UNF
IndustrialsUniFirst Corporation · Specialty Business Services · $5B
What is UniFirst Corporation?
UniFirst Corporation is a workplace uniform and protective workwear provider serving businesses across the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company handles everything from garment design and manufacturing to cleaning, delivery, and ongoing service.
UniFirst generates revenue primarily through rental and cleaning programs — businesses pay a recurring fee to have uniforms and protective garments regularly cleaned and returned. The company also sells garments outright and offers lease arrangements. Beyond clothing, UniFirst supplies floor mats, industrial wiping products, restroom supplies, and first aid cabinet services. A specialized segment handles decontamination of garments exposed to radioactive materials and services cleanroom protective wear, serving highly regulated industries.
UniFirst was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Wilmington, US.
- Uniform rental, cleaning, and delivery programs
- Flame-resistant and high-visibility protective garments
- Industrial floor mats and wiping products
- Restroom and facility hygiene supplies
- First aid cabinet services and safety supplies
Is UNF a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates UNF as Below Average overall.
The standout pillar for UniFirst is Risk, which rates Strong — suggesting the company carries a relatively conservative financial profile compared to many mid-cap industrials. This reflects the stability that comes with a recurring-revenue service model and broad customer diversification across sectors.
Quality, Moat, and Growth all rate Weak, pointing to limited competitive differentiation and sluggish business momentum. Valuation rates Elevated, meaning the current price does not appear to offer a margin of safety relative to the underlying fundamentals.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does UNF pay dividends?
Yes — UniFirst Corporation pays a dividend.
UniFirst pays a regular dividend, which is relatively uncommon among mid-cap industrials that often prioritize reinvestment. The dividend reflects the company's stable, recurring cash flows from its rental and service programs. Income-oriented investors may find this appealing, though the overall UQS profile suggests reviewing the full picture before relying on dividend sustainability alone.
When does UNF report earnings?
UniFirst reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with US-listed equities.
Given the Weak Growth pillar rating, recent results have not demonstrated meaningful acceleration in revenue or profitability relative to sector peers. The recurring-service model provides some revenue predictability, but top-line expansion has been limited.
For the most recent quarter's results and guidance, visit UniFirst Corporation's investor relations page directly.
UNF Price History
+22.0% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in UniFirst Corporation?
Based on UniFirst Corporation's historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
UNF Long-term Outlook
The combination of a Weak Growth pillar and Elevated Valuation creates a challenging fundamental setup for UNF. While the Strong Risk pillar suggests the business is unlikely to face near-term financial distress, meaningful upside would require a reacceleration in organic growth or margin improvement that the current pillar profile does not yet reflect. Investors should weigh the stability of the recurring-revenue model against the limited evidence of competitive differentiation.
Growth drivers
- Recurring rental contract renewals across a diversified customer base
- Expansion into specialized garment segments such as cleanroom and flame-resistant wear
- Cross-selling facility services and first aid products to existing uniform customers
Key risks
- Elevated valuation leaves little room for earnings disappointment
- Weak moat rating signals vulnerability to price competition from larger uniform service providers
- Slow growth trajectory may limit the stock's ability to re-rate higher
UNF vs Peers
UniFirst operates in a competitive services landscape alongside companies that serve overlapping facility and workforce-support needs.
Maximus focuses on government-facing workforce and health services rather than physical garment programs, representing a different revenue model within the broader services sector.
Andersen operates in professional and specialty services, offering a contrast to UniFirst's product-centric uniform rental and cleaning approach.
ABM Industries provides facility services including janitorial and maintenance solutions, overlapping with UniFirst's facility hygiene and floor care product lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does UniFirst do?
UniFirst provides workplace uniforms and protective workwear through rental, cleaning, and delivery programs. The company also supplies floor mats, restroom products, first aid cabinets, and specialized garments for regulated environments such as cleanrooms and radioactive material handling.
Does UNF pay dividends?
Yes, UniFirst pays a regular dividend. The recurring-revenue nature of its rental programs supports relatively predictable cash flows, which underpin the dividend. Investors should review the full UQS profile to assess sustainability in the context of the company's overall financial quality.
When does UNF report earnings?
UniFirst reports on a quarterly cadence, as is standard for US-listed companies. For exact dates and the most recent results, check UniFirst Corporation's official investor relations page.
Is UNF a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates UNF as Below Average. The Risk pillar is Strong, but Quality, Moat, and Growth all rate Weak, and Valuation is Elevated. That combination warrants careful consideration. The full pillar breakdown is available to Pro members at uqs-score.com.
Is UNF overvalued?
UNF's Valuation pillar rates Elevated, suggesting the current market price is not offering a clear discount relative to the company's fundamentals. When paired with Weak Growth and Weak Quality ratings, the valuation picture becomes more cautious.
How does UNF compare to its competitors?
UniFirst competes in the broader facility and workforce services space alongside companies like ABM Industries and Maximus. Each competitor has a distinct service mix — UniFirst's differentiation lies in its garment-centric rental model, though its Weak Moat rating suggests limited pricing power relative to peers.
What is UNF's market cap bracket?
UniFirst is classified as a mid-cap company. This places it in a segment of the market that typically balances some operational scale with room for growth, though UNF's current Growth pillar rating is Weak.
Who founded UniFirst Corporation?
UniFirst was founded in 1984. Detailed founding history, including key individuals involved, is publicly available through the company's official corporate history and investor relations materials.
Is UNF a long-term quality indicator?
As a long-term quality indicator, UNF's Below Average UQS Score reflects meaningful concerns. The Strong Risk pillar is a positive signal for durability, but Weak scores across Quality, Moat, and Growth suggest the business has not demonstrated the compounding characteristics typically associated with high-quality long-term holdings.
What is the main competitive advantage of UniFirst?
UniFirst's primary advantage is its vertically integrated service model — designing, manufacturing, cleaning, and delivering garments through a recurring contract structure. However, the UQS Moat pillar rates Weak, indicating this advantage may not be sufficiently durable or differentiated to fend off competition over time.
What sector does UNF belong to?
UniFirst belongs to the Industrials sector. Within that sector, it operates in the uniform and facility services niche, serving customers across food processing, automotive, healthcare, and other industries that require consistent workwear programs.
Is UNF a growth stock or value stock?
Based on UQS pillar labels, UNF does not fit neatly into either category. The Growth pillar rates Weak, ruling out a growth classification. The Valuation pillar rates Elevated, which also undermines a traditional value framing. It currently sits in an unfavorable middle ground on both dimensions.
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Pro Analysis
UNF — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2026 | 40.9 | 39.2 | 31.0 | 19.9 | 82.4 | 47.1 | +1.7 |
| May 7, 2026 | 39.2 | 35.1 | 31.0 | 19.9 | 82.4 | 42.0 | 0.0 |
| May 3, 2026 | 39.2 | 35.1 | 31.0 | 19.9 | 82.4 | 42.1 | +0.2 |
| Apr 26, 2026 | 39.0 | 35.1 | 31.0 | 19.9 | 82.4 | 41.2 | +0.2 |
| Apr 19, 2026 | 38.8 | 35.1 | 31.0 | 19.9 | 82.4 | 39.5 | -0.2 |
| Apr 18, 2026 | 39.0 | 35.1 | 31.0 | 19.9 | 82.4 | 41.2 | +0.1 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 38.9 | 35.1 | 31.0 | 19.9 | 82.4 | 40.5 | -0.1 |
| Apr 10, 2026 | 39.0 | 35.1 | 31.0 | 19.9 | 82.4 | 41.0 | +0.1 |
| Apr 5, 2026 | 38.9 | 35.1 | 31.0 | 19.4 | 82.4 | 40.9 | 0.0 |
| Apr 2, 2026 | 38.9 | 35.1 | 31.0 | 19.4 | 82.4 | 41.0 | — |
UNF — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 39.0/100 (25%)UniFirst Corporation has average quality metrics, with room for improvement in margins or capital efficiency.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 19.9/100 (20%)UniFirst Corporation faces growth headwinds with declining or stagnant revenue trends.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 82.4/100 (15%)UniFirst Corporation carries minimal financial risk with conservative leverage and strong solvency.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 44.2/100 (15%)UniFirst Corporation has a mixed valuation — some metrics suggest fair value while others appear stretched.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 31/100 (25%)UniFirst Corporation operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for UNF.
Score Composition
Financial Data
More Stock Analysis
How is the UNF UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for UniFirst Corporation is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses UniFirst Corporation's competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether UniFirst Corporation is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.