Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The company reported $0.23 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.15 by $0.08, FiscalAI reports. Universal Technical Institute had a net margin of 7.54% and a return on equity of 20.85%. The business had revenue of $220.84 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $216.65 million.

Here are the key takeaways from Universal Technical Institute’s conference call:

• Universal reported a strong start to FY2026 with Q1 revenue up ~10% to $220.8M, baseline adjusted EBITDA of $34.7M, average full-time active students up 7.2%, and management reiterated FY26 guidance of $905–915M revenue and baseline EBITDA of ~$156M.
• New campuses and program expansion are showing early traction — UTI Austin (over 1,000 students, ~70% above model) and Miramar (over 600) are outperforming, Fort Myers (Heartland) cohorts sold out with rapid Title IV approval, and San Antonio/Atlanta pipelines are strong ahead of openings.
• The company is deploying significant growth investments that will compress near-term profitability — management expects ~$40M in growth OpEx this year and ~$100M total CapEx (about 75% growth CapEx), driving EBITDA and net income contraction especially in Q2 before recovery in H2.
• Liquidity and cash flow are intact with $233.2M available liquidity and management reiterating FY26 adjusted free cash flow of $20–25M, while targeting >$1.2B revenue and ~$220M adjusted EBITDA by FY2029.
• Regulatory dynamics are improving (rapid Title IV approval cited) and the Heartland partnership is attracting interest from other employers/DSOs, which may accelerate program and partnership opportunities and support expansion plans.

Universal Technical Institute Stock Down 9.2%

Shares of NYSE:UTI traded down $2.58 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $25.28. 404,298 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 561,671. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $26.61 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $28.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a current ratio of 1.07. Universal Technical Institute has a twelve month low of $21.29 and a twelve month high of $36.32. The company has a market cap of $1.39 billion, a PE ratio of 22.18, a P/E/G ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 1.36.

Key Universal Technical Institute News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat — UTI reported EPS of $0.23 vs. consensus $0.15 and revenue of $220.8M vs. $216.7M; management emphasized strong execution and margin performance. This beat is the main near-term catalyst supporting the stock. Universal Technical Institute Reports Fiscal Year 2026 First Quarter Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support — Rosenblatt reaffirmed a Buy with a $36 price target and Truist initiated coverage with a Buy, giving the stock upside vs. current levels; fresh/confirmed analyst interest can sustain buying momentum. Benzinga Truist Initiates Buy
• Positive Sentiment: Growth investment: UTI is recruiting for new Atlanta and San Antonio campuses (2026 openings pending approvals) and is launching new programs — expansion supports enrollment growth and longer-term revenue upside if approvals and recruitment convert. Campus Recruitment Announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: FY2026 revenue guidance roughly in line — company gave revenue guidance of ~$905–915M (vs. consensus ~908M), implying execution expectations are close to Street estimates; watch margins and enrollment trends for upside/shortfall. Guidance in Press Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor materials available — full earnings slide deck and earnings call transcript provide management detail on enrollment, program mix and margins; useful for read-throughs but not new headline catalysts by themselves. Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: YOY earnings decline — while UTI beat quarterly estimates, EPS of $0.23 compares to $0.40 a year ago, highlighting year-over-year pressure; investors should monitor whether margins recover and revenue mix improvements are sustainable. Zacks Coverage

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Coliseum Capital Management, L purchased 191,830 shares of Universal Technical Institute stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 5th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $25.38 per share, with a total value of $4,868,645.40. Following the transaction, the director owned 3,971,440 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $100,795,147.20. The trade was a 5.08% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders bought a total of 1,255,173 shares of company stock valued at $30,812,798 in the last ninety days. 9.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Universal Technical Institute

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of UTI. Wasatch Advisors LP grew its stake in Universal Technical Institute by 22.5% during the 3rd quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 2,361,019 shares of the company’s stock valued at $76,851,000 after purchasing an additional 433,824 shares in the last quarter. Punch & Associates Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 14.4% in the third quarter. Punch & Associates Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,162,277 shares of the company’s stock valued at $37,832,000 after acquiring an additional 146,117 shares in the last quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. boosted its stake in Universal Technical Institute by 95.7% during the 3rd quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 822,533 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,773,000 after acquiring an additional 402,250 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. grew its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 114.0% during the 3rd quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 450,309 shares of the company’s stock worth $14,658,000 after acquiring an additional 239,855 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barclays PLC raised its stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 89.0% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 439,222 shares of the company’s stock valued at $14,297,000 after purchasing an additional 206,888 shares in the last quarter. 75.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on UTI. Barrington Research reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $36.00 price objective on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Rosenblatt Securities reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $36.00 price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Thursday. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Monday, December 29th. One investment 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 company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $35.83.

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.