UTI FY2026 EPS Forecast Lowered by Northland Securities

Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI) – Analysts at Northland Securities dropped their FY2026 EPS estimates for Universal Technical Institute in a report released on Thursday, August 6th. Northland Securities analyst M. Grondahl now forecasts that the company will post earnings of $0.60 per share for the year, down from their previous estimate of $0.76. The consensus estimate for Universal Technical Institute’s current full-year earnings is $0.76 per share. Northland Securities also issued estimates for Universal Technical Institute’s Q1 2027 earnings at $0.16 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $0.05 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $0.39 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $0.73 EPS.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $0.04 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.02 by $0.02. Universal Technical Institute had a net margin of 3.88% and a return on equity of 10.25%. The firm had revenue of $218.91 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $220.40 million.

Other analysts have also issued reports about the company. Griffin Securities set a $49.00 price target on Universal Technical Institute in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Barrington Research upped their price objective on Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Weiss Ratings raised Universal Technical Institute from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Rosenblatt Securities reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $45.00 target price on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Truist Financial reduced their price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute from $47.00 to $38.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $43.83.

Universal Technical Institute Stock Performance

UTI stock opened at $27.99 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $1.54 billion, a PE ratio of 45.15, a P/E/G ratio of 3.72 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a quick ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The business has a 50 day moving average of $41.63 and a 200-day moving average of $37.03. Universal Technical Institute has a 12-month low of $21.29 and a 12-month high of $51.34.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UTI. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans lifted its stake in Universal Technical Institute by 132.9% in the 4th quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 1,998,354 shares of the company’s stock worth $52,217,000 after purchasing an additional 1,140,465 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG boosted its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 89.0% in the 4th quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 231,717 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,055,000 after purchasing an additional 109,100 shares during the period. MYDA Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Universal Technical Institute during the 4th quarter valued at $1,322,000. Needham Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 46.8% during the 4th quarter. Needham Investment Management LLC now owns 807,500 shares of the company’s stock valued at $21,100,000 after purchasing an additional 257,500 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Manatuck Hill Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 342.8% in the fourth quarter. Manatuck Hill Partners LLC now owns 264,800 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,919,000 after purchasing an additional 205,000 shares during the period. 75.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Kevin Prehn sold 4,545 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, June 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.00, for a total transaction of $181,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 27,025 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,081,000. This represents a 14.40% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Coliseum Capital Management, L sold 3,000,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, June 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.40, for a total value of $124,200,000.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 971,440 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $40,217,616. The trade was a 75.54% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 3,117,545 shares of company stock valued at $128,998,420 in the last quarter. 9.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Universal Technical Institute

Here are the key news stories impacting Universal Technical Institute this week:

• Positive Sentiment: UTI reported fiscal third-quarter adjusted earnings of $0.04 per share, exceeding the $0.02 consensus estimate. New student starts also exceeded expectations, supported by strong demand and contributions from newer campuses. Universal Technical Institute Reports Fiscal Year 2026 Third Quarter Results
• Positive Sentiment: The company expects fiscal 2026 revenue of $893 million to $900 million and plans to add 20% more high-school admissions staff, aiming to expand its enrollment pipeline and support long-term growth targets. UTI Anticipates Fiscal 2026 Revenue and Adds Admissions Staff
• Positive Sentiment: Rosenblatt Securities reaffirmed its “buy” rating with a $45 price target, while B. Riley maintained a “buy” rating and set a $48 target. These targets imply substantial upside from recent trading levels. Analyst Ratings
• Positive Sentiment: UTI opened its first Georgia campus to address skilled-labor shortages, potentially broadening its geographic reach and future student enrollment. UTI Opens First Georgia Campus
• Negative Sentiment: Fiscal 2026 revenue guidance of $893 million to $900 million is below the approximately $910.3 million analyst consensus. The outlook miss appears to outweigh the quarterly EPS beat, raising concerns about near-term growth and execution.
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly revenue of $218.91 million was slightly below the $220.40 million consensus estimate, reinforcing investor concerns that revenue growth may be softer than previously expected.

About Universal Technical Institute

Universal Technical Institute, Inc (NYSE: UTI) is a leading provider of post-secondary education for students pursuing careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, as well as in welding and CNC machining. The company designs and delivers hands-on training through a blend of classroom instruction and experiential lab work, preparing graduates for entry-level positions in the transportation, manufacturing and energy sectors. UTI’s curriculum emphasizes industry-recognized credentials and proprietary coursework developed in collaboration with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to ensure alignment with evolving employer needs.

Through a network of campus locations across the United States and select centers in Canada, Universal Technical Institute offers diploma and certificate programs ranging from 36 to 74 weeks in length.