Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (Form 4)

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b). Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * FITZGERALD TIMOTHY JOHN 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol MIDDLEBY Corp [MIDD] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chief Executive Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O THE MIDDLEBY CORPORATION, 1400 TOASTMASTER DRIVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/01/2026 (Street) ELGIN, IL 60120 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 03/01/2026 F 6,486 D $168.86(1) 340,487 D Common Stock 25,200 I By Spouse and Children Common Stock 20,000 I Timothy J. FitzGerald 2012 Gift Trust(2) Common Stock 56,250 I Andrea C. FitzGerald 2012 Gift Trust(3)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
FITZGERALD TIMOTHY JOHN C/O THE MIDDLEBY CORPORATION 1400 TOASTMASTER DRIVE ELGIN, IL 60120	X		Chief Executive Officer

Signatures

Michael D. Thompson POA		03/03/2026
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Transaction related to the surrender of shares to fund reporting person's tax liability in connection with vesting of time-based RSUs.
(2)	The reporting person is the spouse of the trustee and a beneficiary of the Timothy J. FitzGerald 2012 Gift Trust. Beneficial ownership is disclaimed except to the extent of the reporting person's pecuniary interest therein. This filing shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is, for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise, the beneficial owner of any equity securities covered by this filing.
(3)	The reporting person is the trustee and a beneficiary of the Andrea C. FitzGerald 2012 Gift Trust. Beneficial ownership is disclaimed except to the extent of the reporting person's pecuniary interest therein. This filing shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is, for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise, the beneficial owner of any equity securities covered by this filing.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure. Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.