Research Analysts Issue Forecasts for UTI FY2026 Earnings

Key Points

• Analyst revisions: Northland Securities raised its FY2026 EPS to $0.76 (from $0.75) and issued FY2027 guidance, while the stock has a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating with a $42.50 average price target and several firms recently lifting targets (e.g., Rosenblatt $45, Barrington $42).
• Q2 weakness and cash‑flow pressure: UTI missed modestly with $0.01 EPS (vs. ~ $0.022 consensus) and $221.4M revenue, and operating cash fell while capex rose about $30M, squeezing near‑term free cash flow as new campuses ramp.
• Insider selling highlighted: Insiders sold 145,961 shares (~$5.25M) in the last quarter, leaving insiders owning about 9.8% of the company, which may create negative optics despite institutional buying.

Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI - Free Report) - Research analysts at Northland Securities lifted their FY2026 earnings estimates for shares of Universal Technical Institute in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, May 6th. Northland Securities analyst M. Grondahl now forecasts that the company will post earnings of $0.76 per share for the year, up from their prior estimate of $0.75. The consensus estimate for Universal Technical Institute's current full-year earnings is $0.77 per share. Northland Securities also issued estimates for Universal Technical Institute's Q1 2027 earnings at $0.18 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $0.13 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $0.87 EPS.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $0.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Universal Technical Institute had a return on equity of 13.19% and a net margin of 4.91%.The business had revenue of $221.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $221.61 million.

Several other research analysts have also weighed in on UTI. Griffin Securities set a $49.00 price objective on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research report on Wednesday. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Universal Technical Institute from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, March 7th. B. Riley Financial restated a "buy" rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Barrington Research raised their price objective on Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $42.50.

Universal Technical Institute Price Performance

Shares of UTI opened at $35.18 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $1.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 1.28. Universal Technical Institute has a 1 year low of $21.29 and a 1 year high of $40.41. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $36.43 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $30.87. The company has a current ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29.

Insider Buying and Selling at Universal Technical Institute

In related news, Director George W. Brochick sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.59, for a total transaction of $182,950.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 27,516 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,006,810.44. This trade represents a 15.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Sherrell Smith sold 22,671 shares of Universal Technical Institute stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.10, for a total value of $841,094.10. Following the completion of the sale, 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 position. 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 over the last quarter. 9.80% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in UTI. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute in the second quarter worth $27,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC lifted its position in Universal Technical Institute by 187.5% during the 4th quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 1,446 shares of the company's stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 943 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Universal Technical Institute during the 1st quarter worth about $57,000. State of Alaska Department of Revenue bought a new stake in Universal Technical Institute during the 3rd quarter worth about $92,000. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 4,500.0% during the 4th quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 5,428 shares of the company's stock worth $142,000 after buying an additional 5,310 shares during the last quarter. 75.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Universal Technical Institute

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upward revisions — Northland Securities raised near‑term and FY2027 EPS estimates (Q1 2027 to $0.18, Q3 2027 to $0.13, FY2026 to $0.76 and FY2027 to $0.87), signaling improved analyst confidence in the company’s growth trajectory and supporting higher valuations. (Research note 5/6)
• Positive Sentiment: Price‑target raises and bullish ratings — Rosenblatt boosted its target to $45 and keeps a Buy; Barrington raised its target to $42 and keeps an Outperform, providing fresh analyst endorsement and headline support for the stock. Rosenblatt Price Target Barrington Research
• Neutral Sentiment: Company reaffirmed FY2026 outlook — UTI reiterated revenue guidance of $905M–$915M and EPS outlook (~$0.71–$0.80 per company commentary), which reduces surprise risk but doesn’t materially raise the bar. Guidance Reaffirmed
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call and investor materials available — Management hosted the Q2 call and published the slide deck and transcript; useful for investors who want detail on campus ramp timing, capex plans and margin trajectory. Slide Deck Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Q2 results missed modestly — UTI reported $0.01 EPS (vs. ~$0.022 consensus) and revenue $221.4M (slightly below estimates). The EPS miss and minimal operating profit decline spotlight near‑term margin pressure. Q2 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Cash flow and capex dynamics — Reports show operating cash fell sharply while capex rose (~$30M), pressuring free cash flow in the near term as new campuses ramp; higher liabilities were also noted — factors that can weigh on sentiment until ramps show ROI. Earnings Presentation Quiver Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling highlighted — Recent disclosures show several insider sales (including senior executives), which can create negative optics even if offset by institutional buys. Insider Activity

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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