CECO Environmental Corp. (CECO) vs UniFirst Corporation (UNF)
A side-by-side comparison of CECO Environmental Corp. and UniFirst Corporation across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of September 1, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
CECO
CECO Environmental Corp.
$71.20IndustrialsAt close: Aug 31, 2026, 4:00 PM ET
UNF
UniFirst Corporation
$276.60IndustrialsAt close: Aug 31, 2026, 4:00 PM ET
Total return — CECO vs UNF
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yCECO +1010.1% (+27.2%/yr)UNF +121.8% (+8.3%/yr)CECO compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CECO UNF
CECO vs UNF: by the numbers
- •UNF is the larger company ($5.03B vs $4.16B market cap).
- •UNF is profitable (4.65% net margin) while CECO runs a net loss (-2.98%).
- •CECO grew revenue faster over the past five years (24.02% vs 6.85% CAGR).
- •UNF pays a dividend (0.52% yield), while CECO is a former payer with no current dividend run rate.
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CECO | UNF |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | N/A | 43.63 |
| Forward P/E | 31.96 | 37.17 |
| P/S ratio | 3.38 | 2.02 |
| P/B ratio | 1.49 | 2.29 |
| EV / EBITDA | 90.63 | 17.17 |
| FCF yield | 0.16% | 1.73% |
Profitability
| Metric | CECO | UNF |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 32.66% | 36.68% |
| Operating margin | 1.14% | 5.77% |
| Net margin | -2.98% | 4.65% |
| ROE | -1.31% | 5.27% |
| ROIC | 0.34% | 4.40% |
Dividends
| Metric | CECO | UNF |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | N/A | 0.52% |
| Payout ratio | N/A | 17.35% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CECO | UNF |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 24.02% | 6.85% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 43.92% | 2.23% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | N/A | 2.17% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 56.65% | 4.56% |
Frequently asked
- Which has grown faster, CECO or UNF?
- Over the past five years, CECO grew revenue faster — CECO at a 24.02% CAGR versus UNF at 6.85%.
- Does CECO or UNF pay a bigger dividend?
- UNF pays a dividend (0.52% yield), while CECO is a former payer with no current dividend run rate.
- Is CECO or UNF more profitable?
- UNF runs the higher net margin — CECO at -2.98% versus UNF at 4.65%.
- How have CECO and UNF total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, CECO delivered 27.49% and UNF delivered 8.51% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
UniFirst P/E ratioUniFirst dividend yieldCECO Environmental ROEUniFirst ROECECO Environmental operating marginUniFirst operating marginCECO Environmental revenue growthUniFirst revenue growthCECO Environmental free cash flowUniFirst free cash flow
CECO Environmental & UniFirst appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified September 1, 2026.