New York, Feb 11, 2026, 06:51 (EST) — Premarket
UniFirst Corp surged 15% to $230.01 in New York trading Tuesday, after Bloomberg News said the uniform supplier is deep in talks to be bought out by bigger competitor Cintas, according to sources close to the deal. Cintas picked up 2.3%, closing at $199.31.
This report puts the deal back in play—a saga that’s been stop and start—and suddenly there’s a reference price to anchor UniFirst shares again. Investors are left puzzling over the board’s intentions. The stock remains under the offer price, a gap that typically points to skepticism about whether the timing or terms will hold up.
Right now, it’s all about one thing: confirmation. Any fresh statement, a regulatory filing, or even a subtle shift in wording—if it comes from either camp—could easily jolt the stock as soon as U.S. markets open.
Back in December, Cintas put forward a non-binding offer to acquire UniFirst at $275 per share in cash, putting UniFirst’s total value near $5.2 billion. “We are reaffirming our commitment to move swiftly to complete a transaction,” CEO Todd Schneider said. The pitch includes a $350 million reverse termination fee—intended as a payout if regulators block the deal—and Cintas said financing wouldn’t be a hurdle. Default
UniFirst acknowledged the proposal’s arrival and said its board brought in outside advisers for the review. The company isn’t planning more statements until that process wraps up, adding that shareholders aren’t expected to act for now.
UniFirst Chief Executive Steven Sintros addressed the board’s review of the proposal on a January earnings call, saying independent legal and financial advisers had been brought in. An update, he said, would follow once the process wrapped up. Management shut the door on further questions about the matter.
Things got wild on Tuesday. UniFirst jumped out of the gate at $232.40, surged to $241.32, and by the close, slipped back to $230.01. Volume exploded to 753,666 shares—roughly quadruple Monday’s level.
Another trigger turned up in filings. According to an SEC Form 4, UniFirst’s executive vice president Ross William Masters unloaded 1,128 shares at $201.38 each on Feb. 9. The transaction ran through a Rule 10b5-1 plan—one of those preset trading schedules—the document notes the plan itself was set up back on Nov. 10, 2025.
Takeover chatter tends to disappear just as fast as it surfaces. With both companies active in uniform rentals and related services, regulators would likely examine any potential deal closely. And talks can freeze up abruptly, no warning necessary.
Investors want something tangible: a board statement, a new offer, or maybe a filing that lays out a timeline. UniFirst is set to report its next quarter around April 1, which might also trigger fresh disclosures if negotiations are ongoing.
