UTI FY2026 EPS Estimate Boosted by Northland Securities

Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI) – Research analysts at Northland Securities upped their FY2026 earnings per share estimates for shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note issued on Wednesday, May 6th. Northland Securities analyst M. Grondahl now forecasts that the company will earn $0.76 per share for the year, up from their previous estimate of $0.75. The consensus estimate for Universal Technical Institute’s current full-year earnings is $0.77 per share. Northland Securities also issued estimates for Universal Technical Institute’s Q1 2027 earnings at $0.18 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $0.13 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $0.87 EPS.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $0.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Universal Technical Institute had a net margin of 4.91% and a return on equity of 13.19%. The firm had revenue of $221.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $221.61 million.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Barrington Research boosted their price target on Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday. B. Riley Financial reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Rosenblatt Securities boosted their target price on Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Zacks Research raised Universal Technical Institute from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $42.50.

Universal Technical Institute Stock Down 4.8%

Shares of UTI stock opened at $35.18 on Friday. Universal Technical Institute has a 52-week low of $21.29 and a 52-week high of $40.41. The stock has a market cap of $1.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.68, a PEG ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 1.28. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $36.43 and its 200-day moving average is $30.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.14.

Institutional Trading of Universal Technical Institute

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UTI. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,296,989 shares of the company’s stock valued at $46,826,000 after purchasing an additional 9,153 shares during the period. ANB Bank increased its holdings in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 5.8% during the first quarter. ANB Bank now owns 8,960 shares of the company’s stock worth $323,000 after purchasing an additional 491 shares during the period. Fifth Third Bancorp bought a new position in shares of Universal Technical Institute during the first quarter worth approximately $4,341,000. Granite Investment Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute in the first quarter valued at approximately $349,000. Finally, Isthmus Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 9.5% in the first quarter. Isthmus Partners LLC now owns 97,211 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,509,000 after buying an additional 8,460 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.67% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Universal Technical Institute

In other Universal Technical Institute news, CEO Jerome Alan Grant sold 60,040 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.95, for a total transaction of $2,098,398.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 430,215 shares in the company, valued at $15,036,014.25. This trade represents a 12.25% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Sherrell Smith sold 30,000 shares of Universal Technical Institute stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.99, for a total value of $1,109,700.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 129,375 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,785,581.25. This represents a 18.82% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 145,961 shares of company stock valued at $5,248,127 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 9.80% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Universal Technical Institute

Here are the key news stories impacting Universal Technical Institute this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upward revisions — Northland Securities raised near‑term and FY2027 EPS estimates (Q1 2027 to $0.18, Q3 2027 to $0.13, FY2026 to $0.76 and FY2027 to $0.87), signaling improved analyst confidence in the company’s growth trajectory and supporting higher valuations. (Research note 5/6)
• Positive Sentiment: Price‑target raises and bullish ratings — Rosenblatt boosted its target to $45 and keeps a Buy; Barrington raised its target to $42 and keeps an Outperform, providing fresh analyst endorsement and headline support for the stock. Rosenblatt Price Target Barrington Research
• Neutral Sentiment: Company reaffirmed FY2026 outlook — UTI reiterated revenue guidance of $905M–$915M and EPS outlook (~$0.71–$0.80 per company commentary), which reduces surprise risk but doesn’t materially raise the bar. Guidance Reaffirmed
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call and investor materials available — Management hosted the Q2 call and published the slide deck and transcript; useful for investors who want detail on campus ramp timing, capex plans and margin trajectory. Slide Deck Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Q2 results missed modestly — UTI reported $0.01 EPS (vs. ~$0.022 consensus) and revenue $221.4M (slightly below estimates). The EPS miss and minimal operating profit decline spotlight near‑term margin pressure. Q2 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Cash flow and capex dynamics — Reports show operating cash fell sharply while capex rose (~$30M), pressuring free cash flow in the near term as new campuses ramp; higher liabilities were also noted — factors that can weigh on sentiment until ramps show ROI. Earnings Presentation Quiver Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling highlighted — Recent disclosures show several insider sales (including senior executives), which can create negative optics even if offset by institutional buys. Insider Activity

About Universal Technical Institute

Universal Technical Institute, Inc (NYSE: UTI) is a leading provider of post-secondary education for students pursuing careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, as well as in welding and CNC machining. The company designs and delivers hands-on training through a blend of classroom instruction and experiential lab work, preparing graduates for entry-level positions in the transportation, manufacturing and energy sectors. UTI’s curriculum emphasizes industry-recognized credentials and proprietary coursework developed in collaboration with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to ensure alignment with evolving employer needs.

Through a network of campus locations across the United States and select centers in Canada, Universal Technical Institute offers diploma and certificate programs ranging from 36 to 74 weeks in length.