Unifirst (NYSE:UNF) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Posted by Stephan Jacobs on Jan 9th, 2026

Unifirst (NYSE:UNF – Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 6.580-6.980 for the period, compared to the consensus 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 Performance

Shares of UNF stock opened at $202.60 on Friday. Unifirst has a fifty-two week low of $147.66 and a fifty-two week high of $232.14. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $175.59 and its two-hundred day moving average is $173.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.80 and a beta of 0.72.

Unifirst (NYSE:UNF – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 7th. The textile maker reported $1.89 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.05 by ($0.16). The business had revenue of $621.32 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $615.23 million. Unifirst had a return on equity of 6.68% and a net margin of 5.70%.Unifirst’s quarterly revenue was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.31 EPS. Unifirst has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.580-6.980 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Unifirst will post 7.71 earnings per share for the current year.

Unifirst Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 5th were issued a $0.365 dividend. This represents a $1.46 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 5th. This is a positive change from Unifirst’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Unifirst’s payout ratio is currently 18.30%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. UBS Group boosted their target price on Unifirst from $182.00 to $206.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday. Zacks Research raised Unifirst from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Barclays dropped their target price on Unifirst from $152.00 to $145.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. Robert W. Baird set a $198.00 price target on Unifirst in a report on Thursday. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Unifirst in a report 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, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $181.00.

View Our Latest Report on Unifirst

Key Unifirst News

Here are the key news stories impacting Unifirst this week:

Positive Sentiment: Revenue roughly in line with expectations and up modestly (Q1 sales ~$621.3M, +2.7% YoY), which helped steady the stock after the earnings release. UniFirst Announces Financial Results for the First Quarter of Fiscal 2026
Positive Sentiment: Company reaffirmed its FY2026 revenue outlook ($2.475B–$2.495B), providing some top-line clarity for investors. UniFirst reaffirms $2.475B–$2.495B revenue outlook for 2026 amid ongoing Cintas proposal review
Neutral Sentiment: UniFirst is publicly reviewing a proposal from Cintas — a potential strategic/transaction development that is currently unresolved and therefore uncertain in impact. UniFirst reaffirms $2.475B–$2.495B revenue outlook for 2026 amid ongoing Cintas proposal review
Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage/targets remain mixed (median recent price target ~ $175; some firms underweight), signaling varied street conviction despite the company’s solid market position. Unifirst Corporation (UNF) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings: Revenue In Line, EPS Miss on Margin Pressure
Negative Sentiment: Earnings missed expectations (diluted EPS reported ~ $1.89 vs. consensus nearer $2.05), and operating profit and net income declined materially year-over-year — the miss and margin compression drove the initial sell-off. UniFirst Corporation (NYSE:UNF) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Negative Sentiment: Management cited growth investments that pressured near-term margins; cash from operations fell sharply while capital spending rose — signs of weaker near-term cash generation and margin headwinds. UniFirst Earnings Call: Growth Investments Hit Near-Term Margins
Negative Sentiment: FY2026 EPS guidance (6.58–6.98) came in below consensus (~7.03), which may cap upside until margins and cash flow stabilize. UniFirst Announces Financial Results for the First Quarter of Fiscal 2026

Institutional Trading of Unifirst

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

About Unifirst

(Get Free Report)

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).