UniFirst stock gains 1.26 percent as Cintas plans acquisition

Published on 10/05/2026 at 21:48 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

UniFirst stock was trading at USD 254.96 on October 5, 2026, near its USD 306.67 52-week high. Fiscal Q3 revenue rose 3.9 percent, but EPS missed consensus.

UNF, US9047081040, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

UniFirst Corporation (ISIN US9047081040) was trading at USD 254.96 on the NYSE at 3:47 p.m. ET on October 5, 2026, up 1.26 percent from USD 251.78. The company's investor page describes Cintas' planned USD 5.5 billion acquisition of UniFirst, giving the stock a deal-related valuation anchor.

Cintas deal sets the central valuation anchor

According to UniFirst, Cintas is to acquire the company in a USD 5.5 billion transaction. The investor page says the combination is intended to expand service capabilities and workday solutions across the uniform and facility-services market.

The transaction matters because UniFirst's market capitalization stood at USD 4.6 billion on October 5, 2026, below the stated transaction value. That comparison places the deal value above the equity value implied by the live share price, although transaction structure and completion terms determine how shareholders ultimately participate.

Revenue grew while quarterly EPS missed

In fiscal Q3 2026, UniFirst reported revenue of USD 634.4 million, up 3.9 percent from the prior-year quarter, while quarterly EPS was USD 1.09 versus USD 1.93 consensus. MarketBeat reported that revenue exceeded expectations, but EPS missed by USD 0.84.

The earnings split gives investors two opposing signals. Sales growth was positive, yet profit conversion weakened: fiscal Q3 net income was USD 19.9 million, and the net margin was 3.0 percent, according to the quarterly figures.

Analysts see limited upside at the price

MarketBeat lists a Hold consensus from four analysts and an average price target of USD 246.67. The stock price was 3.4 percent above that target on October 5, 2026, making the earnings miss an important counterweight to the acquisition premium.

UniFirst's share price was also USD 52.29 below its 52-week high of USD 306.67 and USD 107.30 above its 52-week low of USD 147.66 on October 5, 2026. The session volume was 81,141 shares, while the day's range ran from USD 251.62 to USD 256.69.

UniFirst stock heads toward October results

Yahoo Finance lists October 21, 2026, as UniFirst's earnings date. Until then, the USD 5.5 billion Cintas transaction, the USD 634.4 million fiscal Q3 revenue base and the USD 1.09 quarterly EPS figure define the stock's central valuation debate.