The Chefs' WarehouseCHEF -1.39%72 ROA % is 3.46% as of Mar. 2026, which is 60% above its 10-year median of 2.16. GuruFocus rates CHEF with a GF Score™ of 72/100 and a GF Value™ of $53.01 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 312 Retail - Defensive companies, The Chefs' Warehouse ranks better than 56.09% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. The Chefs' Warehouse's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $69 Mil.
The Chefs' Warehouse's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $2,009 Mil. Therefore, The Chefs' Warehouse's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 3.46%.
The historical rank and industry rank for The Chefs' Warehouse's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
CHEF'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -8.34 Med: 2.16 Max: 4.1
Current: 4.1
During the past 13 years, The Chefs' Warehouse's highest ROA % was 4.10%. The lowest was -8.34%. And the median was 2.16%.
CHEF's ROA % is ranked better than 56.09% of 312
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 3.56
vs CHEF: 4.10
The Chefs' Warehouse (NAS:CHEF) ROA % Explanation
ROA % measures the rate of return on the total assets (shareholder equity plus liabilities). It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from shareholders' equity plus its liabilities. ROA % shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. ROA %s can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, ROA % should not be used to compare companies in different industries. For retailers, a ROA % of higher than 5% is expected. For example, Wal-Mart (WMT) has a ROA % of about 8% as of 2012. For banks, ROA % is close to their interest spread. A banks ROA % is typically well under 2%.
Similar to ROE, ROA % is affected by profit margins and asset turnover. This can be seen from the Du Pont Formula:
Note:
The Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data. The Revenue data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) revenue data.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Be Aware
Like ROE, ROA % is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. ROA % can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by goodwill, a company's tax rate and its interest payment. ROA % may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high ROA % may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
E.g. Raising $43b to take on KO is impossible, but $1.7b to take on Moody's is. Although Moody's ROA % and underlying economics is far superior to Coca Cola, the durability is far weaker because of lower entry cost.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Food Distribution subindustry, The Chefs' Warehouse's ROA %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROA % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
The Chefs' Warehouse ROA % vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, The Chefs' Warehouse's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where The Chefs' Warehouse's ROA % falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
In the calculation of annual ROA %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
The Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) has a ROA % of 3.46% as of Mar. 2026. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on The Chefs' Warehouse and its competitors. This is 60% above median its historical median of 2.16. According to the industry distribution chart, The Chefs' Warehouse ranks #137 out of 312 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 43.9%.
Is The Chefs' Warehouse's ROA % too high?
The Chefs' Warehouse's current ROA % of 3.46% is 60% above median its 10-year median of 2.16. The Retail - Defensive industry median ROA % is 3.56. The Chefs' Warehouse's value of 3.46% is 2.8% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, The Chefs' Warehouse ranks #137 out of 312 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, The Chefs' Warehouse has a GF Score™ of 72/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The Chefs' Warehouse's ROA % compare to UNFI and ANDE?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, The Chefs' Warehouse ranks #137 out of 312 companies for ROA %. This puts The Chefs' Warehouse in the upper half of its industry. The industry median ROA % is 3.56. The Chefs' Warehouse's value of 3.46% is 2.8% below this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 2.16 vs. the industry median of 3.56, The Chefs' Warehouse has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROA % for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median ROA % among Retail - Defensive companies is 3.56, based on 312 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROA % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. The Chefs' Warehouse's current ROA % of 3.46% is 2.8% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high ROA % mean?
A high ROA % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on The Chefs' Warehouse and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median ROA % is 3.56 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. The Chefs' Warehouse's current ROA % is 3.46%, which is 60% above median its own 10-year median of 2.16. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is The Chefs' Warehouse stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $53.01, compared to a current price of $94.36 — trading 78% above its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is 3.46%, which is 60% above median its 10-year median of 2.16 and 2.8% below the Retail - Defensive industry median of 3.56. The Chefs' Warehouse's overall GF Score™ is 72/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROA % calculated?
ROA % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For The Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF), the current ROA % is 3.46% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is The Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The Chefs' Warehouse stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $94.36 is trading 78% above its estimated GF Value™ of $53.01.
GuruFocus considers The Chefs' Warehouse to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for CHEF:
ROA %: 3.46% (60% above median its 10-year median of 2.16)
GF Value™: $53.01 vs. price of $94.36 (78% above fair value)
Industry Position: 2.8% below the Retail - Defensive median (#137 of 312)
No single metric tells the full story. See the CHEF stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
The Chefs' Warehouse Inc is a specialty food distributor in metropolitan areas across the United States, the Middle East and Canada. The company's product portfolio is comprised of imported and local specialty food products such as cheese, cooking oils, chocolates, dried food, baking products, meats, and other food products. It operates via one reporting segment called Food Product Distribution. Operations are concentrated on the east, midwest, and west coasts of the U.S. The company provides service to restaurants, clubs, hotels, caterers, schools, bakeries, casinos, and specialty food stores.
72GF Score
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