Expectations trend
FY2028 · fiscal year ending 2028-08-29 · fmp
$9.13 → $9.39 · observed estimates
UniFirst Corporation (UNF)
NYSEIndustrialsSpecialty Business ServicesSnapshot 2026-11-04
$250.94-2.02%
Close 2026-11-04 · 1-day change
NYSEIndustrialsSpecialty Business ServicesSnapshot 2026-11-04
The long-term thesis, the evidence coming in, and the environment around it. Thesis dated Jul 8, 2026.
Next-FY EPS estimate change · 30 days
Matching fiscal periods, usable estimates and at least one analyst are required.
One observable signal. This measures changing earnings expectations, not the probability of a gain or loss.
The calculation requires same-period, same-provider snapshots, positive EPS, at least one analyst and a baseline within three days of the requested lookback.
The EPS and P/E reference is not available for UNF yet.
| Measure / period | Management expectations | Analyst expectations |
|---|
Management figures unavailable.
Current consensus figures unavailable.
4 published thesis conditions, with dated milestones shown separately.
| Key Factor | Why It Matters | Current Status | Break Condition | Latest Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Uniform & Facility Service Solutions revenue growth | Revenue grew 4.4% in its core segment by 2026-Q2. | Broken | YoY revenue growth falls below 4% next year | Revenue growth: 4.97% FY2026-Q4; GAAP. Published target: >=4% YoY revenue growth in core segment. Target period is not explicitly aligned with this observation. Oct 28, 20264.973252 percent · calculatedLast status assessment Nov 4, 2026Compare required operating outcomesCompare scope, accounting basis and period before treating this evidence as progress against an annual requirement. |
Compare these dated observations with the operating requirements above
FY2028 · fiscal year ending 2028-08-29 · fmp
$9.13 → $9.39 · observed estimates
The evidence, the remaining questions, and what comes next
No recovery evidence is reported in the available driver assessments.
Observed price history; separate from operating scenarios
The weekly editorial context below is a separate assessment from the dated monitor evidence above. Recovery observations do not automatically change the published thesis. Unverified outside influences are hypotheses, not measured driver evidence.
This is a service-business recovery thesis, not a clear turnaround or a high-growth story. Momentum has improved, and the thesis recently shifted from fragile to more robust, but its current state remains watch, with neutral readings on management and earnings quality.
Valuation is expensive versus peers, with a durable premium and a stretched priced-in tag. The evidence suggests some execution weakness is reflected, but it does not show that the market has priced in a broad set of risks.
Near term, the October 21 earnings beat, improved customer retention, and solid customer acquisitions support the recovery, while the sector backdrop remains a headwind. Fiscal 2026 operating income included about $13.3 million of Key Initiative ERP costs, and the supplied results do not establish when the project will finish or what benefits it will bring.
The multi-year view hinges on completing the Cintas merger, which was expected to close before the end of calendar 2026, subject to approvals and other conditions. A guidance cut would be a meaningful negative; continued strong results and higher guidance from sector bellwethers CTAS, CPRT, and ROL would support the sector backdrop, while misses or lower guidance could weaken it.
Over the next 1 to 3 years, UNF’s recovery has improved, but confidence is limited by the expensive valuation, sector headwind, and unresolved merger and ERP execution. The thesis depends on sustaining customer progress and delivering on these key priorities. Not investment advice.
Not investment advice. Scores describe historical and current data; they are not forecasts of future returns. Consult a licensed advisor before making investment decisions.
| The First Aid & Safety segment revenue rose 12.2% by 2026-Q2. |
| Broken |
| YoY revenue growth falls below 10% next year |
First Aid unavailable in the latest segment data Last available First Aid revenue: 12.16% in FY2026-Q2. Latest source period is FY2026-Q4; a broader segment cannot substitute for this measure. Apr 7, 2026Last status assessment Nov 4, 2026Compare required operating outcomesCompare scope, accounting basis and period before treating this evidence as progress against an annual requirement. |
Complete merger with Cintas Corporation in second half of 2026 | UniFirst aims to complete its merger with Cintas in 2026. | Under Pressure | Merger delayed past 2026-Q4 or cancelled | FTC intent to block merger vs 2026-Q4 close target FTC signals intent to block $5.5B merger; shares tumble; deal spread widens on scrutiny. Nov 4, 2026Last status assessment Nov 4, 2026Compare required operating outcomesCompare scope, accounting basis and period before treating this evidence as progress against an annual requirement. Management contextStated in a supplied disclosure. Management reported: “• Unlocks Additional Resources and Cost Synergies : Cintas expects to benefit from the addition of UniFirst’s talented workforce while also realizing approximately $375 million of operating cost synergies, including material cost, production expense, service expense and selling, general and administrative expense, within four years.” “Expected to be accretive to Cintas’ earnings per share by the end of the second full year after closing.” Delivery assessment Nov 4, 2026 |
Operating margin near 4.2% despite growth investments | A supporting condition in UniFirst Corporation's published investment case. The stated target is >=4.0% operating margin next 4 quarters. | Broken | Operating margin falls below 4.0% next year | Operating margin: 6.46% FY2026-Q4; GAAP. Published target: >=4.0% operating margin next 4 quarters. Target period is not explicitly aligned with this observation. Oct 28, 20266.463826 percent · calculatedLast status assessment Nov 4, 2026Compare required operating outcomesCompare scope, accounting basis and period before treating this evidence as progress against an annual requirement. |
Stored thesis · Jul 8, 2026. Latest Evidence uses source-matched measurements where available, alongside the last thesis-monitor assessment. Source periods and assessment dates are shown separately. A new measurement does not automatically change the published status or verify an older target.
$2.72B → $2.72B · observed estimates
One fiscal period and provider throughout. At least five contributors are required for each plotted metric; missing coverage stays a gap. Axes show the observed range. Counts measure coverage, not revisions.
| Snapshot | EPS | Revenue | EPS / revenue analysts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-22 | $9.13 | $2,722,934,500 | 1 / 1 |
| 2026-10-23 | $9.37 | $2,722,934,500 | 2 / 2 |
| 2026-10-24 | $9.33 | $2,717,394,267 | 2 / 2 |
| 2026-10-25 | $9.33 | $2,717,394,267 | 3 / 3 |
| 2026-10-26 | $9.33 | $2,717,394,267 | 3 / 3 |
| 2026-10-27 | $9.33 | $2,717,394,267 | 3 / 3 |
| 2026-10-28 | $9.33 | $2,717,394,267 | 3 / 3 |
| 2026-10-29 | $9.33 | $2,717,394,267 | 3 / 3 |
| 2026-10-30 | $9.33 | $2,717,394,267 | 3 / 3 |
| 2026-10-31 | $9.33 | $2,717,394,267 | 3 / 3 |
| 2026-11-01 | $9.33 | $2,717,394,267 | 3 / 3 |
| 2026-11-02 | $9.33 | $2,717,394,267 | 3 / 3 |
| 2026-11-03 | $9.39 | $2,722,402,647 | 3 / 3 |
| 2026-11-04 | $9.39 | $2,722,402,647 | 3 / 3 |
Revenue and EPS estimates track expectations. They are not delivered results or like-for-like proof of a required annual path.
Latest: 0 Buy / Strong Buy · 4 Hold · 0 Sell / Strong Sell
Recent actions · Oct 6–Nov 4 · 0 recorded
Individual price-target observations are unavailable.
0 raises · 0 cuts · 0 unchanged · 0 without a comparable prior
Oct 6, 2026–Nov 4, 2026. Each firm's latest positive target is paired only with its immediately prior positive target from the same provider, at most 180 days earlier. Unmatched observations have one dot; conflicting observations are not compared.
Next earnings date unavailable
Look for updated results and guidance against the published targets, plus direct evidence for unresolved drivers.
Review earnings4 of 4 published conditions remain under pressure or need verification. The next results need to address those conditions.
The dated weekly assessment and its assumptions are available in Read detailed Outlook.