(CHEF) The Chefs Warehouse - Overview

Sector: Consumer Defensive | Industry: Food Distribution | Exchange: NASDAQ (USA) | Market Cap: 3.118m USD | Total Return: 19.4% in 12m

Specialty Foods, Meat, Seafood, Produce, Pastry Ingredients
Total Rating 62
Safety 75
Buy Signal -0.06
Food Distribution
Industry Rotation: -8.8
Market Cap: 3.12B
Avg Turnover: 31.3M
Risk 3d forecast
Volatility37.8%
VaR 5th Pctl6.28%
VaR vs Median0.96%
Reward TTM
Sharpe Ratio0.54
Rel. Str. IBD64.5
Rel. Str. Peer Group66.1
Character TTM
Beta0.910
Beta Downside1.047
Hurst Exponent0.529
Drawdowns 3y
Max DD53.19%
CAGR/Max DD0.64
CAGR/Mean DD3.15
EPS (Earnings per Share) EPS (Earnings per Share) of CHEF over the last years for every Quarter: "2021-03": -0.5, "2021-06": 0.04, "2021-09": 0.12, "2021-12": 0.26, "2022-03": 0.1, "2022-06": 0.51, "2022-09": 0.41, "2022-12": 0.48, "2023-03": 0.12, "2023-06": 0.35, "2023-09": 0.33, "2023-12": 0.47, "2024-03": 0.15, "2024-06": 0.4, "2024-09": 0.36, "2024-12": 0.55, "2025-03": 0.25, "2025-06": 0.49, "2025-09": 0.5, "2025-12": 0.68, "2026-03": 0.4,
EPS CAGR: 18.86%
EPS Trend: 93.2%
Last SUE: 4.00
Qual. Beats: 3
Revenue Revenue of CHEF over the last years for every Quarter: 2021-03: 280.217, 2021-06: 422.968, 2021-09: 484.321, 2021-12: 558.251, 2022-03: 512.103, 2022-06: 648.104, 2022-09: 661.856, 2022-12: 791.336, 2023-03: 719.645, 2023-06: 881.82, 2023-09: 881.825, 2023-12: 950.473, 2024-03: 874.488, 2024-06: 954.704, 2024-09: 931.452, 2024-12: 1033.568, 2025-03: 950.748, 2025-06: 1034.906, 2025-09: 1021.319, 2025-12: 1142.564, 2026-03: 1059.01,
Rev. CAGR: 11.20%
Rev. Trend: 97.7%
Last SUE: 3.09
Qual. Beats: 6

Warnings

Below Avwap Earnings

Tailwinds

Pead

Description: CHEF The Chefs Warehouse

The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF) is a specialty food distributor operating across the United States, Canada, and the Middle East. The company focuses on center-of-the-plate items, including custom-cut proteins and hormone-free poultry, alongside niche ingredients like truffles, caviar, and artisan cheeses. Its primary customer base consists of high-end independent restaurants, luxury hotels, and culinary institutions.

The specialty food distribution sector typically commands higher margins than traditional broadline distribution due to the perishability and scarcity of the products handled. By maintaining a cold-chain infrastructure tailored for premium goods, the company serves as a critical intermediary for fine-dining establishments that require frequent, small-batch deliveries of high-quality ingredients.

Investors looking for deeper financial metrics should evaluate detailed performance data on ValueRay.

Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Connecticut, the firm also utilizes a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform to supplement its primary B2B revenue streams. This hybrid model allows the company to capture value from both professional kitchens and the growing home-gourmet market.

Headlines to Watch Out For
  • Independent restaurant spending levels dictate core specialty food revenue growth
  • High-margin center-of-the-plate product mix expansion improves consolidated EBITDA margins
  • Strategic acquisitions in fragmented markets drive inorganic top-line scale
  • Food price inflation volatility impacts inventory costs and gross profit stability
  • Labor and fuel cost fluctuations influence distribution and logistics expense ratios
Piotroski VR-10 (Strict) 6.0
Net Income: 79.4m TTM > 0 and > 6% of Revenue
FCF/TA: 0.04 > 0.02 and ΔFCF/TA -2.83 > 1.0
NWC/Revenue: 11.82% < 20% (prev 11.05%; Δ 0.77% < -1%)
CFO/TA 0.06 > 3% & CFO 117.9m > Net Income 79.4m
Net Debt (880.5m) to EBITDA (419.0m): 2.10 < 3
Current Ratio: 2.18 > 1.5 & < 3
Outstanding Shares: last quarter (46.1m) vs 12m ago -0.03% < -2%
Gross Margin: 24.32% > 18% (prev 0.24%; Δ 2.41k% > 0.5%)
Asset Turnover: 222.4% > 50% (prev 210.5%; Δ 11.92% > 0%)
Interest Coverage Ratio: 3.92 > 6 (EBITDA TTM 419.0m / Interest Expense TTM 41.7m)
Altman Z'' 2.74
A: 0.25 (Total Current Assets 930.9m - Total Current Liabilities 427.7m) / Total Assets 1.99b
B: 0.11 (Retained Earnings 210.6m / Total Assets 1.99b)
C: 0.09 (EBIT TTM 163.5m / Avg Total Assets 1.91b)
D: 0.15 (Book Value of Equity 208.0m / Total Liabilities 1.38b)
Altman-Z'' = 2.74 = A
Beneish M -3.02
DSRI: 1.02 (Receivables 377.4m/335.8m, Revenue 4.26b/3.87b)
GMI: 0.99 (GM 24.32% / 24.05%)
AQI: 0.90 (AQ_t 0.25 / AQ_t-1 0.28)
SGI: 1.10 (Revenue 4.26b / 3.87b)
TATA: -0.02 (NI 79.4m - CFO 117.9m) / TA 1.99b)
Beneish M = -3.02 (Cap -4..+1) = AA
What is the price of CHEF shares?

As of May 31, 2026, the stock is trading at USD 76.54 with a total of 338,353 shares traded.
Over the past week, the price has changed by -1.97%, over one month by +1.11%, over three months by +7.21% and over the past year by +19.35%.

Is CHEF a buy, sell or hold?

The Chefs Warehouse has received a consensus analysts rating of 4.86. Therefore, it is recommended to buy CHEF.

  • StrongBuy: 6
  • Buy: 1
  • Hold: 0
  • Sell: 0
  • StrongSell: 0

What are the forecasts/targets for the CHEF price?
Analysts Target Price 86 12.4%
The Chefs Warehouse (CHEF) - Fundamental Data Overview as of 26 May 2026
Market Cap USD = 3.12b (3.12b USD * 1.0 USD.USD)
P/E Trailing = 41.7814
P/E Forward = 29.3255
P/S = 0.7323
P/B = 5.1254
P/EG = 1.0776
Revenue TTM = 4.26b USD
EBIT TTM = 163.5m USD
EBITDA TTM = 419.0m USD
Long Term Debt = 720.9m USD (from longTermDebt, last quarter)
Short Term Debt = 54.5m USD (from shortTermDebt, last quarter)
Debt = 1.00b USD (corrected: LT Debt 720.9m + ST Debt 54.5m) + Leases 227.8m
Net Debt = 880.5m USD (calculated: Debt 1.00b - CCE 122.7m)
Enterprise Value = 4.00b USD (3.12b + Debt 1.00b - CCE 122.7m)
Interest Coverage Ratio = 3.92 (Ebit TTM 163.5m / Interest Expense TTM 41.7m)
EV/FCF = 49.28x (Enterprise Value 4.00b / FCF TTM 81.1m)
FCF Yield = 2.03% (FCF TTM 81.1m / Enterprise Value 4.00b)
FCF Margin = 1.91% (FCF TTM 81.1m / Revenue TTM 4.26b)
Net Margin = 1.87% (Net Income TTM 79.4m / Revenue TTM 4.26b)
Gross Margin = 24.32% ((Revenue TTM 4.26b - Cost of Revenue TTM 3.22b) / Revenue TTM)
Gross Margin QoQ = 24.30% (prev 24.21%)
Tobins Q-Ratio = 2.01 (Enterprise Value 4.00b / Total Assets 1.99b)
Interest Expense / Debt = 4.16% (Interest Expense 41.7m / Debt 1.00b)
Taxrate = 23.62% (5.37m / 22.7m)
NOPAT = 124.9m (EBIT 163.5m * (1 - 23.62%))
Current Ratio = 2.18 (Total Current Assets 930.9m / Total Current Liabilities 427.7m)
Debt / Equity = 1.65 (Debt 1.00b / totalStockholderEquity, last quarter 608.6m)
Debt / EBITDA = 2.10 (Net Debt 880.5m / EBITDA 419.0m)
Debt / FCF = 10.85 (Net Debt 880.5m / FCF TTM 81.1m)
Total Stockholder Equity = 586.8m (last 4 quarters mean from totalStockholderEquity)
RoA = 4.15% (Net Income 79.4m / Total Assets 1.99b)
RoE = 13.54% (Net Income TTM 79.4m / Total Stockholder Equity 586.8m)
RoCE = 12.50% (EBIT 163.5m / Capital Employed (Equity 586.8m + L.T.Debt 720.9m))
RoIC = 8.36% (NOPAT 124.9m / Invested Capital 1.49b)
WACC = 7.72% (E(3.12b)/V(4.12b) * Re(9.18%) + D(1.00b)/V(4.12b) * Rd(4.16%) * (1-Tc(0.24)))
Discount Rate = 9.18% (= CAPM, Blume Beta Adj.)
Shares (quarterly) Correlation: 51.11 | Cagr: 0.26%
[DCF] Terminal Value 73.10% ; FCFF base≈99.5m ; Y1≈87.2m ; Y5≈70.5m
[DCF] Fair Price = 6.15 (EV 1.13b - Net Debt 880.5m = Equity 250.6m / Shares 40.8m; r=8.35% [WACC [floored]]; 5y FCF grow -15.0% → 2.50% )
EPS Correlation: 93.16 | EPS CAGR: 18.86% | SUE: 4.0 | # QB: 3
Revenue Correlation: 97.68 | Revenue CAGR: 11.20% | SUE: 3.09 | # QB: 6
EPS current Quarter (2026-06-30): EPS=0.58 | Chg30d=+0.26% | Revisions=+0% | Analysts=8
EPS next Quarter (2026-09-30): EPS=0.53 | Chg30d=-4.02% | Revisions=-33% | Analysts=8
EPS current Year (2026-12-31): EPS=2.24 | Chg30d=+4.12% | Revisions=+27% | GrowthEPS=+17.7% | GrowthRev=+7.6%
EPS next Year (2027-12-31): EPS=2.61 | Chg30d=+5.33% | Revisions=+27% | GrowthEPS=+16.9% | GrowthRev=+7.9%
[Analyst] Revisions Ratio: -33%