Sysco shares closed down 1.8% following third quarter results, as the market appeared unimpressed despite management highlighting a return to local volume growth and reaffirming confidence in annual guidance. The stock move suggests investors were largely unmoved by top-line improvement, possibly due to persistent headwinds in restaurant traffic and continued softness in the national restaurant segment.

• Revenue increased 4.7% year-over-year to nearly $21 billion, with 3.3% local volume growth in the U.S. — the strongest in three years.
• Adjusted EPS came in at $0.94, in line with company expectations and including a $63 million headwind linked to prior-year incentive compensation.
• Gross profit grew 6.5% year-over-year; excluding incentive comp headwinds, operating income and margin would have expanded from the prior year.
• National contract business lagged, with segment growth of just 1.4%, as declining restaurant foot traffic weighed on national restaurant volumes.
• Management maintained a positive outlook for the full year, guiding towards the high end of the $4.50–$4.60 adjusted EPS range and forecasting at least 2.5% local volume growth in Q4.