Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Given Outperform Rating at Barrington Research

Barrington Research reiterated their outperform rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) in a report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a $36.00 price objective on the stock.

Several other brokerages have also recently issued reports on UTI. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a “buy” rating and set a $36.00 price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research report on Thursday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $36.20.

Universal Technical Institute Trading Down 10.9%

NYSE:UTI opened at $24.82 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $1.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.58, a PEG ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 1.36. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. Universal Technical Institute has a 12 month low of $21.29 and a 12 month high of $36.32. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $26.65 and a 200-day simple moving average of $28.26.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.15 by $0.08. Universal Technical Institute had a return on equity of 17.34% and a net margin of 6.28%.The firm had revenue of $220.84 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $216.65 million. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Universal Technical Institute will post 1 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Coliseum Capital Management, L acquired 191,830 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 5th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $25.38 per share, with a total value of $4,868,645.40. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 3,971,440 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $100,795,147.20. This trade represents a 5.08% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In the last 90 days, insiders purchased 1,255,173 shares of company stock valued at $30,812,798. Corporate insiders own 9.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Universal Technical Institute

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UTI. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 4.3% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,456,452 shares of the company’s stock valued at $112,508,000 after buying an additional 141,426 shares in the last quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP increased its stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 22.5% in the 3rd quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 2,361,019 shares of the company’s stock valued at $76,851,000 after purchasing an additional 433,824 shares in the last quarter. Congress Asset Management Co. raised its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 11.2% in the 3rd quarter. Congress Asset Management Co. now owns 2,076,255 shares of the company’s stock worth $67,582,000 after purchasing an additional 209,476 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans boosted its position in Universal Technical Institute by 132.9% during the fourth quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 1,998,354 shares of the company’s stock worth $52,217,000 after purchasing an additional 1,140,465 shares in the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. boosted its position in Universal Technical Institute by 1.7% during the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,580,224 shares of the company’s stock worth $51,436,000 after purchasing an additional 26,025 shares in the last quarter. 75.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Universal Technical Institute News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat — UTI reported FQ1 results that topped estimates: $0.23 EPS vs. $0.15 consensus and revenue of $220.8M vs. $216.7M expected; management highlighted solid margins and execution. Universal Technical Institute Reports Fiscal Year 2026 First Quarter Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support — Barrington Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and Rosenblatt reiterated a “buy”, each with a $36 price target (roughly ~45% above current levels), which can attract buyers and support the stock. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: New campus expansion — UTI has begun recruitment for UTI‑Atlanta and UTI‑San Antonio (opening 2026 pending approvals), expanding capacity and potential enrollment-driven revenue. Recruitment Underway for New UTI Campuses
• Neutral Sentiment: Guidance and outlook — FY2026 revenue guidance (~$905M–$915M) sits near consensus (~$908M), so guidance neither materially beats nor disappoints the market; investors will watch execution against that range. MarketBeat Q1 Coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call details available — Management commentary and the Q&A (earnings call transcript and slide deck) provide color on enrollment trends, program launches and campus economics; these details will drive near-term sentiment. Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed fundamentals — although UTI beat estimates, EPS declined year‑over‑year (from $0.40 to $0.23), and the stock is trading lower today on heavier-than-normal volume, suggesting profit-taking or investor caution about sustainability of margin and enrollment gains. Zacks: UTI Surpasses Q1 Estimates

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.