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UniFirstUNF -0.21%80 Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % is 3.05% as of May. 2026, which is 46% below its 10-year median of 5.64. GuruFocus rates UNF with a GF Score™ of 80/100 and a GF Value™ of $196.09 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 9 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,104 Business Services companies, UniFirst ranks worse than 68.03% on this metric.
UniFirst's Enterprise Value for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was $4,716 Mil.
UniFirst's EBIT for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 was $144 Mil. UniFirst's Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was 3.05%.
The historical rank and industry rank for UniFirst's Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % or its related term are showing as below:
UNF'
s Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 2.73 Med: 5.64 Max: 10.57
Current: 2.76
During the past 13 years, the highest Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) of UniFirst was 10.57%. The lowest was 2.73%. And the median was 5.64%.
UNF's Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % is ranked worse than 68.03% of 1104
companies
in the Business Services industry
Industry Median: 6.495
vs UNF: 2.76
Joel Greenblatt's definition of earnings yield has the same problems the regular earnings yield does. It does not consider the growth of the company. It only looks at one-year's business operation. For cyclical companies, the earnings yield is usually highest at the peak of the business cycle. But these earnings are rarely sustainable.
A better indicator of the attractiveness of an investment which takes growth into account is the Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. UniFirst's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was 6.06%. The Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
Joel Greenblatt defines the earnings yield using the above equation because it more accurately reflects the company's profitability relative to its stock price. Items like interest payment and tax etc. are not directly related to the company's operational profitability.
Enterprise Value instead of market cap (share price) is used in the calculation because it is the real price stock and bond investors together pay for the company.
Be Aware
Joel Greenblatt's definition of earnings yield has the same problems the regular earnings yield does. It does not consider the growth of the company. It only looks at one-year's business operation. For cyclical companies, the earnings yield is usually highest at the peak of the business cycle. But these earnings are rarely sustainable.
UniFirst Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % Related Terms
UniFirst Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for UniFirst's Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Specialty Business Services subindustry, UniFirst's Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) %, along with its competitors' market caps and Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
UniFirst Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % vs Business Services Industry
For the Business Services industry and Industrials sector, UniFirst's Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where UniFirst's Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % falls into.
In his book, The Little That Beat the Market, hedge fund manager Joel Greenblatt defines Earnings Yield as operating income divided by enterprise value.
UniFirsts Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) for the fiscal year that ended in Aug. 2025 is calculated as
UniFirst's EBIT for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $144 Mil.
What does a Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % of 3.05% mean?
UniFirst (UNF) has a Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % of 3.05% as of May. 2026. Joel Greenblatt's earnings yield equals the ratio of earnings before interest and taxes to enterprise value. View historical data on UniFirst and its competitors. This is 46% below median its historical median of 5.64. Over the past decade, UniFirst's Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 2.73 to 10.57. According to the industry distribution chart, UniFirst ranks #751 out of 1104 companies in the Business Services industry, placing it in the top 68%.
Is UniFirst's Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % too high?
UniFirst's current Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % of 3.05% is 46% below median its 10-year median of 5.64. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 2.73 to a high of 10.57. The Business Services industry median Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % is 6.50. UniFirst's value of 3.05% is 53% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, UniFirst ranks #751 out of 1104 companies in the Business Services industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, UniFirst has a GF Score™ of 80/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does UniFirst's Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % compare to AMTM and DLB?
According to the Business Services industry distribution chart, UniFirst ranks #751 out of 1104 companies for Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) %. This places UniFirst in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % is 6.50. UniFirst's value of 3.05% is 53% below this benchmark. Historically, UniFirst's own Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 2.73 to 10.57 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 5.64 vs. the industry median of 6.50, UniFirst has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % for a Business Services company?
The median Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % among Business Services companies is 6.50, based on 1,104 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. UniFirst's current Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % of 3.05% is 53% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % mean?
A high Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Joel Greenblatt's earnings yield equals the ratio of earnings before interest and taxes to enterprise value. View historical data on UniFirst and its competitors. For the Business Services industry, the median Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % is 6.50 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. UniFirst's current Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % is 3.05%, which is 46% below median its own 10-year median of 5.64. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is UniFirst stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, UniFirst (UNF) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $196.09, compared to a current price of $292.98 — trading 49.4% above its estimated fair value. The current Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % is 3.05%, which is 46% below median its 10-year median of 5.64 and 53% below the Business Services industry median of 6.50. UniFirst's overall GF Score™ is 80/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % calculated?
Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For UniFirst (UNF), the current Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) % is 3.05% as of May. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is UniFirst (UNF) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, UniFirst stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $292.98 is trading 49.4% above its estimated GF Value™ of $196.09.
GuruFocus considers UniFirst to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for UNF:
Earnings Yield (Joel Greenblatt) %: 3.05% (46% below median its 10-year median of 5.64)
GF Value™: $196.09 vs. price of $292.98 (49.4% above fair value)
Industry Position: 53% below the Business Services median (#751 of 1104)
No single metric tells the full story. See the UNF stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
UniFirst Corp provides uniform and workwear programs, facility management, and safety supplies and services across North America. It designs, manufactures, rents, cleans, and sells uniforms and protective clothing, including flame-resistant and high-visibility garments. It also offers industrial wiping products, floor mats, cleaning supplies, first aid cabinets, and fire protection services such as inspection and maintenance. Serving various industries, the company provides customized uniforms and specialized cleaning for nuclear and cleanroom facilities. It operates through three segments: Uniform & Facility Service Solutions, First Aid & Safety Solutions, and Other, with the majority of revenue from Uniform & Facility Service Solutions.
80GF Score
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