What is USFD's Intrinsic value?

US Foods Holding Corp (USFD) Intrinsic Value Analysis

Executive Summary

As of May 27, 2025, US Foods Holding Corp's estimated intrinsic value ranges from $40.74 to $429.70 per share, depending on the valuation methodology applied.

Valuation Method Fair Value (USD) Implied Upside/Downside
Discounted Cash Flow (10Y) $429.70 +466.7%
Discounted Cash Flow (5Y) $327.99 +332.5%
Dividend Discount Model (Multi-Stage) $216.42 +185.4%
Dividend Discount Model (Stable) $71.29 -6.0%
Earnings Power Value $40.74 -46.3%

Is US Foods Holding Corp (USFD) undervalued or overvalued?

With the current market price at $75.83, the stock appears to be significantly undervalued.

Understanding Intrinsic Value

Intrinsic value represents the "true" worth of a company based on its fundamentals rather than market sentiment. We've employed multiple methodologies to triangulate US Foods Holding Corp's intrinsic value, including:

  1. Discounted Cash Flow (DCF): Values the company based on projected future cash flows
  2. Dividend Discount Model (DDM): Values the company based on expected future dividend payments
  3. Earnings Power Value (EPV): Values the company based on its current earnings power, assuming no growth

Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)

The cost of capital is a critical factor in valuation models, representing the required return for investors.

WACC Component Low High
Long-term bond rate 3.9% 4.4%
Equity market risk premium 4.6% 5.6%
Adjusted beta 0.41 0.7
Cost of equity 5.7% 8.8%
Cost of debt 4.9% 5.3%
Tax rate 23.3% 24.2%
Debt/Equity ratio 0.29 0.29
After-tax WACC 5.3% 7.7%

Valuation Methods

1. Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Valuation

Our DCF model projects cash flows over 5-year and 10-year horizons, with the following key assumptions:

  • Forecast Period: 5-year DCF and 10-year DCF
  • Terminal Growth Rate: 0.0% (range: 3.0% - 5.0%)
  • Discount Rate: 6.5% (range: 0.0% - 9.3%)

Key Projections:

  • Revenue growth from $37,877 (FY12-2024) to $66,228 (FY12-2034)
  • Net profit margin expansion from 1% to 7%
  • Capital expenditures maintained at approximately 1% of revenue
DCF Model Fair Value Enterprise Value % from Terminal Value
5-Year Growth $328 $80,518M 87.2%
10-Year Growth $430 $103,964M 75.8%
5-Year EBITDA $132 $35,382M 70.9%
10-Year EBITDA $207 $52,546M 52.1%

2. Dividend Discount Model (DDM)

The DDM values a company based on its expected future dividend payments. We used two approaches:

Multi-Stage DDM:

  • Current payout ratio: 0.0%
  • Stable payout ratio: 90.0%
  • Growth transition: 5 years
  • Cost of equity: 7.3%
  • Long-term growth rate: 3.0%
  • Fair value: $216.42 (185.4% from current price)

Stable DDM:

  • Stable payout ratio: 70% (Low) to 90% (High)
  • Cost of equity: 8.8% (Low) to 5.7% (High)
  • Long-term growth rate: 2.0% (Low) to 4.0% (High)
  • Fair value range: $24 to $119
  • Selected fair value: $71.29 (-6.0% from current price)

3. Earnings Power Value (EPV)

EPV assesses a company's value based on its current normalized earnings power, assuming no growth.

EPV Component Value
Normalized Earnings $896M
Discount Rate (WACC) 7.7% - 5.3%
Enterprise Value $11,613M - $16,989M
Net Debt $4,910M
Equity Value $6,703M - $12,079M
Outstanding Shares 231M
Fair Value $29 - $52
Selected Fair Value $40.74

Key Financial Metrics

Metric Value
Market Capitalization $17480M
Enterprise Value $22390M
Trailing P/E 33.17
Forward P/E 17.18
Trailing EV/EBITDA 7.20
Current Dividend Yield 0.00%
Dividend Growth Rate (5Y) 0.00%
Debt-to-Equity Ratio 0.29

Investment Decision Framework

To determine the most reliable intrinsic value estimate, we weigh each valuation method based on:

  1. Forecast Certainty: DCF methods rely on long-term projections, while earnings power value focuses on current normalized earnings
  2. Business Model Alignment: Dividend models are more appropriate for mature companies with established dividend policies
  3. Historical Accuracy: How well each method has predicted fair value historically

Valuation Weight Matrix

Valuation Method Weight Weighted Value
Discounted Cash Flow (10Y) 30% $128.91
Discounted Cash Flow (5Y) 25% $82.00
Dividend Discount Model (Multi-Stage) 20% $43.28
Dividend Discount Model (Stable) 15% $10.69
Earnings Power Value 10% $4.07
Weighted Average 100% $268.96

Investment Conclusion

Based on our comprehensive valuation analysis, US Foods Holding Corp's weighted average intrinsic value is $268.96, which is approximately 254.7% above the current market price of $75.83.

Key investment considerations:

  • Strong projected earnings growth (1% to 7% margin)
  • Consistent cash flow generation
  • Conservative capital structure (Debt/Equity of 0.29)

Given these factors, we believe US Foods Holding Corp is currently significantly undervalued with the potential for long-term appreciation based on the company's growth trajectory and financial strength.