B. Riley Financial Has Lowered Expectations for Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Stock Price

Key Points

• B. Riley Financial lowered its price target for Universal Technical Institute from $49 to $48 but maintained a Buy rating, while analysts overall hold a Moderate Buy consensus with a $45.33 target.
• UTI’s shares fell 34.3% to $27.82. Although quarterly EPS of $0.04 beat estimates, revenue came in slightly below consensus and fiscal 2026 revenue guidance was lower than analysts expected.
• Institutional investors own 75.67% of the stock, while insiders have sold approximately $129 million worth of shares over the past 90 days, creating a notable ownership and sentiment consideration.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI - Get Free Report) had its price target reduced by equities research analysts at B. Riley Financial from $49.00 to $48.00 in a research report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a "buy" rating on the stock. B. Riley Financial's price target suggests a potential upside of 72.51% from the stock's previous close.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Thursday. Northland Securities set a $41.00 target price on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Barrington Research boosted their target price on Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Truist Financial upped their price target on Universal Technical Institute from $40.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, June 29th. Finally, Griffin Securities set a $49.00 price target on Universal Technical Institute in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $45.33.

Universal Technical Institute Trading Down 34.3%

Shares of Universal Technical Institute stock traded down $14.54 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $27.82. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,028,013 shares, compared to its average volume of 897,831. The stock has a market cap of $1.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.45, a P/E/G ratio of 3.70 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a current ratio of 1.17. Universal Technical Institute has a twelve month low of $21.29 and a twelve month high of $51.34. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $41.84 and a 200-day moving average of $37.03.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $0.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.02 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $218.91 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $220.40 million. Universal Technical Institute had a return on equity of 13.02% and a net margin of 4.91%. Research analysts forecast that Universal Technical Institute will post 0.76 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Kevin Prehn sold 4,545 shares of Universal Technical Institute stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.00, for a total value of $181,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 27,025 shares in the company, valued at $1,081,000. The trade was a 14.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Christine Kline sold 3,500 shares of Universal Technical Institute stock in a transaction on Friday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.42, for a total transaction of $155,470.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 43,006 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,910,326.52. This trade represents a 7.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 3,117,545 shares of company stock worth $128,998,420. Corporate insiders own 9.80% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of UTI. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 47.6% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 44,564 shares of the company's stock worth $1,144,000 after buying an additional 14,364 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Universal Technical Institute in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,226,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 23.2% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 27,688 shares of the company's stock worth $711,000 after purchasing an additional 5,216 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute during the first quarter worth approximately $57,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 13.4% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 84,223 shares of the company's stock worth $2,163,000 after purchasing an additional 9,951 shares during the period. 75.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Universal Technical Institute News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Fiscal third-quarter adjusted earnings were $0.04 per share, exceeding the $0.02 analyst consensus. Management also said new-student starts exceeded expectations, supported by strong demand and continued momentum at newer campuses. Universal Technical Institute Reports Fiscal Year 2026 Third Quarter Results
• Positive Sentiment: Rosenblatt Securities reaffirmed its Buy rating and set a $45 price target, implying potential upside from recent trading levels. The endorsement may help support sentiment following the quarterly report. Rosenblatt Securities Rating Update
• Positive Sentiment: UTI opened its first comprehensive Georgia campus in Atlanta, expanding its transportation and skilled-trades training footprint. The campus supports the company’s “North Star” growth strategy and its effort to address labor shortages. UTI Opens New Atlanta Campus
• Neutral Sentiment: Management’s earnings-call commentary emphasized demand and long-term enrollment momentum, but investors are likely focused on how quickly new campuses translate into revenue and profitability. UTI Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly revenue was $218.91 million, slightly below the $220.40 million consensus estimate. UTI also guided fiscal 2026 revenue to approximately $893 million-$900 million, below analysts’ $910.3 million expectation, creating a headwind despite the EPS beat. UTI Reports Mixed Q3 2026 Results

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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