UniFirstUNF +0.79%84 Return-on-Tangible-Equity is 5.58% as of May. 2026, which is 51% below its 10-year median of 11.37. GuruFocus rates UNF with a GF Score™ of 84/100 and a GF Value™ of $194.91 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 9 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,009 Business Services companies, UniFirst ranks worse than 57.88% on this metric.
Return-on-Tangible-Equity is calculated as Net Income divided by its average total shareholder tangible equity. Total shareholder tangible equity equals to Total Stockholders Equity minus Intangible Assets. UniFirst's annualized net income for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was $80 Mil. UniFirst's average shareholder tangible equity for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was $1,427 Mil. Therefore, UniFirst's annualized Return-on-Tangible-Equity for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was 5.58%.
The historical rank and industry rank for UniFirst's Return-on-Tangible-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
UNF'
s Return-on-Tangible-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 6.98 Med: 11.37 Max: 16.65
Current: 8.2
During the past 13 years, UniFirst's highest Return-on-Tangible-Equity was 16.65%. The lowest was 6.98%. And the median was 11.37%.
UNF's Return-on-Tangible-Equity is ranked worse than 57.88% of 1009
companies
in the Business Services industry
Industry Median: 10.56
vs UNF: 8.20
Return-on-Tangible-Equity measures the rate of return on the ownership interest (shareholder's tangible equity) of the common stock owners. It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from every unit of shareholders' tangible equity (shareholders equity minus intangibles). Return-on-Tangible-Equity shows how well a company uses investment funds to generate earnings growth. Return-on-Tangible-Equitys between 15% and 20% are considered desirable.
Be Aware
Net Income is used.
Because a company can increase its Return-on-Tangible-Equity by having more financial leverage, it is important to watch the leverage ratio when investing in high Return-on-Tangible-Equity companies. Like Return-on-Tangible-Asset, Return-on-Tangible-Equity is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective.
Asset light businesses require very few assets to generate very high earnings. Their Return-on-Tangible-Equitys can be extremely high.
UniFirst Return-on-Tangible-Equity Related Terms
UniFirst Return-on-Tangible-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for UniFirst's Return-on-Tangible-Equity 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.
UNF vs AZZ, AMTM, DLB: Return-on-Tangible-Equity Comparison
For the Specialty Business Services subindustry, UniFirst's Return-on-Tangible-Equity, along with its competitors' market caps and Return-on-Tangible-Equity 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 Return-on-Tangible-Equity vs Business Services Industry
For the Business Services industry and Industrials sector, UniFirst's Return-on-Tangible-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where UniFirst's Return-on-Tangible-Equity falls into.
* 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.
In the calculation of annual Return-on-Tangible-Equity, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total shareholder tangible equity over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the net income data used here is four times the quarterly (May. 2026) net income data.
Return-on-Tangible-Equity is displayed in the 10-year financial page.
What does a Return-on-Tangible-Equity of 5.58% mean?
UniFirst (UNF) has a Return-on-Tangible-Equity of 5.58% as of May. 2026. Return on tangible equity is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible equity. View historical data on UniFirst and its competitors. This is 51% below median its historical median of 11.37. Over the past decade, UniFirst's Return-on-Tangible-Equity has ranged from 6.98 to 16.65. According to the industry distribution chart, UniFirst ranks #584 out of 1009 companies in the Business Services industry, placing it in the top 57.9%.
Is UniFirst's Return-on-Tangible-Equity too high?
UniFirst's current Return-on-Tangible-Equity of 5.58% is 51% below median its 10-year median of 11.37. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 6.98 to a high of 16.65. The Business Services industry median Return-on-Tangible-Equity is 10.56. UniFirst's value of 5.58% is 47.2% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, UniFirst ranks #584 out of 1009 companies in the Business Services industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, UniFirst has a GF Score™ of 84/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does UniFirst's Return-on-Tangible-Equity compare to AZZ and AMTM?
According to the Business Services industry distribution chart, UniFirst ranks #584 out of 1009 companies for Return-on-Tangible-Equity. This places UniFirst in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Return-on-Tangible-Equity is 10.56. UniFirst's value of 5.58% is 47.2% below this benchmark. Historically, UniFirst's own Return-on-Tangible-Equity has ranged from 6.98 to 16.65 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 11.37 vs. the industry median of 10.56, 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 Return-on-Tangible-Equity for a Business Services company?
The median Return-on-Tangible-Equity among Business Services companies is 10.56, based on 1,009 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Return-on-Tangible-Equity significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Return-on-Tangible-Equity should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. UniFirst's current Return-on-Tangible-Equity of 5.58% is 47.2% 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 Return-on-Tangible-Equity mean?
A high Return-on-Tangible-Equity can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on tangible equity is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible equity. View historical data on UniFirst and its competitors. For the Business Services industry, the median Return-on-Tangible-Equity is 10.56 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. UniFirst's current Return-on-Tangible-Equity is 5.58%, which is 51% below median its own 10-year median of 11.37. 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 $194.91, compared to a current price of $266.54 — trading 36.8% above its estimated fair value. The current Return-on-Tangible-Equity is 5.58%, which is 51% below median its 10-year median of 11.37 and 47.2% below the Business Services industry median of 10.56. UniFirst's overall GF Score™ is 84/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Return-on-Tangible-Equity calculated?
Return-on-Tangible-Equity is calculated from a company's financial statements. For UniFirst (UNF), the current Return-on-Tangible-Equity is 5.58% 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 $266.54 is trading 36.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of $194.91.
GuruFocus considers UniFirst to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for UNF:
Return-on-Tangible-Equity: 5.58% (51% below median its 10-year median of 11.37)
GF Value™: $194.91 vs. price of $266.54 (36.8% above fair value)
Industry Position: 47.2% below the Business Services median (#584 of 1009)
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.
84GF Score
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