Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Trading 6.3% Higher – Should You Buy?

Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI)’s share price traded up 6.3% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $28.23 and last traded at $28.2650. 63,964 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 88% from the average session volume of 550,466 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.59.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on UTI shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research lowered Universal Technical Institute from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Monday, October 6th. Wall Street Zen lowered Universal Technical Institute from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, September 21st. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $36.00 price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Finally, Barrington Research restated an “outperform” rating and set a $36.00 price objective on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Thursday, November 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Universal Technical Institute presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $35.83.

Universal Technical Institute Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The business has a 50-day moving average of $26.31 and a 200 day moving average of $28.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.50 billion, a PE ratio of 24.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 1.37.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 19th. The company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.26 by $0.08. Universal Technical Institute had a net margin of 7.54% and a return on equity of 20.85%. The company had revenue of $222.44 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $219.33 million. Universal Technical Institute has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.710-0.800 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Universal Technical Institute Inc will post 1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Universal Technical Institute

In other Universal Technical Institute news, Director Coliseum Capital Management, L purchased 191,830 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 5th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $25.38 per share, for a total transaction of $4,868,645.40. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 3,971,440 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $100,795,147.20. The trade was a 5.08% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders purchased 1,255,173 shares of company stock worth $30,812,798 over the last three months. Company insiders own 15.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new position in Universal Technical Institute in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Penserra Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Universal Technical Institute in the second quarter valued at $28,000. KBC Group NV bought a new stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute during the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 17,142.9% during the 2nd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,207 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 1,200 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Universal Technical Institute during the 1st quarter worth about $57,000. 75.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.