Reading UNF? Track it free: the weekly brief, plus an alert if the thesis breaks. No credit card.
Track UNF free→Reading UNF? Track it free: the weekly brief, plus an alert if the thesis breaks. No credit card.
Track UNF free→NYSEIndustrialsSpecialty Business ServicesSnapshot 2026-06-12
Recent financial performance is holding in the top half of its industry — the reason to own it looks intact.
Recent financial performance is strong, but the sector backdrop is a headwind. Earnings quality is neutral, and risk is moderate. Peer multiples imply a price about 66% below where it trades (it looks expensive on this basis); the read is rich, as it trades above peer multiples, and the longer horizon does not make that back through growth. If UNF cuts guidance on the next call, that could be a meaningful negative. This read is provisional.
Daily closes. Earnings/event dots are placed inline.
A consensus fair price across 7 valuation methods, at three horizons. Current price $264.83. Estimates are diagnostics, not price targets. Short-horizon estimates are close to coin-flips, so confidence is a method-agreement read, not a prediction.
No-growth: today's peer multiple on trailing earnings. The headline read.
Embeds projected growth. Leans optimistic by design. Upside context.
We take the 12-month fair value above and grade our own number — how the market prices this name versus what we'd justify, and where the two diverge.
At $265 UNF trades at 35× p/e — 1.6× the 21× p/e peer median, and above its own 25× history. The market is re-rating it beyond its own range; our $166 fair value is medium-confidence here. Not investment advice.
One valuation read at a 12-month horizon, plus how price compares to peers and the company's own history.
The market is pricing in roughly 59% near-term growth, well above our forecast of about 2%. This describes what's priced in, not a forecast of the move.
Only expensive valuation — not the full expensive x weak x turbulent stack.
For similar setups historically (n=20,154): about 33% saw a 20%+ drawdown, and roughly 76% of those did not recover within the year. These are historical base rates for the cohort, not a forecast of this stock.
Each factor is a parallel diagnostic with a clear read of what it shows and how names like it have historically fared. Never aggregated into a single score.
Operating income rose in 2 of the last 3 quarter-over-quarter moves. Historically, Industrials names rated strong grew net income 69% of the time over the next year (vs 58% for the rest of the cohort, n=3696).
Over the trailing year it converted 2.00x of net income into operating cash flow. Historically, Industrials names rated neutral grew net income 57% of the time over the next year (vs 60% for the rest of the cohort, n=4440).
Most sensitive to the broad stock market.
Not enough signal to read sensitivity to real (inflation-adjusted) rates, Fed net liquidity, long-term interest rates, the US dollar.
Not enough signal yet.
The next print and the backdrop around it (sector regime and the AI cycle). Context for the path, not a forecast of returns.
EPS estimate $1.95 → $1.95 (+0.1% / 30d). 2 raised, 1 cut, 4 covering analysts.
0 upgrades, 0 downgrades / 30d. 0% of analysts rate Buy.
1 positive, 0 negative / 30d. See F4 management tile for the event list.
How management runs the business: capital, margins, balance sheet, and how reliably they guide and deliver.
A guidance track record builds as the company issues and delivers on guidance.
What a normal day, a bad day, and the worst of the last year would mean for a $10,000 position.
On a typical day, $10k can swing ±$78.
How much price usually moves either way.
On a bad day, this stock has moved -$245.
A rough but not unusual down day (about the 95th percentile).
In the worst 12 months, $10k could have lost $2,106.
Deepest peak-to-trough drop in the last year.
Past results, not a forecast. Not investment advice.
The most important moves since the prior daily snapshot.
No material changes since the prior snapshot.
as of 2026-06-12
Specific, dated things to watch for, each with what would confirm it and what would prove it wrong.
Why it matters: These reports can change how much people want UniFirst's services and the sector's health.
Confirms one read:Unemployment claims drop a lot, showing a stronger job market.
Confirms the other:Unemployment claims go up, suggesting a weaker job market.
Recent news graded against this company's own objectives — whether it reinforces or challenges the thesis, and how confirmed it is.
Advances: Complete merger with Cintas Corporation
Shareholder approval is crucial for merger completion.
Conditional scenarios: if X happens, the view would shift in this direction. These are not predictions.
Recent SEC 8-K filings ranked by likely impact, confidence, and recency.
Other Events. As previously disclosed, on March 10, 2026, the Company entered into the Merger Agreement with (i) Cintas, (ii) Merger Sub, Inc., and (iii) Merger Sub LLC. The Merger Agreement provides, among other things, that subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth therein, including the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”), (i) Merger Sub Inc. will be mer…
Whether the overall read has been drifting up or down lately, and how it's changed since last week.
Not investment advice. Scores describe historical and current data; they are not forecasts of future returns. Consult a licensed advisor before making investment decisions.
Long-thesis check; widest uncertainty.
Looks more expensive than peers.
Richer than its own typical valuation.
Trailing four: 2025-Q1, 2025-Q2, 2025-Q3, 2026-Q2
A side-by-side read on sector standing, valuation, and risk versus Diversified Support Services.
| Stock | Sector standing | Valuation | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
UNF UniFirst Corporation | Typical Show detailsSector percentile: 46 of 100 | expensive | moderate |
CTAS Cintas | Above typical Show detailsSector percentile: 81 of 100 | expensive | moderate |
CPRT Copart | Above typical Show detailsSector percentile: 87 of 100 | fair | elevated |
RBA RB Global | Above typical Show detailsSector percentile: 72 of 100 | full | moderate |
ULS UL Solutions | Above typical Show detailsSector percentile: 83 of 100 | expensive | moderate |
Not investment advice. As of 2026-06-12.
via XLI
Tailwind = sector leading the S&P 500; headwind = trailing. Both can be constructive. Historically, headwind regimes have averaged stronger forward returns than tailwind.
Context label only: describes the market state (e.g. real bear vs narrative panic, healthy uptrend vs late-stage froth). It is not a per-ticker buy/sell signal and does not predict factor performance.
Not investment advice. As of 2026-06-12.
Priorities management has stated in recent disclosures, with status and evidence drawn from earnings calls, filings, and press releases.
Finalize the merger with Cintas Corporation to enhance service capabilities and shareholder value.
Stated in 3 of last 3 quarters. The merger with Cintas is expected to close in the second half of 2026, with UniFirst shareholders receiving $155.00 in cash and 0.7720 shares of Cintas stock per UniFirst share. The transaction aims to enhance service capabilities and shareholder value, with over 99% of votes cast in favor of the merger.
“UniFirst shareholders approved the acquisition by Cintas.”
“Cintas will acquire UniFirst for $310.00 per share in cash and stock.”
“UniFirst and Cintas have entered into a definitive agreement.”
Continue investments in growth and digital transformation to drive operational efficiencies.
Stated in 4 of last 4 quarters. Operating margin decreased from 5.2% in 2025-Q2 to 4.2% in 2026-Q2, reflecting planned investments in growth and digital transformation. Despite the margin decline, management continues to emphasize these investments as key to future operational efficiencies.
“We continued to take meaningful actions to invest in growth.”
Focus on improving growth and profitability in the First Aid & Safety Solutions segment.
Stated in 2 of last 2 quarters. Revenues in the First Aid & Safety Solutions segment increased 12.2% to $30.8 million in 2026-Q2, reflecting the company's investments in the First Aid van business. This growth indicates progress in enhancing the segment's profitability and market presence.
Why it matters: CPI affects inflation and consumer spending. Changes can impact UniFirst's pricing power and costs.
Confirms one read:CPI increases more than 0.5% month over month.
Confirms the other:CPI increases less than 0.1% month over month.
Why it matters: If revenue growth picks up, it could signal a shift from maturity to expansion. This would be positive for UniFirst's outlook.
Confirms:Three-year revenue growth in the industrial sector rises above 8%.
Disproves:Three-year revenue growth stays below 6%.
Why it matters: The FOMC's decision on interest rates can change borrowing costs. This impacts UniFirst's growth.
Confirms one read:FOMC raises rates by 25 basis points.
Confirms the other:FOMC keeps rates unchanged.
Why it matters: If revenue growth picks up, it could signal a positive shift in the sector's maturity phase.
Confirms:Q3 revenue growth speeds up again, going over 8% from last year.
Disproves:Q3 revenue growth stays below 8% from last year, showing it is slowing down.
“Investments in growth and digital transformation initiatives.”
“Planned investments in growth and digital transformation.”
“Investments in growth and digital transformation initiatives.”
“Revenues increased 12.2% to $30.8 million.”
“Investments to drive growth and improve profitability in First Aid van business.”