Unaudited)
Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA
(In Millions)
Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure frequently used by investors and credit rating agencies. It is an important measure used by management to evaluate our access to liquidity, and we believe it is a representation of our financial strength. Our Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA ratio is calculated using a numerator of our debt minus cash and cash equivalents, divided by the sum of the most recent four quarters of Adjusted EBITDA. In the table that follows, we have provided the calculation of our debt and net debt as a ratio of Adjusted EBITDA.
Mar. 28, 2026Current maturities of long-term debt $1,190 Long-term debt 12,818 Total Debt (GAAP) 14,008 Cash & Cash Equivalents (1,900)Net Debt (Non-GAAP) $12,108 Net Earnings for the previous 12 months (GAAP) $1,736 Adjusted EBITDA for the previous 12 months (Non-GAAP)(1) $4,327 Total Debt/Net Earnings Ratio (GAAP) 8.07 Total Debt/Adjusted EBITDA Ratio (Non-GAAP) 3.24 Net Debt/Adjusted EBITDA Ratio (Non-GAAP) 2.80 Note:(1) Refer to non-GAAP reconciliation at the end of this release. Sysco Corporation and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
Non-GAAP Reconciliation (Unaudited)
Impact of Certain Items on Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (Trailing Twelve Months)
(In Millions)
13-Week
Period Ended
Mar. 28, 2026 13-Week
Period Ended
Dec. 27, 2025 13-Week
Period Ended
Sep. 27, 2025 13-Week
Period Ended
Jun. 28, 2025 TotalNet earnings (GAAP)$340 $389 $476 $531 $1,736Interest (GAAP) 168 173 172 166 679Income taxes (GAAP) 105 121 124 186 536Depreciation and amortization (GAAP) 251 240 233 234 958EBITDA (Non-GAAP)$864 $923 $1,005 $1,117 $3,909Certain Item adjustments: Impact of restructuring, transformational project, and other costs(1) 93 55 54 74 276Impact of acquisition-related costs(2) 13 23 11 3 50Impact of goodwill impairment — — — 92 92EBITDA adjusted for Certain Items (Non-GAAP)(3)$970 $1,001 $1,070 $1,286 $4,327 (1)Includes charges related to restructuring and severance, as well as various transformation initiative costs, primarily consisting of supply chain transformation costs and changes to our business technology strategy, excluding charges related to accelerated depreciation. In addition, the 13-week period ended Mar. 28, 2026 includes charges associated with a legal matter.(2)Includes acquisition and due diligence costs.(3)In arriving at adjusted EBITDA, Sysco does not adjust out interest income of $6 million or non-cash stock compensation expense of $31 million in Q3 fiscal 2026, interest income of $5 million or non-cash stock compensation expense of $33 million in Q2 fiscal 2026, interest income of $6 million or non-cash stock compensation expense of $31 million in Q1 fiscal 2026, nor interest income of $8 million or non-cash stock compensation expense of $19 million in Q4 fiscal 2025. Projected Adjusted EPS Guidance
Adjusted earnings per share is a non-GAAP financial measure; however, we cannot predict with certainty the magnitude or scope of certain items that would be included in the most directly comparable GAAP measure for the relevant future periods, and such items may be significant. Due to these uncertainties, we cannot provide a quantitative reconciliation of projected adjusted EPS to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure without unreasonable effort. However, we expect to calculate adjusted earnings per share for future periods in the same manner as the reconciliations provided for the historical periods herein.
For the quarter ended March 2026, Sysco (SYY - Free Report) reported revenue of $20.52 billion, up 4.7% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.94, compared to $0.96 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $20.59 billion, representing a surprise of -0.33%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -0.77%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.95.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how Sysco performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Sales- International Foodservice Operations: $3.89 billion versus $3.73 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +12.4% change.Sales- U.S. Foodservice Operations: $14.23 billion versus $14.46 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +3.1% change.Sales- Other: $263 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $255.72 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +2.3%.Sales- SYGMA: $2.14 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $2.12 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +2.5%.Operating income (GAAP)- Other: $7 million versus $-1.27 million estimated by three analysts on average.Operating income (GAAP)- SYGMA: $18 million versus $19.75 million estimated by three analysts on average.Gross Profit- Other: $68 million versus $60.67 million estimated by three analysts on average.Gross Profit- SYGMA: $163 million versus $168.39 million estimated by three analysts on average.View all Key Company Metrics for Sysco here>>>
Shares of Sysco have returned +8.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +12.8% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY – Free Report) by 31.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 33,982 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 8,169 shares during the quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Sysco were worth $2,504,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH raised its position in Sysco by 9.5% during the fourth quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH now owns 412,423 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,445,000 after buying an additional 35,647 shares during the period. Gateway Investment Advisers LLC raised its position in Sysco by 594.8% during the third quarter. Gateway Investment Advisers LLC now owns 85,622 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,050,000 after buying an additional 73,298 shares during the period. Teacher Retirement System of Texas raised its position in Sysco by 8.0% during the fourth quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 370,571 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,307,000 after buying an additional 27,510 shares during the period. AE Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Sysco by 320.9% during the third quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 79,589 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,553,000 after buying an additional 60,680 shares during the period. Finally, Krilogy Financial LLC increased its position in Sysco by 65.6% in the 3rd quarter. Krilogy Financial LLC now owns 42,435 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,494,000 after purchasing an additional 16,807 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.41% of the company’s stock.
Key Sysco News Here are the key news stories impacting Sysco this week:
Positive Sentiment: Management is investing behind Restaurant Depot and highlighted it as a growth priority on the call — this could lift long-term volume and margin opportunity if execution succeeds. Sysco Bets Big on Restaurant Depot After Solid Quarter Positive Sentiment: Volumes grew year-over-year and management cited gross-margin expansion in the quarter — evidence demand and pricing dynamics still provide revenue leverage. Sysco Q3 2026 earnings meet expectations as volumes grow Neutral Sentiment: Sysco set Q4 FY26 EPS guidance at $1.510 (a single-point guide), which is in line with consensus — stability in guidance removes near-term surprise risk but offers limited upside. Sysco Reports Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Results Negative Sentiment: Q3 EPS of $0.94 missed estimates by $0.01 and revenue of $20.52B slightly missed consensus — even small misses can pressure sentiment given already muted growth expectations. Sysco earnings summary and materials Negative Sentiment: Higher incentive compensation and other operating cost pressures weighed on profits; several outlets flagged incentive-comp headwinds as a key margin drag. That undermines the EPS beat potential even with rising sales. Sysco Q3 Earnings Miss Estimates on Incentive Cost Headwinds Negative Sentiment: News and analyst commentary point to cooling dining-out demand (a key end market) — continued weakness there would directly hit Sysco’s foodservice volumes and pricing leverage. Food distributor Sysco misses quarterly sales estimates as dining-out demand cools Negative Sentiment: Analysts and market headlines emphasized the revenue miss and immediate stock reaction — near-term sentiment is negative until company proves cost control or demand re-accelerates. Cracks In Restaurant Demand? Sysco Misses Revenue, Stock Drops Sysco Price Performance Shares of SYY stock opened at $73.35 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $80.56 and a two-hundred day moving average of $78.47. The company has a current ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.45. Sysco Corporation has a 12 month low of $68.00 and a 12 month high of $91.85. The company has a market capitalization of $35.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.72, a P/E/G ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.69.
Sysco (NYSE:SYY – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 28th. The company reported $0.94 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.95 by ($0.01). Sysco had a return on equity of 109.21% and a net margin of 2.17%.The firm had revenue of $20.52 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.56 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.96 EPS. Sysco’s revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sysco has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 1.510-1.510 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Sysco Corporation will post 4.59 EPS for the current year.
Sysco Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 24th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 2nd will be given a $0.55 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 2nd. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. This is an increase from Sysco’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.54. Sysco’s dividend payout ratio is 58.06%.
Insider Activity at Sysco In other Sysco news, Director Sheila Talton sold 2,801 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $82.99, for a total value of $232,454.99. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 12,868 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,067,915.32. This trade represents a 17.88% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.56% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Argus raised Sysco to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on Sysco from $95.00 to $90.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Piper Sandler lowered their price objective on Sysco from $83.00 to $77.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Sysco from $88.00 to $72.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Sysco from $92.00 to $100.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 19th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $87.57.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on SYY
Sysco Company Profile (Free Report)
Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY) is a global foodservice distribution company that supplies a broad range of food and related products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments, and other foodservice customers. Its core business is the procurement, warehousing and delivery of fresh, frozen and dry food products, complemented by non-food items such as paper goods, kitchen equipment, cleaning supplies and tabletop products. Sysco serves customers through an extensive network of distribution centers and dedicated delivery fleets, positioning itself as a one-stop supplier for operators of all sizes.
Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, Sysco has grown through both organic expansion and acquisitions.
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Sysco is rated a Buy, with a 19% pullback creating an attractive entry point and 18% upside to consensus target. The $29.1B Restaurant Depot acquisition is transformative, adding 20% revenue, 45% EBITDA, and 55% free cash flow, with rapid accretion expected. Q3 FY26 saw the strongest U.S. local volume growth in three years, driving margin expansion and reinforcing the core business's operational momentum.
Key Takeaways SYY grew U.S. local case volume 3.3% in Q3, the strongest quarterly local gain in more than 3 years.SYY tied the surge to sales productivity, retention, better penetration and continued new-customer wins.SYY expects at least 2.5% local volume growth in Q4 and said local trends should stay strong in FY27. Sysco Corporation (SYY - Free Report) entered fiscal 2026 facing a difficult operating backdrop, but its fiscal third-quarter local case performance showed a clear shift in momentum. U.S. local case volume increased 3.3%, the company’s strongest quarterly local growth rate in more than three years, and improved 210 basis points sequentially from the prior quarter. The key question now is whether that acceleration can continue in fiscal 2027.
Restaurant traffic remained pressured across the industry, making the improvement more notable. Black Box data referenced during the quarter showed restaurant traffic declining nearly 1.9%, underscoring that Sysco’s gains were largely company-specific.
The improvement appears tied to operational execution rather than pricing or macro tailwinds. Sysco highlighted stronger sales productivity, improved retention among sales colleagues, better customer penetration and continued gains in new customer wins. The company also pointed to tools like AI360, which is helping improve onboarding and selling effectiveness, along with customer-focused initiatives such as Sysco Your Way and Perks 2.0.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Importantly, the local business is becoming a larger growth engine within the broader portfolio. Local customers typically carry better profitability characteristics than national chain accounts, making sustained local momentum particularly meaningful from a margin perspective. The dynamic became increasingly visible in the third quarter as Sysco delivered gross margin expansion despite soft restaurant traffic conditions.
The near-term outlook also suggests confidence in continued momentum. Sysco expects local volume growth of at least 2.5% in the fourth quarter, which would represent another improvement on a two-year stacked basis. The company also indicated that local trends are expected to remain strong in fiscal 2027.
While the broader restaurant environment remains uneven, Sysco’s recent performance suggests its local business recovery is being supported by internal execution, productivity gains and customer acquisition efforts.
Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have risen 1.2% over the past three months against the industry’s decline of 26%.
Stocks to ConsiderThe Chef's Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) , a specialty food distributor serving restaurants, hotels and hospitality customers, sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for The Chef's Warehouse’s current financial-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 8.3% and 24.7%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels. CHEF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 28.9%, on average.
Darling Ingredients Inc. (DAR - Free Report) transforms food and animal byproducts into sustainable ingredients for essential uses. DAR carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
The consensus estimate for Darling Ingredients’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 10.3% and 567.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. DAR delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 16.1%, on average.
Tyson Foods, Inc. (TSN - Free Report) operates as a leading protein company producing chicken, beef, pork and prepared food products. TSN currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Tyson Foods’ current fiscal-year sales calls for growth of 4.5%, while the consensus mark for earnings indicates a 0.5% increase from the year-ago reported figures. TSN delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 18.1%, on average.
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HOUSTON, May 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY) today announced that the Company will webcast its presentation from the 2026 Deutsche Bank Access Global Consumer Conference in Paris, France on Tuesday, June 2, at 8:45 a.m. CT or 3:45 p.m. CEST.
The live webcast for the event can be accessed at investors.sysco.com. An archived replay of the webcast will be available shortly after the live event is completed.
For purposes of public disclosure, including this and future similar events, Sysco uses the investor relations portion of its website as the primary channel for publishing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information.
About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food and related products to customers who prepare meals away from home. This includes restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments, entertainment venues, and more. Sysco operates 337 distribution centers, in 10 countries, with 75,000 colleagues serving approximately 730,000 customer locations. The company generated sales of more than $81 billion in fiscal year 2025 that ended June 28, 2025.
As the world’s largest food-away-from-home distributor, Sysco offers customized supply chain solutions, bespoke specialty product offerings, and culinary support to drive customers to innovate and optimize their operations. We act as a trusted business partner to our customers, helping them grow through our industry-leading portfolio that includes fresh produce, premium proteins, specialty products, sustainably focused items, equipment and supplies, and innovative culinary solutions.
For more information, visit www.sysco.com. For important news and key information for Sysco investors, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at investors.sysco.com.
For more information contact:
Kevin KimCassandra MauelInvestor ContactMedia [email protected]@sysco.comT 281-584-1219T 281-584-1390 SYY- INVESTORS
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2026) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leading consolidator of emerging restaurant brands, is pleased to announce that it has secured a multi-year, exclusive national agreement with Uber Eats, Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER) food delivery platform, to support Happy Belly's growing portfolio of corporate and franchised restaurant locations across Canada.
Happy Belly 1
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This national partnership establishes Uber Eats as Happy Belly's exclusive third-party delivery marketplace partner and is designed to drive meaningful benefits for every franchisee and corporate location through improved service levels, streamlined support, and more competitive commercial terms.
Key benefits of the national agreement include:
Dedicated national account management and an elevated level of service, including coordinated onboarding, operational support, and escalation pathways across brands and regions
Competitive national pricing intended to reduce delivery-related costs and push improved economics down to individual franchisees and corporate stores
Consistency and simplification at scale, including standardized processes, consolidated support, and stronger system-wide visibility as the Company continues to grow
"Partnering with Uber Eats, a world-class delivery platform allows us to leverage national-account scale in a way that directly benefits our franchisees and corporate locations," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly. "This agreement strengthens service levels through dedicated national account support, improves unit economics through competitive terms, and helps us execute with greater operational discipline as our footprint expands."
"National agreements are most powerful when they impact the P&L at the store level. By consolidating our delivery marketplace relationship under one exclusive partner, we can simplify execution, standardize support, and create a more predictable operating environment for our operators while driving tangible savings and improved service for the system."
This agreement builds on Happy Belly's track record of securing national partnerships with leading operators across food distribution and beverage, including its national distribution agreement with Sysco Corp (NYSE: SYY) and its exclusive supply agreement with Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Limited (NYSE: KO) as part of the Company's strategy to consolidate purchasing, strengthen vendor relationships, and improve profitability across the network.
"We are just getting started," added Sean Black.
Franchising
For franchising inquiries please see www.happybellyfg.com/franchise-with-us/ or contact us at [email protected].
About Happy Belly Food Group
Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands. The Company's portfolio includes Heal Wellness, Rosie's Burgers, Yolks Breakfast, Via Cibo Italian Street Food, and others.
Happy Belly 2
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Sean Black
Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.
All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include the future performance of Happy Belly and her subsidiaries. Forward-Looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Happy Belly described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedarplus.ca.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/298987
Source: Happy Belly Food Group Inc.
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HOUSTON, May 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY), the global leader in food distribution, has been awarded a 2026 Newsweek AI Impact Award for an innovative enterprise-wide AI application that enhances supply chain processes, drives sales productivity and elevates the customer e-commerce experience.
Sysco is being recognized in the AI Brand & Retail – Best Outcomes category for creating and scaling the Sysco Agentic Ecosystem (SAGE), a company-wide AI capability designed to help move AI from experimentation into everyday business operations across sales, supply chain, customer experience and back-office functions.
“SAGE represents a major step forward in responsible AI operationalization across a complex, global enterprise,” said Sysco Interim Chief Information and Digital Officer Navin Advani. “By embedding AI directly into workflows – from sales enablement and customer engagement to supply chain planning, inventory optimization, and back-office functions – we are transforming AI from a set of tools into a durable operating capability.”
Delivering Measurable Outcomes Across Retail and Supply Chain
SAGE helps teams across Sysco automate workflows, surface insights faster and improve decision-making with AI-enabled capabilities supported by human oversight. This architecture supports a broad range of business-critical use cases, including:
E-commerce and sales enablement, powering more personalized digital experiences, smarter product discovery through Sysco Shop while enabling our sales consultants with Next Best Actions (NBAs)Supply chain optimization, helping teams improve forecasting, inventory decisions, product flow and service reliabilityPrediction and forecasting, using real-time signals to help teams respond more proactively to changing customer demand and operational conditions
Within months of deployment, SAGE is being scaled from pilots to production, powering multiple live agentic solutions and supporting millions of business interactions across Sysco’s enterprise.
Built for Scale, Governance, and the Future of AI
SAGE is the connective intelligence layer unifying external capabilities and models, with Sysco’s internal data and systems to build AI-powered workflows across Sysco’s businesses. Unlike traditional AI platforms, SAGE is model-agnostic and can run on any cloud infrastructure This design allows Sysco to adopt new AI technologies while maintaining strong security, compliance and human-in-the-loop controls.
By standardizing the development, governance and deployment of agents, SAGE enables Sysco to rapidly scale AI solutions to drive faster time to value across Sysco businesses.
Recognition from Newsweek
Newsweek’s AI Impact Awards recognize organizations that demonstrate measurable, real-world impact from artificial intelligence, honoring innovations that go beyond experimentation to drive lasting operational and business value.
This recognition underscores Sysco’s leadership in applying AI responsibly to solve complex retail and supply chain challenges at enterprise scale—setting a benchmark for how agentic AI can be operationalized across industries.
About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food and related products to customers who prepare meals away from home. This includes restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments, entertainment venues, and more. Sysco operates 339 distribution centers, in 10 countries, with 75,000 colleagues serving approximately 730,000 customer locations. The company generated sales of more than $81 billion in fiscal year 2025 that ended June 28, 2025.
As the world’s largest food-away-from-home distributor, Sysco offers customized supply chain solutions, bespoke specialty product offerings, and culinary support to drive customers to innovate and optimize their operations. We act as a trusted business partner to our customers, helping them grow through our industry-leading portfolio that includes fresh produce, premium proteins, specialty products, sustainably focused items, equipment and supplies, and innovative culinary solutions.
For more information, visit www.sysco.com. For important news and key information for Sysco investors, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at investors.sysco.com.
A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Sysco (SYY - Free Report) . Shares have added about 1.7% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.
But investors have to be wondering, will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Sysco due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.
Sysco Q3 Earnings Miss Estimates on Incentive Cost HeadwindsSysco posted third-quarter fiscal 2026 results that fell modestly short of expectations. Adjusted earnings were 94 cents per share, down 2.1% year over year and below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 95 cents, a negative surprise of 1.05%. Sales were $20.5 billion, up 4.7% from the year-ago quarter, but missed the consensus mark of $20.59 billion by 0.44%.
Sysco’s top line benefited from improving demand across its footprint, with management pointing to continued volume acceleration and progress across business segments. Foreign exchange boosted reported sales, increasing International sales and total Sysco sales during the quarter.
On a constant-currency basis, Sysco’s comparable sales were $20.27 billion for the quarter. The comparison highlights that while growth remained positive, currency translation provided an incremental boost to reported results.
Sysco’s Cost & Margin PictureGross profit increased 6.5% year over year to $3.8 billion, supported by higher volumes and strategic sourcing efficiencies. The gross margin expanded 31 basis points to 18.6%, reflecting a favorable mix and effective management of product cost inflation. Sysco cited enterprise-level product cost inflation of 2.8%, led by higher costs in dairy, meat and seafood. The company indicated that its pricing execution and sourcing initiatives helped offset inflation and contributed to the quarter’s margin expansion.
Operating expenses rose 10.1% year over year, primarily due to higher incentive compensation, along with sales headcount and capacity investments. On an adjusted basis, operating expenses increased 8.4%, underscoring that underlying cost growth remained elevated even after excluding certain items. Expense pressure showed up clearly in profitability. Operating income declined 9.1% to $619 million, while adjusted operating income eased 0.6% to $768 million, pointing to a quarter where gross profit gains were largely absorbed by higher spending.
Sysco’s Segments Show Diverging Profit TrendsU.S. Foodservice Operations: Sysco’s largest segment posted steady growth in the third quarter of fiscal 2026, with sales rising 3.1% year over year to $14.2 billion. Total case volume increased 2.3%, while local case volume improved 3.3%, reflecting continued momentum with local customers. Sysco remains confident about delivering more than 2.5% U.S. local volume growth in the fourth quarter. During the third quarter, gross profit increased 5.2% to $2.7 billion and gross margin expanded 38 basis points to 19.2%. Adjusted operating income rose 5.1% to $830 million, as gains from volume and gross margin were partly offset by higher costs tied to incentive compensation and planned investments.
International Foodservice Operations: The international business delivered another solid quarter, with sales up 12.4% to $3.9 billion. On a constant-currency basis, sales increased 5.2% to $3.6 billion, as foreign exchange movements provided a notable lift to reported performance. Margins improved year over year, with gross profit rising 14.6% to $834 million and gross margin increasing 41 basis points to 21.5%. Adjusted operating income rose 12.5% to $144 million, supported by volume gains and margin expansion despite higher operating expenses.
SYGMA: SYGMA sales increased 2.5% year over year to $2.1 billion. Gross margin declined 34 basis points to 7.63%, and gross profit edged down to $163 million from $166 million in the year-ago quarter. Even with a softer margin, operating income improved 5.9% to $18 million as operating expenses decreased 2.7% to $145 million.
The Other segment’s sales rose 2.3% to $263 million, while gross margin expanded sharply, helping operating income improve to $7 million compared to an operating loss of $3 million a year ago.
SYY Keeps High-End Earnings View, Highlights Jetro DealManagement reiterated confidence in delivering full-year adjusted earnings per share at the high end of its previously issued $4.50-$4.60 guidance range. The company also continued to flag an approximate $100 million, or 16 cents per diluted share, headwind tied to incentive compensation comparisons versus fiscal 2025.
Separately, Sysco provided additional detail on its previously announced agreement to acquire Jetro Restaurant Depot. The target operates 167 large-format warehouse stores across 35 states and caters to more than 725,000 independent restaurants and foodservice operators, with the deal expected to close by Sysco’s third quarter of fiscal 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?In the past month, investors have witnessed a flat trend in estimates revision.
VGM ScoresAt this time, Sysco has a average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a D. However, the stock was allocated a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the second quintile for value investors.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
Outlook Sysco has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.