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CHEFS WAREHOUSE INC (CHEF)

Consumer Staples · Specialty Food Distribution · NASDAQ

A premier specialty food distributor serving the high-end culinary market with artisanal and gourmet ingredients.

What CHEFS WAREHOUSE INC does

The Chefs' Warehouse is a specialty food distributor that provides high-quality, artisanal, and gourmet food products to professional chefs and upscale culinary establishments. The company sources a wide range of specialty ingredients—including specialty oils, vinegars, chocolates, charcuterie, and cheeses—to serve restaurants, hotels, caterers, and gourmet stores. It operates through an extensive distribution network and manages a complex supply chain to deliver food products primarily within the United States.

Themes: specialty food distribution, food service supply chain, gourmet / artisanal culinary market, food distribution logistics

Fundamentals

  • Price$113.45 as of 2026-08-24 close
  • Market cap$4.6B as of 2026-08-24
  • 1-year return+77.0% 2025-08-22 close $64.08 → 2026-08-24 close $113.45
  • P/E56.77 as of 2026-08-24
  • Net margin+2.1% as of 2026-08-24
  • Gross margin+24.5% as of 2026-08-24
  • ROE+13.5% as of 2026-08-24
  • Debt / equity1.23 as of 2026-08-24
  • Revenue growth (YoY)+11.2% as of 2026-08-24
  • Revenue CAGR (3y)+16.7% SEC XBRL
  • Beta0.67 as of 2026-08-24
  • Last reported earnings2026-07-29 SEC EDGAR Form 8-K (Item 2.02)

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How CHEF compares in its sector

  • price-to-earnings ratiotop 10% 94 covered Consumer Staples peers, as of 2026-08-24
  • net profit marginmiddle range 116 covered Consumer Staples peers, as of 2026-08-24
  • operating marginmiddle range 116 covered Consumer Staples peers, as of 2026-08-24
  • gross marginmiddle range 116 covered Consumer Staples peers, as of 2026-08-24
  • return on equitymiddle range 116 covered Consumer Staples peers, as of 2026-08-24
  • 3-year revenue CAGRtop 10% 109 covered Consumer Staples peers
  • free cash flow (absolute dollars, latest fiscal year)middle range 110 covered Consumer Staples peers, as of FY2025

Position among covered Consumer Staples companies that report each metric (minimum 5 peers). A relative position within our covered catalog — not a valuation, quality, or investment judgment. A higher percentile is simply a higher value (for P/E, more expensive on earnings — never "better"). Informational only.

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Top 10 scores & list membership

CHEF is not currently in any published Top 10 list. Its scores are below.

Long-term score

44.6 #1125 of 1,605 scored · #39 of 69 in Consumer Staples

  • Profitability37.5
  • Growth68.8
  • Financial health18.8
  • Valuation15.1
  • Capital return17.8
  • Long-term trend82.2

Long-term trend 82nd (trading above its 200-day average) and growth 69th (3-year revenue CAGR 16.7%, revenue growth year over year 11.2%); weakest is valuation (15th, price to earnings 56.8, price to book 7.6).

Short-term score

51.2 #607 of 1,698 scored · #23 of 69 in Consumer Staples

  • Trend76.4
  • Momentum51.2
  • Setup60.9
  • Volume and participation83.6
  • Catalysts60.5

Volume and participation 84th: it gapped 7.0% above the previous close and has not traded back through the level it left behind — an "unfilled gap", which describes a price range no trade has since crossed and is not a forecast that it will be crossed; trend 76th: it is trading 12.2% above its 50-day average, the short-term trend line; weakest is momentum 51st: near the top of its 14-day range (overbought). Its score is docked 10 points for overextended (RSI above 75 or stochastic above 90) and 5 points for short interest in the heaviest tenth of the field.

Scores as of 24 Aug 2026. Each bar is a percentile: how this company ranked against every company the score ranked, 0–100. A list is a published formula and its output, not a recommendation. Method version 3.

Dividend coverage

Not assessed — last reported dividend predates the accounts. The most recent fiscal year in which CHEF reported a dividend payment is FY2010, while its reported financial statements run through FY2025. Coverage is therefore not assessed for the latest year — an FY2010 ratio would not describe CHEF today.

Coverage is derived from reported SEC EDGAR XBRL figures, comparing dividends paid against net income and free cash flow for the SAME fiscal year. It is not shown here because the latest fiscal year with a reported dividend payment (FY2010) is older than the latest year of reported financial statements (FY2025), so any ratio would describe an out-of-date year. Informational only — not financial advice.

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How CHEFS WAREHOUSE INC looks technically

CHEFS WAREHOUSE INC (CHEF) is trading 51.8% above its 200-day average, the long-term trend line — a longer-term uptrend. Its 50-day average crossed above its 200-day average about 165 trading days ago — a "golden cross", a bullish long-term signal. There is no clear trend right now — the price is choppy (ADX, a 0–100 trend-strength gauge, is 20, below the 25 that marks a real trend). Momentum is neutral — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 65, neither overbought (above 70) nor oversold (below 30). MACD, a trend-momentum gauge, turned bearish about 7 trading days ago (its momentum flipped negative). It made a new 20-day high about 17 trading days ago. It is 3.3% below its all-time high.

Trend

8
Distance from the 200-dayit is trading 51.8% above its 200-day average, the long-term trend line — a longer-term uptrend+51.8%
50-day moving averageits average price over the last 50 trading days — a short-term trend line — is $101.10$101.10
200-day moving averageits average price over the last 200 trading days — the long-term trend line — is $74.74$74.74
Swing structureeach recent peak has been higher than the one before it and each dip has been shallower — the pattern chart-watchers call an uptrend, which describes where price has already been and not where it goes nexthigher highs and higher lows
Last swing turnits last significant turn was a swing high 21 calendar days ago — the swings before that are what the structure reading is measured on21 sessions
Wave structureits recent swings can be read as a five-part upward sequence — what Elliott-wave chartists call an impulse — now in the fourth leg, a pullback against that upward direction; the labelling fails if price closes below 102.87. It is one of several labellings that fit, and it describes the swings already printed, not what comes next. The same swings also read as a completed three-part correction.possible upward five-wave sequence, in wave 4 (one of several readings)
Since the 50/200 crossits 50-day average crossed above its 200-day average about 165 trading days ago — a "golden cross", a bullish long-term signal165 sessions
Trend strength (14-day ADX)there is no clear trend right now — the price is choppy (ADX, a 0–100 trend-strength gauge, is 20, below the 25 that marks a real trend)19.6

Momentum

3
14-day RSImomentum is neutral — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 65, neither overbought (above 70) nor oversold (below 30)64.5
Position in its 14-day rangeit is trading near the top of its 14-day range ($105.39 to $113.95) — its "stochastic" reading is 94 out of 100, where 0 would mean closing exactly at the 14-session low and 100 exactly at the high. This measures WHERE the price sits inside its recent range, which is a different question from the RSI beside it: RSI is a momentum gauge, measuring how FAST the price has been moving, so a stock can drift quietly to the bottom of its range with an ordinary RSI, or fall sharply and still sit in the middle. It has been climbing within that range over the last few sessions.94.2
Since the MACD crossed zeroMACD, a trend-momentum gauge, turned bearish about 7 trading days ago (its momentum flipped negative)7 sessions

Range

12
52-week highits highest closing price over the past year (about 252 trading days) was $117.33$117.33
From the 52-week highit is 3.3% below its 52-week high (its highest price of the past year)-3.3%
Above the 52-week lowit is 113.3% above its 52-week low (its lowest price of the past year)+113.3%
Below the 52-week highit is 3.3% below its highest point of the past year3.3%
Since a 20-day breakoutit made a new 20-day high about 17 trading days ago17 sessions
Since a 55-day breakoutit made a new 55-day high about 17 trading days ago17 sessions
All-time highits highest closing price on record is $117.33 (set on 2026-08-03)$117.33
Given back of the 52-week moveover the past year its closes ranged ($54.60 to $115.35), and it has given back only a small part of its rise from last year’s low — 3% of it. Chart-watchers call 61.8%-65% given back the "golden pocket" — for this company that is $75.86 to $77.81. It is watched widely enough that orders cluster there, which is the honest reason it matters; it is not a forecast.3.1%
From the all-time highit is 3.3% below its all-time high-3.3%
Nearest price levelit is trading 20.3% above a support level at $90.43 — a price it turned at twice since 2026-07-09, most recently on 2026-07-27. Since 2024-08-26 it has 13 such levels below the current price and 0 above. Levels like these describe where the price has reversed or paused before; they are not a forecast of where it will go.-20.3%
All-time lowits lowest closing price on record is $3.55 (set on 2020-03-18)$3.55
Above the all-time lowit is 3095.8% above its all-time low+3,096%

Volatility

5
Band width vs its own 6 monthsday-to-day price swings are narrower than usual versus its own recent 6-month history (tighter than about 83% of it)17th percentile
Typical daily rangein a typical session it travels about $4.00 between its high and its low — about 3.5% of its price. That is its "average true range" over the last 14 sessions, which also counts the distance from the previous close, so a day that opens well away from yesterday counts as the large move it was$4.00
Bollinger bands (20-day, ±2σ)most of its recent trading has stayed between about $103.56 and $115.64 — the "Bollinger bands", a range drawn two standard deviations either side of its 20-day average price, which widens when the stock gets more volatile and narrows when it settles$103.56 – $109.60 – $115.64
Typical daily range (% of price)its price moves about 3.5% in a typical session — about typical for the companies we cover. This is the average gap between a session's high and low over the last 14 sessions, counting overnight moves, expressed against the current price so it can be compared with companies trading at any price3.5%
Stretch from the 200-day averageit is trading 9.7 daily ranges above its 200-day average price (51.8% above it in plain percentage terms) — a way of asking how far it has stretched from its own average in units of how far it normally moves in a day, so a calm company and a jumpy one can be compared on the same scale9.7 daily ranges above its 200-day average

Volume

1
Volume vs its 30-day averagetrading volume is about normal versus its 30-day average1.04×

Analyst

2
Change in the average price targetanalysts have raised their average price target by 2.6% since the prior reading+2.6%
Change in the consensus ratingthe analyst consensus rating is unchanged since the prior readingunchanged

Candlestick patterns

1
Since a hammer2 sessions ago, after a stretch of decline, it sold off hard during the session and then closed back near its high — a "hammer", the long lower wick showing the drop was bought back before the close2 sessions ago

Price gaps

3
Gap at the openit opened on 2026-08-24 0.4% above the previous session's close — an overnight gap, the part of the move that happened while the market was shut, and traded back through that level before the close+0.3%
Open gapit gapped 7.0% above the previous close 49 sessions ago and has not traded back through the level it left behind at 80.9 — an "unfilled gap", which describes a price range no trade has since crossed and is not a forecast that it will be crossed+7.0%
Gap filleda 2.3% gap up opened on 2026-07-07 has been "filled" 32 sessions ago — price traded back through the level the gap left behind, and it took 2 sessions to close32 sessions ago

Price streaks

1
Closing streakit has closed higher 3 sessions in a row, a +5.67% move over the run — an unbroken run of up days, which describes what has already happened and says nothing about the next session3 sessions up

Relative strength

4
vs market, 1 monthover the past 1 month this stock beat the market by 16.3 percentage points (the stock gained 19.6% while the market gained 3.3%)+16.3%
vs market, 3 monthsover the past 3 months this stock beat the market by 46.0 percentage points (the stock gained 48.4% while the market gained 2.4%)+46.0%
vs market, 6 monthsover the past 6 months this stock beat the market by 45.6 percentage points (the stock gained 56.6% while the market gained 11.1%)+45.6%
vs market, 12 monthsover the past 12 months this stock beat the market by 58.7 percentage points (the stock gained 77.0% while the market gained 18.3%)+58.7%

Signal agreement

2
Bullish technical signals4 of the 9 technical signals we can compute for it are currently in a bullish state: a "golden cross" — its 50-day average is above its 200-day, trading above its 200-day average, outperforming the market over 6 months, trading above the Ichimoku cloud — these describe past price behaviour, not a forecast4 of 9
Bearish technical signals2 of the 9 technical signals we can compute for it are currently in a bearish state: MACD momentum is negative, near the top of its 14-day range (overbought) — these describe past price behaviour, not a forecast2 of 9

Trend (Ichimoku cloud)

1
Vs the Ichimoku cloudtrading 22% above the Ichimoku cloud — a band drawn from where its own highs and lows sat up to 2026-07-17 and projected forward over today's price, the side traders read as an established uptrend, with the band below acting as the level that would have to give way. The band itself is moderate, spanning 7.0% of the share price.+22.4%

Volume-weighted price

2
Vs this year’s average price paidthe price is 40% above the average price paid so far this year, so the typical buyer over that stretch is showing a gain. That average is $81.20 — a volume-weighted average of daily closes over 158 sessions, not a true tick-by-tick VWAP.+39.7%
Vs the average paid since it last reportedthe price is 3% above the average price paid since it last reported on 2026-07-29 (its 10-Q), so the typical buyer over that stretch is showing a gain. That average is $110.10 — a volume-weighted average of daily closes over 19 sessions, not a true tick-by-tick VWAP.+3.0%

Price levels it has turned at before

CHEF last closed at $113.45 on 2026-08-24. Since 2024-08-26 it has turned at 13 prices below its last close and 0 above; the 3 nearest below are listed, nearest first.

LevelSideDistanceEvidence
$90.43Support20.3% below the last closeturned there twice · 2026-07-09 to 2026-07-27
$74.60Support34.2% below the last closeturned there three times · 2026-02-26 to 2026-06-05
$68.51Support39.6% below the last closeturned there three times · 2025-07-07 to 2025-09-18

A level is a price this company reversed or paused at more than once — they describe past behaviour, not a forecast of where the price will go.

Wave structure

Its recent swings can be read as a five-part upward sequence — what Elliott-wave chartists call an impulse — now in leg 4 of five, a pullback against that direction.

This labelling fails — stops being a possible reading at all — if it closes below $102.87.

This is one of several labellings that fit the same swings, so treat it as a reading rather than the reading. It was chosen from 2 labellings that survived the rules, counting shorter readings of the same bars.

On past moves of this shape the leg has usually ended somewhere between $104.15 and $111.11 — that is where it has tended to end if the count holds, not a forecast of where the price goes.

Alternate reading: The same swings also read as a completed three-part correction, which fails on a close above $117.33.

This labelling was already in place when we began recording count changes on 2026-08-13, so how long it has stood is not something we can say yet.

Read from daily closes as of 2026-08-24.

An Elliott-wave count describes the swings already printed and the level that would disprove it. It is not a forecast, a target, or advice.

Based on daily closing prices as of 2026-08-24. Describes past price behavior only — informational, not financial advice.

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Analyst consensus

  • Consensus ratingStrong Buy (1.44 mean, 1=Strong Buy…5=Strong Sell) — 9 analysts
  • Mean price target$116.56 range $93.00 – $125.00; median $123.00

Analyst estimates, as of 2026-08-19. These are third-party analyst opinions and price targets, aggregated — not a recommendation, prediction, or advice from stocks-llm. Informational only.

Analyst EPS estimate for CHEF

  • Consensus EPS estimate$0.5877 next reporting period, as of 2026-08-19

Change over time is not available yet: it needs two readings of the same reporting period at least 30 days apart, and we have been recording these estimates since 2026-08-04. An estimate for a DIFFERENT quarter is not a revision, so a reading from before the last report is never compared with one after it.

The consensus estimate for the next reporting period, and how it has moved between readings of that SAME period. A change is measured only between readings estimating one period — when a company reports, the consensus moves to the next quarter and the two numbers are not comparable. Informational only, not a forecast and not advice.

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Key risks (from latest filing)

["Sensitive to fluctuations in consumer discretionary spending and disposable income levels.","Low profit margins susceptible to inflationary/deflationary pressures and intense competition.","Risks associated with integrating acquisitions and achieving anticipated synergies."]

See CHEF's biggest risks from its latest 10-Q →

What changed in the latest 10-Q

AI-assisted comparison of CHEF's 10-Q filed 2026-04-29 against the prior one filed 2025-10-29.

Management's Discussion & Analysis (MD&A)

  • Added:
    • Newer filing references fiscal year ended December 26, 2025 in Form 10-K cross-reference (vs. December 27, 2024 in older filing)
    • SKU count increased from 88,000 to more than 90,000 in Business Overview
    • Core customer locations increased from more than 50,000 to more than 55,000 in Business Overview
    • Newer filing includes Italco acquisition details without purchase price breakdown (vs. older filing stating $16,500 purchase price with $5,500 cash and $11,000 note components)
    • Newer filing presents financial results for thirteen weeks ended March 27, 2026 compared to March 28, 2025 (vs. older filing presenting thirteen weeks ended September 26, 2025 compared to September 27, 2024)
    • Newer filing reports net sales of $1,059,010 thousand for Q1 2026 vs. $950,748 thousand for Q1 2025
    • Newer filing reports organic growth of $98.3 million (10.4%) with Italco contributing $10.0 million (1.0%)
    • Newer filing reports organic case count increase of 5.7% in specialty category (vs. 3.2% in older filing's Q3)
    • Newer filing reports organic pounds sold increase of 6.2% in center-of-the-plate category (vs. 1.1% decrease in older filing's Q3)
    • Newer filing shows specialty unique customers increased 1.9% and placements increased 6.2% (vs. 2.6% and 5.3% in older filing's Q3)
    • Newer filing reports inflation impact of $9.0 million (1.5%) in specialty and $29.7 million (8.2%) in center-of-the-plate (vs. $25.7 million at 4.4% and $42.8 million at 12.3% in older filing's Q3)
  • Removed:
    • Older filing included detailed purchase price information for Italco ($16,500 total, $5,500 cash, $11,000 note) not present in newer filing
    • Older filing presented thirty-nine weeks ended comparative results alongside thirteen-week results; newer filing presents only thirteen-week comparison
    • Older filing included reference to exit from non-core commodity poultry program as explanation for pounds sold decrease
  • Reworded:
    • Newer filing's Italco description removes 'The purchase price was $16,500, consisting of $5,500 cash paid at closing and $11,000 from the issuance of an unsecured note and is subject to customary working capital true-ups' and description that 'assets are not material to the Company's consolidated financial statements'
    • Newer filing states gross profit margin increased '43 basis points in the Company's specialty category' and '110 basis points in the Company's center-of-the-plate category' (sentence truncated in source text)
  • Notes:
    • Newer filing text appears truncated at end of gross profit discussion ('increased 110 basis points in the Company's center-of-the-plate categor'); full comparison of gross profit discussion not possible
    • Comparison involves different fiscal quarters (Q1 2026 vs. Q3 2025), limiting direct operational continuity assessment
    • Newer filing does not include thirty-nine week comparative data present in older filing

Risk Factors

  • Added:
    • Newer filing (2026-04-29) references Form 10-K filed February 24, 2026 in forward-looking statements section; older filing (2025-10-29) referenced Form 10-K filed February 25, 2025
  • Reworded:
    • Older filing (2025-10-29) states 'significant governmental regulation and any potential failure to comply with such regulations' (plural); newer filing (2026-04-29) states 'significant governmental regulation and any potential failure to comply with such regulation' (singular)
  • Notes:
    • The two filings compare different reporting periods (Q1 2026 vs Q3 2025) and balance sheet dates, making direct financial statement comparison not assessable for changes
    • The Index page numbers differ between filings (Item 1A page 20 in 2026 vs page 24 in 2025, etc.) but this reflects formatting/length changes, not substantive content changes in the Risk Factors text itself

AI-assisted comparison of two SEC filing sections. It describes wording and theme changes only, makes no materiality, legal, or investment judgement, and is not financial advice. Informational only — not financial advice.

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Insider activity (SEC Form 4)

No open-market insider purchases or sales recorded in the last 90 days.

  • Last 180 days0 buys · 2 sells ($10M) — 2 selling insiders

Most recent open-market transaction: 2026-05-19. As of 2026-08-25.

View full insider trading history → View SEC Form 3/4/5 filings

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Only open-market purchases (SEC code P) and sales (code S) are counted here. Option exercises, vesting/awards, gifts, and shares withheld for taxes are excluded — they are compensation or mechanical, not open-market conviction. Sales may be planned and non-discretionary (e.g. a Rule 10b5-1 plan) and are not necessarily bearish; open-market buying is not a recommendation to buy. Informational only — not financial advice.

Institutional ownership (13F)

3 institutional 13F filers reported holding CHEF as of 2026-03-31 (quarter-end position, filed within 45 days).

  • Distinct 13F filers 3
  • Reported shares held 8,050,287
  • Reported value $478,589,578

reported quarterly holdings change (2025-12-31 → 2026-03-31): 0 new, 2 increased, 1 decreased, 1 exited. Change counts cover only managers that filed 13F reports in BOTH quarters, derived between two quarter-end snapshots — not same-day trades; a single manager is never said to have "bought" or "sold".

Institutional holdings are quarter-end long positions reported on SEC Form 13F-HR, filed up to 45 days after the quarter ends — they are delayed, are not real-time trades, exclude short positions and most non-US securities, and are not investment advice. Any increase/decrease is a reported change between two quarterly snapshots, not a same-day purchase or sale. These are quarter-end snapshots from the 13F filings on SEC EDGAR, filed within 45 days — not real-time, and any change is a difference between two quarterly reports, not a same-day trade. Informational only — not financial advice.

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Short interest (FINRA)

CHEF had 5,443,279 shares of reported short interest as of the 2026-07-31 FINRA settlement date (delayed, bi-monthly; not real-time).

CHEF had 13.3% of its shares outstanding sold short as of the 2026-07-31 FINRA settlement date (percent of FLOAT would be higher — float is not disclosed in the source). FINRA reported 6.42 days to cover at the same settlement.

  • Reported short interest (shares) 5,443,279
  • Short interest (% of shares outstanding) 13.3%
  • Prior settlement (shares) 4,938,879
  • Reported change 10.21%
  • Days to cover (reported) 6.42

Reported to FINRA as of the 2026-07-31 settlement date. Short interest is reported to FINRA and published on a delayed, bi-monthly schedule (as of a settlement date, disseminated roughly eight business days later) — it is NOT real-time, does not cover every venue or all US trading, and is not a short-squeeze prediction or investment advice. Days-to-cover is the value FINRA reports; percent of float is not shown because the source file carries no share-count denominator — where a percent appears it is of shares OUTSTANDING, the larger base, and is therefore a floor on percent of float. Informational only — not financial advice.

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Competitors & peers

AI-enriched competitor set. Linked names are companies covered by stocks-llm; other named peers are shown for reference only.

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Frequently asked questions

What does CHEFS WAREHOUSE INC (CHEF) do?

The Chefs' Warehouse is a specialty food distributor that provides high-quality, artisanal, and gourmet food products to professional chefs and upscale culinary establishments. The company sources a wide range of specialty ingredients—including specialty oils, vinegars, chocolates, charcuterie, and cheeses—to serve restaurants, hotels, caterers, and gourmet stores.

What sector is CHEFS WAREHOUSE INC (CHEF) in?

CHEFS WAREHOUSE INC (CHEF) is classified in the Consumer Staples sector. Its industry is Specialty Food Distribution. It trades on NASDAQ.

Who are CHEFS WAREHOUSE INC's (CHEF) competitors?

Notable peers of CHEFS WAREHOUSE INC (CHEF) include Sysco, US Foods and Performance Food Group. This peer set is informational only — not financial advice.

Is CHEFS WAREHOUSE INC (CHEF) overbought or oversold right now?

CHEFS WAREHOUSE INC (CHEF) is currently neither overbought nor oversold — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 65, in the neutral middle (as of 2026-08-24). RSI describes recent price momentum, not a forecast — informational only, not financial advice.

Where does stocks-llm's data on CHEF come from?

Fundamentals and prices come from market data, as of 2026-08-24; company filings and profile facts come from SEC EDGAR. All figures are delayed daily-close data shown with their as-of date — informational only, not financial advice.

Fundamentals: market data, as of 2026-08-24. Filings: SEC EDGAR. Prices are delayed daily-close data.

Last updated 2026-08-24.

Informational only — NOT financial advice. All figures are delayed daily-close data from SEC EDGAR & market data, shown with their as-of date.

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