Unifirst (NYSE:UNF) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Unifirst (NYSE:UNF) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Wednesday. The company provided EPS guidance of 6.580-6.980 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 7.030. The company issued revenue guidance of $2.5 billion-$2.5 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $2.5 billion.

Unifirst Stock Down 4.9%

Shares of UNF traded down $10.02 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $193.13. 97,959 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 180,742. The firm has a market cap of $3.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.99 and a beta of 0.72. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $173.84 and a 200 day simple moving average of $172.89. Unifirst has a 12-month low of $147.66 and a 12-month high of $232.14.

Unifirst (NYSE:UNF) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The textile maker reported $2.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.15 by $0.13. Unifirst had a net margin of 6.10% and a return on equity of 7.11%. The firm had revenue of $614.45 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $607.02 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.39 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 4.0% on a year-over-year basis. Unifirst has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.580-6.980 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Unifirst will post 7.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Unifirst Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 5th were given a $0.365 dividend. This represents a $1.46 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 5th. This is a positive change from Unifirst’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Unifirst’s dividend payout ratio is currently 18.30%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on UNF. UBS Group set a $182.00 price target on shares of Unifirst in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Barclays cut their target price on shares of Unifirst from $152.00 to $145.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Zacks Research upgraded Unifirst from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Unifirst in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Unifirst presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $174.75.

Trending Headlines about Unifirst

Here are the key news stories impacting Unifirst this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Revenue grew modestly (~+2.7% YoY to ~$621M) and gross profit was slightly higher, with some headlines saying sales topped estimates — supportive for the top line. UniFirst’s (NYSE:UNF) Q4 CY2025 Sales Top Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: The company formally announced fiscal Q1 2026 results in a press release; investors will parse the details (revenue, margins, cash flow) for guidance on the rest of the year. UniFirst Announces Financial Results for the First Quarter of Fiscal 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings missed expectations (EPS below consensus) and operating profit/Net income declined materially year-over-year — margin pressure from higher cost of sales and rising operating costs. Reported operating cash flow weakened sharply while capex increased, which raises near-term liquidity and free-cash-flow concerns. Unifirst Corporation (UNF) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings: Revenue In Line, EPS Miss on Margin Pressure
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst sentiment and price targets are mixed-to-cautious (recent underweight/lower targets), which could cap upside until margins and cash flow stabilize. Analyst commentary and price targets

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Unifirst

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. bought a new stake in Unifirst in the 3rd quarter valued at about $269,000. Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in shares of Unifirst during the third quarter worth approximately $33,000. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new position in Unifirst in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $57,000. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co increased its position in Unifirst by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 12,909 shares of the textile maker’s stock valued at $2,149,000 after acquiring an additional 290 shares during the period. Finally, Verition Fund Management LLC raised its stake in Unifirst by 24.5% during the 3rd quarter. Verition Fund Management LLC now owns 16,767 shares of the textile maker’s stock valued at $2,803,000 after acquiring an additional 3,297 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.17% of the company’s stock.

About Unifirst

UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) is a leading provider of customized uniform rental and facility service programs in North America and Europe. The company specializes in the rental, laundering and maintenance of workwear, corporate apparel and protective garments for a broad range of industries, including manufacturing, automotive, hospitality, healthcare and food processing. UniFirst also offers a suite of facility service products such as entrance mats, restroom supplies, wipers, mops and hygienic services designed to help customers maintain clean and safe environments.

In addition to its core uniform rental business, UniFirst has expanded its product portfolio to include safety and first-responder gear, flame-resistant clothing, high-visibility apparel and personal protective equipment (PPE).