Unifirst CorporationNYSE: UNF

UniFirst Announces Financial Results for the Second Quarter of Fiscal 2025

· Issued by Unifirst Corporation via GlobeNewswire

WILMINGTON, Mass., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) (the “Company,” “UniFirst” or “we”) today reported results for its second quarter ended March 1, 2025 as compared to the corresponding period in the prior fiscal year:

Q2 2025 Financial Highlights

  • Consolidated revenues for the second quarter increased 1.9% to $602.2 million.

  • Operating income was $31.2 million, an increase of 11.7%.

  • The quarterly tax rate decreased to 25.0% compared to 26.2% in the prior year.

  • Net income increased to $24.5 million from $20.5 million in the prior year, or 19.6%.

  • Diluted earnings per share increased to $1.31 from $1.09 in the prior year, or 20.2%.

  • Adjusted EBITDA increased to $68.9 million compared to $64.8 million in the prior year, or 6.3%.

The Company's financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024 included approximately $1.9 million and $3.2 million, respectively, of costs directly attributable to its customer relationship management (“CRM”) computer system and enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) projects. The Company refers to the CRM and ERP projects together as its “Key Initiatives”. The effect of these items on the second quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024 combined to decrease:

  • Both operating income and Adjusted EBITDA by $1.9 million and $3.2 million, respectively.

  • Net income by $1.6 million and $2.5 million, respectively.

  • Diluted earnings per share by $0.09 and $0.13, respectively.

Steven Sintros, UniFirst President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are pleased with the results from our second quarter, which were largely in line with our expectations. We are excited that our investments in the business are starting to show returns in several areas, including improved profitability, cash flow and overall operational execution. I want to sincerely thank all of our Team Partners who continue to Always Deliver for each other and our customers as we strive towards our vision of being universally recognized as the best service provider in the industry. …all while living our mission of Serving the People Who do the Hard Work.”

Segment Reporting Highlights

Core Laundry Operations

  • Revenues for the quarter increased 1.5% to $530.4 million.

  • Organic growth, which excludes the effect of acquisitions and fluctuations in the Canadian dollar, was 1.9%.

  • Operating margin increased to 4.6% from 3.6%.

  • Adjusted Core Laundry Operations' EBITDA margin increased to 11.2% from 10.3%.

The costs we incurred related to the Key Initiatives were recorded to the Core Laundry Operations’ segment, and decreased both the Core Laundry Operations’ operating and Adjusted EBITDA margins for the second quarters of fiscal 2025 and 2024 by 0.3% and 0.6%, respectively.

The segment's operating and Adjusted EBITDA margin increases were primarily due to lower merchandise and production costs as a percentage of revenues. These were partially offset by higher healthcare claims expense and selling and administrative costs as a percentage of revenues in the second quarter of fiscal 2025.

Specialty Garments

  • Revenues for the quarter were $44.4 million, an increase of 2.2%, which was due primarily to growth in the European nuclear operations.

  • Operating margin decreased to 16.7% from 22.8% a year ago, primarily as a result of increased merchandise, other production and selling payroll costs as a percentage of revenues.

  • Specialty Garments consists of nuclear decontamination and cleanroom operations, and its results can vary significantly due to seasonality and the timing of reactor outages and projects.

Balance Sheet and Capital Allocation

  • Cash, cash equivalents and Short-term investments totaled $201.0 million as of March 1, 2025.

  • The Company had no long-term debt outstanding as of March 1, 2025.

  • Cash flow from operating activities was $128.3 million in the first half of fiscal 2025, an increase of 20.2% over the prior year.

  • The Company repurchased 33,000 shares of Common Stock for $6.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025. As of March 1, 2025, the Company had $63.7 million remaining under its existing share repurchase authorization.

  • Weighted average shares outstanding – Diluted for the second quarters of fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2024 were 18.6 million and 18.8 million, respectively.

Financial Outlook

Mr. Sintros continued, “At this time, we expect our revenues for fiscal 2025 to be between $2.422 billion and $2.432 billion which reflects the anticipated negative impact of the Canadian Dollar exchange rate compared to our original expectations. We further expect that our diluted earnings per share will be between $7.30 and $7.70, which reflects improved anticipated operating income in our Core Laundry Operations and an assumption that our Key Initiative costs in fiscal 2025 will approximate $12.0 million, revised down from prior estimates.”

Please note the guidance does not include the impact of any future share buybacks or unexpected events affecting the economy generally.

Conference Call Information

UniFirst Corporation will hold a conference call today at 9:00 a.m. (ET) to discuss its quarterly financial results, business highlights and outlook. A simultaneous live webcast of the call will be available over the Internet and can be accessed at www.unifirst.com.

About UniFirst Corporation

Headquartered in Wilmington, Mass., UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) is a North American leader in the supply and servicing of uniform and workwear programs, facility service products, as well as first aid and safety supplies and services. Together with its subsidiaries, the Company also manages specialized garment programs for the cleanroom and nuclear industries. In addition to partnering with leading brands, UniFirst manufactures its own branded workwear, protective clothing, and floorcare products at its five company-owned ISO-9001-certified manufacturing facilities. With more than 270 service locations, over 300,000 customer locations, and 16,000-plus employee Team Partners, the Company outfits more than 2 million workers every day. For more information, contact UniFirst at 888.296.2740 or visit UniFirst.com.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure

This public announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws that reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance, including projected revenues, operating margin and earnings per share. Forward-looking statements contained in this public announcement are subject to the safe harbor created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and may be identified by words such as “guidance,” “outlook,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “could,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “strategy,” “objective,” “assume,” “strive,” “design,” “assumption,” “vision,” “approximate,” or the negative versions thereof, and similar expressions and by the context in which they are used. Such forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations and speak only as of the date made. Such statements are highly dependent upon a variety of risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, uncertainties caused by an economic recession or other adverse economic conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of elevated inflation or interest rates or extraordinary events or circumstances such as geopolitical conflicts like the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and, disruption in the Middle East, and their impact on our customers' businesses and workforce levels, disruptions of our business and operations, including limitations on, or closures of, our facilities, or the business and operations of our customers or suppliers in connection with extraordinary events or circumstances uncertainties regarding our ability to consummate acquisitions and successfully integrate acquired businesses, and the performance of such businesses, uncertainties regarding any existing or newly-discovered expenses and liabilities related to environmental compliance and remediation, any adverse outcome of pending or future contingencies or claims, our ability to compete successfully without any significant degradation in our margin rates, seasonal and quarterly fluctuations in business levels, our ability to preserve positive labor relationships and avoid becoming the target of corporate labor unionization campaigns that could disrupt our business, the effect of currency fluctuations on our results of operations and financial condition, our dependence on third parties to supply us with raw materials, which such supply could be severely disrupted as a result of extraordinary events or circumstances such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, any loss of key management or other personnel, increased costs as a result of any changes in federal, state, international or other laws, rules and regulations or governmental interpretation of such laws, rules and regulations, uncertainties regarding, or adverse impacts from continued high price levels of natural gas, electricity, fuel and labor or increases in such costs, the negative effect on our business from sharply depressed oil and natural gas prices, the continuing increase in domestic healthcare costs, increased workers' compensation claim costs, increased healthcare claim costs, our ability to retain and grow our customer base, demand and prices for our products and services, fluctuations in our Specialty Garments business, political or other instability, supply chain disruption or infection among our employees in Mexico and Nicaragua where our principal garment manufacturing plants are located, our ability to properly and efficiently design, construct, implement and operate a new enterprise resource planning computer system, interruptions or failures of our information technology systems, including as a result of cyber-attacks, additional professional and internal costs necessary for compliance with any changes in or additional Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), New York Stock Exchange and accounting or other rules, including, without limitation, recent rules adopted by the SEC regarding climate-related and cybersecurity-related disclosures, strikes and unemployment levels, our efforts to evaluate and potentially reduce internal costs, the impact of foreign trade policies and tariffs or other impositions on imported goods on our business, results of operations and financial condition, our ability to successfully implement our business strategies and processes, including our capital allocation strategies, our ability to successfully remediate the material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31, 2024 and the other factors described under Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31, 2024, Part II, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which they are made.

Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited)

Thirteen Weeks Ended

Twenty-Six Weeks Ended

(In thousands, except per share data)

March 1, 2025

February 24, 2024

March 1, 2025

February 24, 2024

Revenues

$

602,219

$

590,711

$

1,207,127

$

1,184,236

Operating expenses:

Cost of revenues (1)

394,145

396,191

775,199

779,987

Selling and administrative expenses (1)

141,914

131,417

275,429

254,276

Depreciation and amortization

34,946

35,160

69,754

68,893

Total operating expenses

571,005

562,768

1,120,382

1,103,156

Operating income

31,214

27,943

86,745

81,080

Other (income) expense:

Interest income, net

(2,213

)

(350

)

(4,908

)

(3,184

)

Other expense, net

794

575

1,084

1,291

Total other (income) expense, net

(1,419

)

225

(3,824

)

(1,893

)

Income before income taxes

32,633

27,718

90,569

82,973

Provision for income taxes

8,174

7,261

23,005

20,191

Net income

$

24,459

$

20,457

$

67,564

$

62,782

Income per share – Basic:

Common Stock

$

1.37

$

1.14

$

3.78

$

3.49

Class B Common Stock

$

1.10

$

0.91

$

3.02

$

2.79

Income per share – Diluted:

Common Stock

$

1.31

$

1.09

$

3.62

$

3.35

Income allocated to – Basic:

Common Stock

$

20,559

$

17,188

$

56,778

$

52,754

Class B Common Stock

$

3,900

$

3,269

$

10,786

$

10,028

Income allocated to – Diluted:

Common Stock

$

24,459

$

20,457

$

67,564

$

62,782

Weighted average shares outstanding – Basic:

Common Stock

15,009

15,106

15,011

15,110

Class B Common Stock

3,558

3,590

3,566

3,590

Weighted average shares outstanding – Diluted:

Common Stock

18,649

18,754

18,653

18,758


(1) Exclusive of depreciation on the Company's property, plant and equipment and amortization on its intangible assets.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)

(In thousands)

March 1, 2025

August 31, 2024

Assets

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$

192,174

$

161,571

Short-term investments

8,805

13,505

Receivables, net

282,207

278,851

Inventories

159,067

156,908

Rental merchandise in service

226,259

237,969

Prepaid taxes

11,026

14,893

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

57,309

51,979

Total current assets

936,847

915,676

Property, plant and equipment, net

802,529

801,612

Goodwill

653,042

648,850

Customer contracts and other intangible assets, net

110,940

119,999

Deferred income taxes

794

833

Operating lease right-of-use assets, net

68,564

66,682

Other assets

160,646

142,761

Total assets

$

2,733,362

$

2,696,413

Liabilities and shareholders’ equity

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

$

89,551

$

92,509

Accrued liabilities

170,776

170,240

Accrued taxes

—

447

Operating lease liabilities, current

17,233

18,241

Total current liabilities

277,560

281,437

Long-term liabilities:

Accrued liabilities

123,216

123,401

Accrued and deferred income taxes

135,380

132,496

Operating lease liabilities

53,650

50,568

Total liabilities

589,806

587,902

Shareholders’ equity:

Common Stock

1,501

1,500

Class B Common Stock

356

359

Capital surplus

106,141

104,791

Retained earnings

2,068,510

2,025,505

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(32,952

)

(23,644

)

Total shareholders’ equity

2,143,556

2,108,511

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

$

2,733,362

$

2,696,413

Detail of Operating Results
(Unaudited)

Thirteen Weeks Ended March 1, 2025

Thirteen Weeks Ended February 24, 2024

Core Laundry

Specialty

First

Core Laundry

Specialty

First

(In thousands, except percentages)

Operations

Garments

Aid

Total

Operations

Garments

Aid

Total

Revenues

$

530,351

$

44,414

$

27,454

$

602,219

$

522,420

$

43,462

$

24,829

$

590,711

Revenue Growth %

1.5

%

2.2

%

10.6

%

1.9

%

Operating Income (Loss) (1), (2)

$

24,267

$

7,433

$

(486

)

$

31,214

$

19,046

$

9,901

$

(1,004

)

$

27,943

Operating Margin

4.6

%

16.7

%

-1.8

%

5.2

%

3.6

%

22.8

%

-4.0

%

4.7

%

Adjusted EBITDA (1), (2)

$

59,357

$

9,071

$

490

$

68,918

$

53,744

$

11,107

$

(15

)

$

64,836

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

11.2

%

20.4

%

1.8

%

11.4

%

10.3

%

25.6

%

-0.1

%

11.0

%


(1) The Company's financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024 included approximately $1.9 million and $3.2 million, respectively, of costs directly attributable to its Key Initiatives.

(2) The Key Initiatives' costs decreased both Core Laundry Operations' operating margin and Adjusted EBITDA margin for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024 by 0.3% and 0.6%, respectively.

Twenty-Six Weeks Ended March 1, 2025

Twenty-Six Weeks Ended February 24, 2024

Core Laundry

Specialty

First

Core Laundry

Specialty

First

(In thousands, except percentages)

Operations

Garments

Aid

Total

Operations

Garments

Aid

Total

Revenues

$

1,063,094

$

90,357

$

53,676

$

1,207,127

$

1,046,409

$

88,131

$

49,696

$

1,184,236

Revenue Growth %

1.6

%

2.5

%

8.0

%

1.9

%

Operating Income (Loss) (3), (4)

$

67,290

$

19,600

$

(145

)

$

86,745

$

61,137

$

22,018

$

(2,075

)

$

81,080

Operating Margin

6.3

%

21.7

%

-0.3

%

7.2

%

5.8

%

25.0

%

-4.2

%

6.8

%

Adjusted EBITDA (3), (4)

$

138,418

$

22,717

$

1,743

$

162,878

$

129,400

$

24,431

$

(307

)

$

153,524

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

13.0

%

25.1

%

3.2

%

13.5

%

12.4

%

27.7

%

-0.6

%

13.0

%


(3) The Company's financial results for the first half of fiscal 2025 and 2024 included approximately $4.4 million and $6.1 million, respectively, of costs directly attributable to its Key Initiatives.

(4) The Key Initiatives' costs decreased both Core Laundry Operations' operating margin and Adjusted EBITDA margin for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 and 2024 by 0.4% and 0.6%, respectively.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)

(In thousands)

March 1, 2025

February 24, 2024

Cash flows from operating activities:

Net income

$

67,564

$

62,782

Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization (1)

69,754

68,893

Share-based compensation

6,034

4,842

Accretion on environmental contingencies

640

632

Accretion on asset retirement obligations

314

467

Deferred income taxes

2,159

897

Other

279

963

Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:

Receivables, less reserves

(4,878

)

(12,574

)

Inventories

(2,242

)

(9,935

)

Rental merchandise in service

10,233

7,127

Prepaid expenses and other current assets and Other assets

(13,429

)

(14,036

)

Accounts payable

(3,729

)

(8,035

)

Accrued liabilities

(8,867

)

(6,205

)

Prepaid and accrued income taxes

4,472

10,907

Net cash provided by operating activities

128,304

106,725

Cash flows from investing activities:

Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired

(5,374

)

—

Capital expenditures, including capitalization of software costs

(66,086

)

(72,902

)

Purchases of investments

(14,734

)

(11,394

)

Maturities of investments

18,747

10,217

Proceeds from sale of assets

222

632

Net cash used in investing activities

(67,225

)

(73,447

)

Cash flows from financing activities:

Proceeds from exercise of share-based awards

4

3

Taxes withheld and paid related to net share settlement of equity awards

(4,218

)

(2,638

)

Repurchase of Common Stock

(12,528

)

(8,119

)

Payment of cash dividends

(12,153

)

(11,512

)

Net cash used in financing activities

(28,895

)

(22,266

)

Effect of exchange rate changes

(1,581

)

83

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

30,603

11,095

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

161,571

79,443

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$

192,174

$

90,538


(1) Depreciation and amortization for the first half of fiscal 2025 and 2024 included approximately $8.4 million and $9.2 million, respectively, of non-cash amortization expense recognized on acquisition-related intangible assets.

Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company reports its consolidated financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). To supplement the Company’s consolidated financial results in this press release, the Company also presents Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin, which are non-GAAP financial measures. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, further adjusted for share-based compensation expense, acquisition costs, executive transition costs and other items impacting the comparability of the Company’s underlying operating performance between periods. Adjusted EBITDA margin is defined as Adjusted EBITDA for a period divided by revenue for the same period.

The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information regarding the performance of the Company and its segments to both management and investors. In addition, by excluding certain items, these non-GAAP financial measures enable management and investors to further evaluate the underlying operating performance of the Company.

Supplemental reconciliations of the Company’s consolidated net income on a GAAP basis to Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin, are presented in the following table. Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, which are provided below. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin should be considered in addition to, and not as substitutes for, or in isolation from, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

The Company does not allocate its provision for income taxes to its business segments and as a result, presents it in a separate column in the following tables.

Thirteen Weeks Ended March 1, 2025

Core Laundry

Specialty

First

(In thousands, except percentages)

Operations

Garments

Aid

Other

Total

Revenue

$

530,351

$

44,414

$

27,454

$

—

$

602,219

Net income

$

25,686

$

7,433

$

(486

)

$

(8,174

)

$

24,459

Provision for income taxes

—

—

—

8,174

8,174

Interest income, net

(2,213

)

—

—

—

(2,213

)

Depreciation and amortization

32,563

1,436

947

—

34,946

Share-based compensation expense

2,967

202

29

—

3,198

Executive transition costs

354

—

—

—

354

Adjusted EBITDA

$

59,357

$

9,071

$

490

$

—

$

68,918

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

11.2

%

20.4

%

1.8

%

11.4

%

Thirteen Weeks Ended February 24, 2024

Core Laundry

Specialty

First

(In thousands, except percentages)

Operations

Garments

Aid

Other

Total

Revenue

$

522,420

$

43,462

$

24,829

$

—

$

590,711

Net income

$

18,821

$

9,901

$

(1,004

)

$

(7,261

)

$

20,457

Provision for income taxes

—

—

—

7,261

7,261

Interest income, net

(350

)

—

—

—

(350

)

Depreciation and amortization

33,175

1,021

964

—

35,160

Share-based compensation expense

2,098

185

25

—

2,308

Adjusted EBITDA

$

53,744

$

11,107

$

(15

)

$

—

$

64,836

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

10.3

%

25.6

%

-0.1

%

11.0

%

Twenty-Six Weeks Ended March 1, 2025

Core Laundry

Specialty

First

(In thousands, except percentages)

Operations

Garments

Aid

Other

Total

Revenue

$

1,063,094

$

90,357

$

53,676

$

—

$

1,207,127

Net income

$

71,114

$

19,600

$

(145

)

$

(23,005

)

$

67,564

Provision for income taxes

—

—

—

23,005

23,005

Interest income, net

(4,908

)

—

—

—

(4,908

)

Depreciation and amortization

65,180

2,742

1,832

—

69,754

Share-based compensation expense

5,603

375

56

—

6,034

Executive transition costs

1,429

—

—

—

1,429

Adjusted EBITDA

$

138,418

$

22,717

$

1,743

$

—

$

162,878

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

13.0

%

25.1

%

3.2

%

13.5

%

Twenty-Six Weeks Ended February 24, 2024

Core Laundry

Specialty

First

(In thousands, except percentages)

Operations

Garments

Aid

Other

Total

Revenue

$

1,046,409

$

88,131

$

49,696

$

—

$

1,184,236

Net income

$

63,030

$

22,018

$

(2,075

)

$

(20,191

)

$

62,782

Provision for income taxes

—

—

—

20,191

20,191

Interest income, net

(3,184

)

—

—

—

(3,184

)

Depreciation and amortization

65,120

2,052

1,721

—

68,893

Share-based compensation expense

4,434

361

47

—

4,842

Adjusted EBITDA

$

129,400

$

24,431

$

(307

)

$

—

$

153,524

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

12.4

%

27.7

%

-0.6

%

13.0

%

Investor Relations Contact
Shane O'Connor, Executive Vice President & CFO
UniFirst Corporation
978-658-8888
shane_oconnor@unifirst.com