UniFirst Reports 3% Revenue Growth but 20% Decline in Net Income for Q1 FY2026
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 07 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- Revenue Growth: UniFirst reported over $621 million in revenue for Q1 FY2026, reflecting a nearly 3% year-over-year increase driven by new customer acquisitions and improved retention, although this growth did not offset the decline in profitability.
- Profit Decline: Net income fell by 20% to $34.4 million ($1.89 per share), missing analyst expectations of $2.10 per share, indicating that the company's investments during the quarter negatively impacted its profitability.
- Full-Year Guidance Maintained: UniFirst reaffirmed its revenue outlook for FY2026, projecting between $2.48 billion and $2.5 billion, with GAAP earnings expected to range from $6.58 to $6.98 per share, demonstrating confidence in future performance despite a decline compared to 2025 figures.
- Market Reaction: Despite revenue exceeding analyst expectations, the stock price fell by 3% following the earnings release, suggesting that investor concerns over profitability outweighed optimism regarding revenue growth, potentially affecting future investment decisions.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy UNF?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on UNF
Wall Street analysts forecast UNF stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for UNF is 177.25 USD with a low forecast of 145.00 USD and a high forecast of 206.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
5 Analyst Rating
0 Buy
3 Hold
2 Sell
Moderate Sell
Current: 207.380
Low
145.00
Averages
177.25
High
206.00
Current: 207.380
Low
145.00
Averages
177.25
High
206.00
About UNF
UniFirst Corporation is engaged in supplying and servicing uniform and workwear programs and facility service products. Its segments include United States (U.S.) and Canadian Rental and Cleaning, Manufacturing (MFG), Specialty Garments Rental and Cleaning (Specialty Garments), First Aid and Corporate. The U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning segment purchases, rents, cleans, delivers and sells, uniforms and protective clothing and non-garment items in the United States and Canada. The MFG segment designs and manufactures uniforms and non-garment items primarily for the purpose of providing these goods to the U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning reporting segment. Specialty Garments segment purchases, rents, cleans, delivers and sells specialty garments and non-garment items primarily for nuclear and cleanroom applications and provides cleanroom cleaning services at limited customer locations. First Aid segment sells first aid cabinet products and services and other safety supplies.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
UniFirst Declares $0.365 Dividend, Kaiser Aluminum Announces $0.77 Dividend
- UniFirst Dividend Announcement: UniFirst's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.365 per share, payable on March 27, 2026, reflecting the company's ongoing profitability and commitment to shareholder returns.
- Kaiser Aluminum Dividend Declaration: Kaiser Aluminum announced a cash dividend of $0.77 per share, payable on February 13, 2026, demonstrating the company's strong performance in maintaining stable cash flow and shareholder returns.
- Agree Realty Dividend Increase: Agree Realty declared a monthly cash dividend of $0.262, with an annualized amount rising to $3.144, a 3.6% increase from Q1 2025, showcasing the company's focus on shareholder value and confidence in profit growth.
- Labcorp Dividend Payment: Labcorp Holdings announced a cash dividend of $0.72 per share, payable on March 12, 2026, indicating its robust financial performance in the innovative laboratory services sector.
Continue Reading
UniFirst (UNF) Declares $0.365 Dividend Per Share, Consistent with Previous
- Dividend Declaration: UniFirst has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.365 per Class A share and $0.292 per Class B share, maintaining consistency with previous distributions, which reflects the company's ongoing commitment to stable cash flow and shareholder returns.
- Payment Schedule: The dividends are payable on March 27, with a record date of March 6 and an ex-dividend date also set for March 6, ensuring shareholders receive their earnings promptly and bolstering investor confidence.
- Revenue Outlook Reaffirmed: UniFirst has reaffirmed its revenue outlook for fiscal 2026 at $2.475 billion to $2.495 billion, indicating a positive business outlook despite the ongoing review of the Cintas acquisition proposal.
- Earnings Report Performance: Although UniFirst's GAAP EPS of $1.89 missed expectations by $0.10, its revenue of $621.3 million exceeded forecasts by $6.07 million, demonstrating the company's resilience in revenue growth.
Continue Reading