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Can Sysco's Technology Push Drive Greater Efficiency and Savings?
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Key Takeaways
Sysco expects $100M in fiscal 2027 cost savings, with a roughly $160M run-rate from identified initiatives.
AI, routing software and forecasting tools aim to improve margins, delivery, working capital and productivity.
Sysco's tech savings should begin late in the fiscal first quarter and be weighted toward the second half.
Sysco Corporation (SYY - Free Report) is advancing a broad technology and artificial intelligence transformation centered on lowering structural costs and improving operating efficiency. For fiscal 2027, Sysco expects about $100 million of in-year cost savings, net of investment, with a run-rate cost-out of roughly $160 million from work already identified. The $100 million target includes about $55 million in incremental benefits announced with the fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 update and about $45 million in carryover benefits from initiatives deployed in the fiscal third quarter.
The savings program spans revenue growth and sales productivity, margin expansion, supply-chain and working-capital optimization, warehouse labor and delivery intelligence, customer experience, back-office functions and enterprise technology operations. The $100 million of tech-related savings is expected to begin toward the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2027 and be weighted toward the second half.
Several projects show where the savings are expected to come from. Technology aimed at improving fill rates and inventory forecasting accuracy is designed to support working capital. Reverse-auction tools are being applied to indirect spending across supplies, fleet and warehouse operations, allowing Sysco to address a broader range of indirect expenses more efficiently as deployment ramps through fiscal 2027. Routing software upgrades are intended to reduce miles driven while improving on-time delivery. Coding tools are also being used to improve technology productivity, while AI is being applied to contract bidding and contract-performance tracking to reduce potential leakage.
The current $160 million run-rate figure covers only identified initiatives, while additional sources of value continue to emerge. Management expects the savings opportunity to increase over time as additional projects and sources of value are identified.
SYY’s Zacks Rank & Share Price Performance
Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have fallen 8.4% in the past three months compared with the industry and the broader Consumer Staples sector’s decline of 7% and 5.8%, respectively. SYY also underperformed the S&P 500 index’s growth of 2.8% during the same period.
SYY Stock's Past Three Months Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Is Sysco a Value Play Stock?
Sysco currently trades at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 14.95 compared with the industry average of 13.47. This valuation places the stock at a premium relative to peers, indicating broader market expectations around its business stability and ability to navigate current cost and demand dynamics.
SYY Valuation Picture
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to Consider
The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East and Canada. At present, CHEF flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The consensus estimate for Chefs' Warehouse’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 10.8% and 33.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. Chefs' Warehouse delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average.
Mama's Creations, Inc. (MAMA - Free Report) manufactures and markets fresh deli-prepared foods in the United States. At present, MAMA holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). Mama's Creations delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 121.7%, on average.
The consensus estimate for Mama's Creations’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 30.3% and 66.7%, respectively, from the year-ago figures.
Utz Brands (UTZ - Free Report) engages in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of snack foods in the United States. It presently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. UTZ delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.8%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Utz Brands’ current financial-year sales indicates growth of 3.7% from the year-ago numbers.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
Can Sysco's Technology Push Drive Greater Efficiency and Savings?
Key Takeaways
Sysco Corporation (SYY - Free Report) is advancing a broad technology and artificial intelligence transformation centered on lowering structural costs and improving operating efficiency. For fiscal 2027, Sysco expects about $100 million of in-year cost savings, net of investment, with a run-rate cost-out of roughly $160 million from work already identified. The $100 million target includes about $55 million in incremental benefits announced with the fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 update and about $45 million in carryover benefits from initiatives deployed in the fiscal third quarter.
The savings program spans revenue growth and sales productivity, margin expansion, supply-chain and working-capital optimization, warehouse labor and delivery intelligence, customer experience, back-office functions and enterprise technology operations. The $100 million of tech-related savings is expected to begin toward the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2027 and be weighted toward the second half.
Several projects show where the savings are expected to come from. Technology aimed at improving fill rates and inventory forecasting accuracy is designed to support working capital. Reverse-auction tools are being applied to indirect spending across supplies, fleet and warehouse operations, allowing Sysco to address a broader range of indirect expenses more efficiently as deployment ramps through fiscal 2027. Routing software upgrades are intended to reduce miles driven while improving on-time delivery. Coding tools are also being used to improve technology productivity, while AI is being applied to contract bidding and contract-performance tracking to reduce potential leakage.
The current $160 million run-rate figure covers only identified initiatives, while additional sources of value continue to emerge. Management expects the savings opportunity to increase over time as additional projects and sources of value are identified.
SYY’s Zacks Rank & Share Price Performance
Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have fallen 8.4% in the past three months compared with the industry and the broader Consumer Staples sector’s decline of 7% and 5.8%, respectively. SYY also underperformed the S&P 500 index’s growth of 2.8% during the same period.
SYY Stock's Past Three Months Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Is Sysco a Value Play Stock?
Sysco currently trades at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 14.95 compared with the industry average of 13.47. This valuation places the stock at a premium relative to peers, indicating broader market expectations around its business stability and ability to navigate current cost and demand dynamics.
SYY Valuation Picture
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to Consider
The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East and Canada. At present, CHEF flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The consensus estimate for Chefs' Warehouse’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 10.8% and 33.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. Chefs' Warehouse delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average.
Mama's Creations, Inc. (MAMA - Free Report) manufactures and markets fresh deli-prepared foods in the United States. At present, MAMA holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). Mama's Creations delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 121.7%, on average.
The consensus estimate for Mama's Creations’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 30.3% and 66.7%, respectively, from the year-ago figures.
Utz Brands (UTZ - Free Report) engages in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of snack foods in the United States. It presently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. UTZ delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.8%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Utz Brands’ current financial-year sales indicates growth of 3.7% from the year-ago numbers.