Q3 EPS Estimates for UTI Decreased by Northland Securities

Key Points

• Northland Securities sharply cut its Q3 2026 earnings estimate for Universal Technical Institute to $0.01 per share from $0.15, while also forecasting $0.51 EPS for Q4 2026.
• UTI’s latest quarterly results were largely in line with expectations, with EPS of $0.01 and revenue of $221.4 million versus the $221.6 million consensus.
• Despite the lower near-term estimate, analyst sentiment remains constructive overall: the stock has a Moderate Buy consensus with a $42.50 price target, and some firms recently raised their targets.

Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI - Free Report) - Equities researchers at Northland Securities cut their Q3 2026 earnings estimates for Universal Technical Institute in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, May 6th. Northland Securities analyst M. Grondahl now expects that the company will post earnings of $0.01 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $0.15. 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 Q4 2026 earnings at $0.51 EPS.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $0.01 EPS for the quarter. Universal Technical Institute had a net margin of 4.91% and a return on equity of 13.02%. The firm had revenue of $221.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $221.61 million.

UTI has been the topic of several other reports. Rosenblatt Securities upped their price objective on shares of Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Wednesday. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Universal Technical Institute from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, March 7th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Universal Technical Institute from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, B. Riley Financial reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a 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 stock. According to MarketBeat, Universal Technical Institute currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $42.50.

Universal Technical Institute Price Performance

NYSE:UTI opened at $35.82 on Monday. Universal Technical Institute has a one year low of $21.29 and a one year high of $40.41. The company has a market cap of $1.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.52, a P/E/G ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 1.28. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $36.43 and its two-hundred day moving average price 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.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Sherrell Smith sold 30,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.99, for a total value of $1,109,700.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 129,375 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,785,581.25. This represents a 18.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Shannon Lei Okinaka sold 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.74, for a total transaction of $347,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 19,808 shares in the company, valued at $688,129.92. This trade represents a 33.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 145,961 shares of company stock valued at $5,248,127 in the last three months. Insiders own 9.80% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its position in 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 purchasing an additional 14,364 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Universal Technical Institute during the first quarter worth about $1,226,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its position in 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 period. NewEdge Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Universal Technical Institute during the first quarter worth about $57,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its position in 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 currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Universal Technical Institute News Summary

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.

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