US Foods Holding Corp (USFD) stock surged 6.65% in intraday trading on Thursday, fueled by a strong second-quarter earnings report that exceeded analyst expectations. The foodservice distributor reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.44, significantly above the consensus estimate of $1.36, while net sales reached $10.53 billion, topping forecasts of $10.46 billion.

The company's performance was driven by resilient demand from independent restaurants, with case volume in that segment growing 5.1% year-over-year. Net income climbed 22.8% to $275 million, and adjusted EBITDA rose 10.2% to a record $604 million. US Foods also reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 guidance, projecting net sales growth of 4% to 6% and adjusted diluted EPS growth of 18% to 24%.

Investor sentiment was further supported by the company's continued share repurchase activity, which included $374 million in buybacks during the quarter. The strong results and upbeat outlook reinforced confidence in the company's ability to navigate ongoing food cost inflation while maintaining margin expansion through productivity improvements.