Does UniFirst Stock Lead the Pack?
UniFirst (UNF) stock has experienced mixed performance over the past year within the Industrials and Business Services sector. While outpacing many competitors in market return, a deeper look reveals that UNF’s profitability metrics, like operating and free cash flow margins, are solid compared to some peers but significantly trail the industry leader. Furthermore, its revenue growth notably lags top competitors. The stock’s moderate valuation suggests a fair price, yet limited top-line expansion could temper significant upside potential in a dynamic market.
- UNF’s 7.1% operating margin trails CTAS (23.0%), indicating less scale-based efficiency or pricing power in the uniform rental market.
- UNF’s 0.4% revenue growth lags CTAS, ARMK, ABM, signaling weaker customer retention or market share gains, but exceeds VSTS, SGC.
- UNF’s 5.3% stock gain and 29.9 PE imply investor growth expectations, despite ARMK delivering stronger returns.
Here’s how UniFirst stacks up across size, valuation, and profitability versus key peers.
| UNF | CTAS | ARMK | VSTS | ABM | SGC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 4.2 | 80.0 | 10.8 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 0.2 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 2.4 | 10.8 | 18.5 | 2.7 | 8.7 | 0.6 |
| PE Ratio | 29.9 | 42.2 | 33.0 | -23.6 | 17.8 | 27.6 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | 0.4% | 8.6% | 6.4% | -2.1% | 4.6% | -0.4% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 7.1% | 23.0% | 4.3% | 1.9% | 3.7% | 2.1% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 3.8% | 16.5% | 2.3% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 0.9% |
| 12M Market Return | 5.3% | -1.5% | 10.0% | -38.3% | -9.7% | -25.4% |
For more details on UniFirst, read Buy or Sell UNF Stock. Below we compare UNF’s growth, margin, and valuation with peers across years
Revenue Growth Comparison
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| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNF | 0.4% | 0.2% | 8.7% | 11.6% | |
| CTAS | 8.6% | 7.7% | 8.9% | 12.2% | |
| ARMK | 6.4% | 6.4% | 8.2% | 17.5% | |
| VSTS | -2.1% | -2.5% | -0.7% | 5.1% | |
| ABM | 4.6% | 4.6% | 3.2% | 3.7% | |
| SGC | -0.4% | – | 4.1% | -6.1% | 7.8% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNF | 7.1% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 6.0% | |
| CTAS | 23.0% | 22.8% | 21.6% | 20.4% | |
| ARMK | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.1% | 3.9% | |
| VSTS | 1.9% | 2.4% | 5.6% | 7.7% | |
| ABM | 3.7% | 3.7% | 2.5% | 5.1% | |
| SGC | 2.1% | – | 3.7% | 3.6% | 2.6% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNF | 29.9 | 24.1 | 21.9 | 33.0 | |
| CTAS | 42.2 | 41.9 | 47.3 | 45.4 | |
| ARMK | 33.0 | 29.8 | 37.4 | 10.9 | |
| VSTS | -23.6 | -21.8 | 95.6 | 13.0 | |
| ABM | 17.8 | 16.2 | 39.7 | 11.8 | |
| SGC | 27.6 | – | 12.9 | 30.1 | -6.7 |
Still not sure about UNF stock? Consider portfolio approach.
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