US Foods Holding Corp. (NYSE: USFD) announced its largest cohort yet for the US Foods Scholars program, selecting 20 students for the 2026 class. Each recipient will receive a $20,000 scholarship to support their post-secondary education in culinary arts, hospitality, baking, or business management.

The expansion of the scholar class aligns with broader industry hiring projections. According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2026 State of the Industry Report, restaurant operators expect to add approximately 100,000 jobs in 2026, bringing total industry employment to 15.8 million. The scholars program, launched in 2017, has awarded more than $2.8 million in scholarships to more than 140 students since inception.

Program Scope and Selection

The 2026 cohort represents students from 18 schools nationwide. Recipients were selected through a competitive process administered with Scholarship America, evaluating academic achievement, financial need, and career commitment. The program provides not only financial aid but also access to professional development opportunities through US Foods.

Sara Matheu, Vice President of Corporate Communications at US Foods, stated that the program aims to support the culinary talent pipeline across the growing industry. The company partners with approximately 250,000 customer locations and employs more than 30,000 associates.

2026 Scholar Recipients

The selected scholars are pursuing degrees at institutions across the United States:

• Grace Bello, University of Texas in Austin
• Marissa Blair, Johnson & Wales University (Charlotte)
• Emily Vier, Utah Valley University
• Alisha Cameron, Southwestern Oregon Community College
• Katie Kate Dagok, California State University (San Bernardino)
• Harlow Danio, Moorpark College
• Yvonne Finch, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts
• James Ford, Johnson & Wales University (Charlotte)
• Genesis Jordan, El Paso Community College
• Jason Mascarenhas, University of Illinois
• Kayla McCloud, Drexel University
• Misha Patel, Cornell University
• Rylee Richmond, Lamar University
• Zoe Rowe, Johnson & Wales University (Charlotte)
• Emily Spadafora, The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College
• Kendall Stanley, Texas A&M University
• Sasha T., University of North Texas
• Kennedy Thompson, Framingham State University
• Majalynn Thompson, Bethune-Cookman University
• Jake Toben, Mitchell Technical College

US Foods Hldg reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.44, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $1.36 by 5.88 percent. This result represents a 21.01 percent increase over the $1.19 per share earned in the same period last year. The earnings beat was driven by stronger-than-expected profitability margins and a 4.5 percent rise in revenue to $10.53 billion, which topped the consensus estimate of $10.46 billion. Independent restaurant case volume grew 5.1 percent, providing a key tailwind for top-line growth.

The company’s gross profit increased 8.0 percent year over year to $1.9 billion, while adjusted EBITDA rose 10.2 percent to $604 million. This lift expanded the adjusted EBITDA margin by 29 basis points to 5.7 percent. US Foods generated $725 million in operating cash flow during the first six months of fiscal 2026. Net debt stood at $5.2 billion at the end of the quarter, with the net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio improving to 2.6x from 2.7x at fiscal year-end 2025.

Financial Performance Highlights

What the Numbers Show

The divergence between the modest sales growth of 4.5 percent and the substantial earnings growth of 21.01 percent suggests that US Foods Hldg benefited from margin expansion rather than pure volume growth. With sales increasing by less than half the rate of earnings, the primary driver of shareholder value in this quarter appears to be cost control or mix improvement, allowing profits to accelerate faster than revenue. This pattern indicates that the company is effectively leveraging its scale to enhance profitability even in an environment of moderate top-line expansion.

Capital Allocation and Outlook

US Foods repurchased 4.4 million shares for $374 million during the second quarter, with $640 million remaining under its current buyback authorization. The company reaffirmed its FY26 guidance, expecting net sales growth of 4%-6%, adjusted EBITDA growth of 9%-13%, and adjusted diluted EPS growth of 18%-24%. The full-year adjusted EPS guidance stands at $4.70-$4.93, aligning with analyst expectations of $4.70. Revenue outlook for FY26 is set at $41.00 billion-$41.79 billion, versus the consensus estimate of $41.44 billion.

Shares of US Foods Holdings rose 6.88 percent to $106.00 on Thursday, reaching a new 52-week high following the release of the results.