Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Reported revenue for Q4 2025 was $712 million, normalized to approximately $660 million when excluding a $52 million benefit from an additional operating week, representing a decline of $24 million or 3.5% year-over-year [12][13] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q4 was $65 million, with an adjusted margin of 9.1%, down from 11.8% in the same quarter last year [16][20] - Full-year effective tax rate for 2025 was 9.2%, with an expected range of 25-30% for 2026 [15][16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Rental revenue decreased by $18 million, while direct sales revenue fell by $5 million, contributing to the overall revenue decline [12][13] - Business retention measured in revenue dollars was 91.8% at the end of Q4, flat compared to the previous quarter [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The normalized revenue impact from churn or lost business was approximately $60 million compared to the same quarter in the prior year [12][13] - The company plans to stabilize revenue by implementing strategic pricing and increasing penetration with existing customers [20][67] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company has initiated a multi-year business transformation plan focusing on commercial excellence, operational excellence, and asset and network optimization [4][18] - The transformation plan aims to generate run-rate operating cost savings of at least $75 million by the end of 2026 [18][19] - The company is committed to improving customer service quality and operational efficiency to drive sustainable growth [10][24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the transformation plan, emphasizing that 2026 will mark the beginning of a stronger, more resilient company [22][24] - The company anticipates revenue for fiscal 2026 to be flat to down 2% compared to normalized fiscal 2025 revenue, with adjusted EBITDA expected to range from $285 million to $315 million [19][20] Other Important Information - The company generated $31 million in operating cash flow and $16 million in free cash flow during the quarter, reflecting improvements over the previous quarter [17] - Net debt at the end of the fiscal quarter was $1.34 billion, with no debt maturities until 2028 [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Regarding the cultural transformation and team readiness - Management acknowledged the importance of culture in the transformation and expressed confidence in having the right team in place to execute the strategic transformation [26][32] Question: Financial framework for mid to long term growth - Management indicated that more details about financial performance beyond 2026 would be available as the company executes its plans in the early quarters of 2026 [33] Question: Logistics and network rationalization - Management clarified that the focus is on optimizing existing plants before making decisions about consolidating capacity in certain regions [35][36] Question: Free cash flow guidance for fiscal 2026 - Management provided details on the assumptions behind the $50-$60 million free cash flow guidance, including capital expenditures and working capital considerations [46][51] Question: Employee engagement and turnover trends - Management recognized the challenges faced by employees and emphasized the need to improve engagement levels as part of the transformation [78][81] Question: Strategic pricing initiatives - Management highlighted the differences in the new pricing strategy, focusing on aligning service quality with pricing decisions to reduce churn and improve customer retention [70][86]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Full-year revenues for fiscal 2025 reached $2.432 billion, a 2.1% increase compared to fiscal 2024 after adjusting for an additional week of operations in the previous year [5][21] - Consolidated revenues in Q4 2025 were $614.4 million, down from $639.9 million in the prior year, with a revenue growth of approximately 3.4% when excluding the extra week in fiscal 2024 [21][22] - Consolidated operating income for Q4 2025 was $49.6 million, compared to $54 million in the prior year, while net income decreased to $41 million or $2.23 per diluted share from $44.6 million or $2.39 per diluted share [21][22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Uniform and Facility Service Solutions revenues for Q4 2025 were $560.1 million, a decrease of 4.4% from Q4 2024, with organic growth of approximately 2.9% [23][24] - First Aid and Safety Solutions segment revenues in Q4 2025 increased to $31.1 million, with organic growth of 12.4% driven by the segment's van business [25] - Revenues from the Other segment, which includes nuclear services, were $23.3 million, a decrease of 5.3% from Q4 2024 due to lower activity in North American nuclear operations [26] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced notable improvements in customer retention in fiscal 2025 after two years of elevated lost business, with positive trends in key leading indicators such as NPS scores [7] - The employment environment has impacted parts of the customer base, leading to fluctuations in wear-in numbers and overall growth rates [7][12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to drive organic growth to mid-single digits and improve EBITDA margins into the high teens over the next couple of years [16] - Investments in technology and organizational initiatives are expected to enhance operational efficiency and scalability, particularly through the implementation of the Oracle ERP system [11][31] - The company is focusing on enhancing customer experience and operational excellence through the introduction of the UniFirst Way, a collection of service-focused procedures [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the ability to drive meaningful improvements in overall profitability despite expected temporary setbacks in fiscal 2026 [14][16] - The impact of tariffs is anticipated to escalate in fiscal 2026, but the company believes it is well-positioned to navigate the evolving trade situation [12][13] - Management highlighted the importance of patience and thoughtful execution in addressing current sourcing and cost environments [16] Other Important Information - The company made significant investments in capital expenditures totaling $154.3 million in fiscal 2025, focusing on facility additions and system updates [26] - The company plans to continue deploying cash flows for strategic investments, including infrastructure enhancements and share buyback programs [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you confirm the drivers for the guided 2.6% organic growth for Uniform and Facility Service Solutions? - Management indicated that while there is momentum in sales and retention, the economic outlook and fluctuations in employment cycles are contributing factors to the current organic growth outlook [34][35] Question: What are the expected impacts on margins for 2026? - Management noted that tariffs, sales and service investments, and digital transformation costs are expected to impact margins, with operational efficiencies anticipated to provide some offsets [37][38] Question: Will benefits from sales and service investments be realized in 2026? - Management clarified that while some benefits from sales and service investments will begin to materialize in 2026, significant ERP-enabled benefits are expected to emerge in 2027 and beyond [45][46] Question: How do you expect pricing dynamics to evolve in 2026? - Management acknowledged that pricing remains challenging due to inflation and tariffs, but they anticipate working through these dynamics with customers [53][54] Question: What is the expected impact of the nuclear services business in fiscal 2026? - Management expects a wind-down of a large project in the first quarter, with normal seasonality affecting the nuclear business throughout the year [75][76]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Full-year revenues for fiscal 2025 reached $2.432 billion, a 2.1% increase compared to fiscal 2024 after adjusting for an additional week of operations in the previous year [5] - Consolidated revenues in Q4 2025 were $614.4 million, down from $639.9 million in the prior year, with a revenue growth of approximately 3.4% when excluding the extra week in fiscal 2024 [18][21] - Consolidated operating income for Q4 2025 was $49.6 million, compared to $54 million in the prior year, while net income decreased to $41 million or $2.23 per diluted share from $44.6 million or $2.39 per diluted share [18] - Consolidated adjusted EBITDA for Q4 2025 was $88.1 million, down from $95 million in the prior year [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Uniform and Facility Service Solutions revenues for Q4 2025 were $560.1 million, a decrease of 4.4% from Q4 2024, with organic growth of approximately 2.9% [21][22] - First Aid and Safety Solutions segment revenues in Q4 2025 increased to $31.1 million, with organic growth of 12.4% driven by the segment's van business [23] - Revenues from the Other segment, which includes nuclear services, were $23.3 million, a decrease of 5.3% from Q4 2024 due to lower activity in North American nuclear operations [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted improvements in customer retention and key performance metrics, despite a softer employment environment impacting parts of its customer base [6][12] - The company experienced notable improvements in retention after two years of elevated lost business, with positive trends in NPS scores and customers under contract [6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to drive organic growth to mid-single digits and improve EBITDA margins into the high teens over the next couple of years [14] - Investments in technology and organizational initiatives are expected to enhance operational efficiency and scalability, particularly through the implementation of the Oracle ERP system [10][30] - The company is focusing on enhancing customer experience and operational excellence through the introduction of the UniFirst Way, a collection of service-focused procedures [7] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the ability to drive meaningful improvements in overall profitability, despite expecting a temporary step back in profitability for fiscal 2026 due to ongoing investments [12][14] - The impact of tariffs is anticipated to escalate in fiscal 2026, with management taking steps to minimize cost increases through strategic sourcing and collaboration with customers [11][27] - The company expects to see continued improvements in customer retention and sales effectiveness, which are crucial for future growth [33][42] Other Important Information - The company generated solid cash flows from operating activities totaling $296.9 million in fiscal 2025, with capital expenditures of $154.3 million [24][25] - The company plans to continue strategic investments, including infrastructure enhancements and automation initiatives, to promote growth and efficiency [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you confirm the drivers for the guided 2.6% organic growth for Uniform and Facility Service Solutions? - Management indicated that while there is momentum in sales and retention, the economic outlook and fluctuations in employment cycles are contributing factors to the current guidance [32][34] Question: What are the factors impacting margins for 2026? - Management highlighted tariffs, sales and service investments, and digital transformation costs as primary factors affecting margins, with expectations for operational efficiency to provide some offsets [35][36] Question: Will benefits from investments in sales and service be realized in 2026? - Management stated that while some benefits from sales and service investments will begin to materialize in 2026, significant improvements from ERP-related investments are expected to be realized in 2027 and beyond [40][42] Question: What is the expected impact of tariffs on pricing and client bases? - Management noted that the pricing environment remains challenging due to tariffs and inflation, but they anticipate working through these dynamics with customers [46][50] Question: Can you provide insights on the nuclear services segment's expected performance? - Management expects a wind-down of a large project in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, which will impact the nuclear services segment's performance, particularly in the first quarter [66][68]

Group 1 - Jack Ma has been increasingly seen wearing work uniforms, indicating a possible shift in his understanding of their significance [2]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 2% increase in sales year-over-year, reaching $760 million, with organic constant currency sales consistent with the prior year [24][25] - Gross margin improved by 165 basis points to 41.6%, while operating margin expanded by 390 basis points to 10.7% [25] - Earnings per share (EPS) surged by 240% compared to the previous year, reaching $0.07, primarily driven by higher margins and lower interest expenses due to significant debt reduction [25][26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The intimate apparel category faced a mid-teens decline, while other segments showed growth: Basics grew low single digits, Active grew mid single digits, and new businesses, including scrubs and loungewear, increased by 60% [10][11] - Operating margin expansion was supported by cost restructuring actions, with approximately 60% of the margin improvement coming from lower selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses [11][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - International sales increased by 4% on an organic constant currency basis, driven by growth in Australia and Asia, while U.S. sales decreased by 1% [10] - The U.S. market accounts for roughly 75% of sales, with two-thirds of those being basic products, which typically perform better in tough economic conditions [13][28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a transformation strategy that includes cost reductions, pricing actions, and leveraging strong retailer relationships to capture new revenue opportunities [6][7] - The management emphasized the importance of their diversified supply chain and the ability to shift production to mitigate tariff impacts, with zero exposure to China [15][38] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in mitigating tariff impacts and highlighted that the current tariff environment presents both challenges and opportunities [16][30] - The company expects continued margin expansion and operating profit growth in the second quarter, with sales projected at approximately $970 million [27][30] Other Important Information - The company reduced over $1 billion in debt last year, which contributed to lower interest expenses and improved financial health [9][26] - The company has a strong asset base and competitive advantages that position it well for future growth and shareholder returns [22][31] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the effective tariff rate and revenue opportunities? - Management stated they can fully mitigate tariff headwinds, with tariffs not expected to impact until Q4, and emphasized their proactive approach to managing costs and pricing [34][36] Question: What are you seeing in the market regarding inventory management and competitor pricing? - Management noted that retailers are managing inventory tightly and there haven't been significant price moves in the market, but they are prepared for strategic pricing actions [49][54] Question: What is the outlook for the women's business and market share? - Management clarified that the weakness is primarily in the intimate apparel category, which is typical in tough economic environments, but they are optimistic about growth in other segments [58][63]