Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Issues Earnings Results

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The company reported $0.01 EPS for the quarter, Zacks reports. Universal Technical Institute had a return on equity of 13.02% and a net margin of 4.91%.The firm had revenue of $221.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $221.61 million.

Here are the key takeaways from Universal Technical Institute’s conference call:

• Enrollment and top-line momentum — Total new student starts rose ~14% YoY and average full?time active students grew ~7%, helping consolidated revenue reach $221.4M (+6.7% YoY) and management to reaffirm fiscal 2026 guidance of $905–$915M.
• New campuses are ramping ahead of plan — UTI San Antonio starts were ~60% above model with a projected mature run?rate ~800 students and Atlanta is pacing well for a >1,500?student comprehensive campus, validating the campus launch playbook.
• Near?term profitability compressed by growth investments — Baseline adjusted EBITDA was $25.1M but reported adjusted EBITDA was $14.1M after ~$11M of growth investments; operating expenses were up ~16% YoY, contributing to a modest Q2 net income of $0.4M.
• Strong liquidity and capital plan to fund growth — End?of?quarter available liquidity was $202.4M, year?to?date capex was $52.7M (about half of plan) and the company plans $100M+ annual capex to support its strategy targeting >$1.2B revenue and ~ $220M adjusted EBITDA by FY2029.

Universal Technical Institute Stock Performance

Shares of UTI traded up $0.33 on Friday, reaching $35.82. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 726,508 shares, compared to its average volume of 535,119. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $36.43 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $30.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 1.17 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.52, a PEG ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 1.28. Universal Technical Institute has a 12-month low of $21.29 and a 12-month high of $40.41.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on UTI. Northland Securities set a $41.00 target price on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Thursday. Rosenblatt Securities increased their target price on Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Barrington Research raised their target price on Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, B. Riley Financial reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $42.50.

Insider Buying and Selling at Universal Technical Institute

In other news, Director George W. Brochick sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.59, for a total value of $182,950.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 27,516 shares in the company, valued at $1,006,810.44. This represents a 15.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Sherrell Smith sold 22,671 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.10, for a total value of $841,094.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 37,474 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,390,285.40. This represents a 37.69% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 145,961 shares of company stock valued at $5,248,127 in the last quarter. Insiders own 9.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Universal Technical Institute

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Verition Fund Management LLC increased its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. Verition Fund Management LLC now owns 21,034 shares of the company’s stock worth $685,000 after acquiring an additional 441 shares in the last quarter. Engineers Gate Manager LP raised its stake in Universal Technical Institute by 4.3% during the second quarter. Engineers Gate Manager LP now owns 12,299 shares of the company’s stock valued at $417,000 after purchasing an additional 506 shares in the last quarter. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in Universal Technical Institute by 1.2% in the second quarter. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC now owns 42,404 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,460,000 after acquiring an additional 506 shares in the last quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new stake in Universal Technical Institute in the second quarter worth $27,000. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its position in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 3.7% during the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 25,417 shares of the company’s stock valued at $861,000 after buying an additional 918 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.67% of the company’s stock.

Universal Technical Institute News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Rosenblatt Securities raised its price target on Universal Technical Institute Inc. (NYSE: UTI) to $45 from $36 and kept a Buy rating, implying meaningful upside from current levels.
• Positive Sentiment: Barrington Research lifted its price target to $42 from $36 and reiterated an Outperform rating, reflecting a more constructive view of the company’s growth prospects.
• Positive Sentiment: Northland Securities increased earnings estimates for FY2026, FY2027, and upcoming quarters, suggesting expectations are improving after the latest operating update.
• Positive Sentiment: Universal Technical Institute reaffirmed FY2026 guidance with revenue of $905 million to $915 million and EPS of $0.71 to $0.80, indicating management remains confident as new campuses ramp.
• Neutral Sentiment: Q2 revenue came in at $221.4 million versus the $221.6 million consensus, while EPS was $0.01, so the quarter was close to forecasts but not a major beat.
• Neutral Sentiment: The earnings call and transcript highlighted continued growth investments, including higher capital spending, which supports expansion but may pressure near-term margins and cash flow. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Despite revenue growth, operating profit and net income were much lower than a year ago, and the quarter missed estimates slightly, which helps explain why the stock had some pressure around the release. Article Title

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.