UniFirst (NYSE:UNF) Price Target Raised to $260.00 at UBS Group

UniFirst (NYSE:UNF) had its price target boosted by UBS Group from $206.00 to $260.00 in a report released on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a neutral rating on the textile maker’s stock.

Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Zacks Research raised shares of UniFirst from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Barclays increased their price objective on UniFirst from $250.00 to $280.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of UniFirst in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $198.00 price target on UniFirst in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $228.25.

UniFirst Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNF opened at $256.39 on Thursday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $239.68 and a 200 day moving average price of $197.49. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.74 and a beta of 0.66. UniFirst has a 52-week low of $147.66 and a 52-week high of $283.77.

UniFirst (NYSE:UNF) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 1st. The textile maker reported $1.13 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.21 by ($0.08). The business had revenue of $622.51 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $614.91 million. UniFirst had a net margin of 5.49% and a return on equity of 6.49%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.31 EPS. Analysts forecast that UniFirst will post 7.71 earnings per share for the current year.

UniFirst Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th were paid a dividend of $0.365 per share. This represents a $1.46 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 6th. UniFirst’s dividend payout ratio is presently 19.31%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, VP David Martin Katz sold 1,464 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $237.54, for a total transaction of $347,758.56. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 6,461 shares in the company, valued at $1,534,745.94. This trade represents a 18.47% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.86% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in UniFirst by 0.7% during the fourth quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 6,876 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $1,326,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares during the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC lifted its stake in UniFirst by 5.5% in the 3rd quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,204 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $201,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank lifted its stake in UniFirst by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 4,359 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $729,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of UniFirst by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 4,027 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $758,000 after purchasing an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Panagora Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of UniFirst by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,238 shares of the textile maker’s stock valued at $1,203,000 after purchasing an additional 78 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.17% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting UniFirst

Here are the key news stories impacting UniFirst this week:

• Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target sharply to $260 (from $206), providing a fresh catalyst and supporting investor sentiment despite a “neutral” rating. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Top-line beat: UniFirst reported revenue of roughly $622.5M vs. consensus ~$614.9M (revenue +3.4% YoY), which investors viewed as a sign of continued demand resilience. UniFirst Announces Financial Results for the Second Quarter of Fiscal 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Wider media and roundup coverage summarized the quarter and market reaction (local and financial press). These pieces amplify awareness but add no new financial surprises. UniFirst: Fiscal Q2 Earnings Snapshot UniFirst Towers on Q2 Numbers UniFirst (NYSE:UNF) surprises with Q1 CY2026 sales
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst previews and forecast updates were circulating ahead of and after the print; these roundups (e.g., Benzinga) helped set expectations but were not decisive by themselves. Analyst Forecast Changes
• Negative Sentiment: EPS missed consensus: management reported $1.13 EPS for the quarter versus the ~ $1.21 street estimate (and below last year’s $1.31), highlighting margin pressure; this is the main negative driver in the print. View Press Release

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).