River Road updates 3.9% UniFirst ownership stake

River Road Asset Management, LLC filed Amendment No. 3 to its Schedule 13D on UniFirst Corp, reporting beneficial ownership of 571,761 shares, or 3.9% of the common stock.

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

River Road Asset Management, LLC filed Amendment No. 3 to its Schedule 13D on UniFirst Corp, reporting beneficial ownership of 571,761 shares, or 3.9% of the common stock. River Road is a Delaware-based SEC-registered investment adviser that used $80,107,280.22 of client funds to acquire these shares.

The position is held for investment in the ordinary course of business, with sole voting power over 481,098 shares and sole dispositive power over 571,761 shares. River Road may discuss strategy, capital allocation, and potential board nominees with UniFirst and other stakeholders but states it does not intend to seek control or manage day-to-day operations.

Insights

Equity ownership and governance analyst

Institutional holder reports 3.9% UniFirst stake with potential for active engagement.

River Road Asset Management reports owning 571,761 UniFirst common shares, or 3.9% of outstanding stock based on 14,521,268 shares as of January 2, 2026. It controls voting over 481,098 shares and can dispose of all 571,761 shares.

The firm invested $80,107,280.22 of client funds and describes the stake as for ordinary-course investment. However, it may discuss governance, capital allocation, operations, and potential board nominees with management, other shareholders, and partners, while stating it does not intend to seek control or manage daily operations.

This combination of a meaningful though sub-5% position and openness to proposing operational or governance changes suggests potential for constructive engagement. Any future shifts in ownership or disclosed proposals in later filings would clarify how actively River Road chooses to influence UniFirst’s strategic direction.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What stake in UniFirst (UNF) does River Road Asset Management report?

River Road Asset Management reports beneficial ownership of 571,761 UniFirst common shares, representing 3.9% of the outstanding stock based on 14,521,268 shares as of January 2, 2026. This makes River Road a significant institutional holder but below the 5% threshold.

How much did River Road Asset Management invest in UniFirst (UNF) shares?

River Road Asset Management used $80,107,280.22 of client funds to purchase UniFirst stock. These funds come from advisory clients under investment management agreements, where River Road has authority to invest in, dispose of, and in some cases vote the UniFirst shares.

What are River Road’s voting and dispositive powers over UniFirst (UNF) stock?

River Road has sole voting power over 481,098 UniFirst shares and sole dispositive power over 571,761 shares. It reports no shared voting or shared dispositive power, reflecting its authority under client advisory agreements covering these positions.

Why did River Road file Amendment No. 3 to its Schedule 13D on UniFirst (UNF)?

Amendment No. 3 updates River Road’s beneficial ownership and intentions regarding UniFirst common stock. The filing confirms the 3.9% stake, outlines that holdings are for investment purposes, and describes potential engagement on strategy, governance, and board nominees without intending to seek control.

Does River Road Asset Management plan to control UniFirst (UNF) or its management?

River Road explicitly states it does not intend to seek control of UniFirst or participate in day-to-day management. It may still discuss operations, capital allocation, governance, and potential board nominees with management and other stakeholders as part of its investment approach.

How does River Road describe its investment purpose in UniFirst (UNF)?

River Road says UniFirst stock was acquired for investment purposes in the ordinary course of business. It may buy, hold, trade, or sell shares for client accounts based on factors like share price, UniFirst’s operations, strategy, acquisitions, growth prospects, liquidity, and capital allocation.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

See more from StockTitan in Google Search and AI answers. Adds StockTitan as a preferred source · opens Google

Add on Google Not now

Accepted by SEC EDGAR 03/17/2026 - 02:54 PM Learn about SEC filing dates

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. 3)

UNIFIRST CORP

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock

(Title of Class of Securities)

(CUSIP Number)

Meagan N. Snyder
462 South 4th Street, Suite 2000
Louisville, KY, 40202
502-371-4100

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

03/16/2026

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§ 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

schemaVersion:

SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No.

1

Name of reporting person

River Road Asset Management, LLC

2

Check the appropriate box if a member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)
(b)

3

SEC use only

4

Source of funds (See Instructions)

OO

5

Check if disclosure of legal proceedings is required pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e)

6

Citizenship or place of organization

DELAWARE

Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With:

7	Sole Voting Power 481,098.00
8	Shared Voting Power 0.00
9	Sole Dispositive Power 571,761.00
10	Shared Dispositive Power 0.00

11

Aggregate amount beneficially owned by each reporting person

571,761.00

12

Check if the aggregate amount in Row (11) excludes certain shares (See Instructions)

13

Percent of class represented by amount in Row (11)

3.9 %

14

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

IA

SCHEDULE 13D

Item 1.	Security and Issuer
(a)	Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock
(b)	Name of Issuer: UNIFIRST CORP
(c)	Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 68 JONSPIN RD, WILMINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS , 01887.
Item 2.	Identity and Background
(a)	River Road Asset Management, LLC ("RRAM") (the "Filer").
(b)	462 South Fourth Street, Suite 2000, Louisville, KY 40202
(c)	RRAM is a Securities and Exchange Commission registered investment advisor. The name, business address, business activity and present principal occupation or employment of each executive officer and director of the Filer are set forth in Annex A, which is incorporated herein by reference.
(d)	During the last five years, none of the Filer, or the persons listed in Annex A, have been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors).
(e)	During the last five years, none of the Filer, or the persons listed in Annex A, were a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.
(f)	RRAM is organized under the laws of Delaware. The citizenship of each executive officer and director of the Filer who is a natural person is set forth in Annex A hereto, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 3.	Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration
	The source of funds used in purchasing the Stock of the Issuer is RRAM client funds for which RRAM acts as investment advisor pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between each RRAM client and RRAM. The amount of funds used in purchasing the Stock of the Issuer is $80,107,280.22.
Item 4.	Purpose of Transaction
	The Stock was acquired for investment purposes in the ordinary course of business. As such, the Filer may purchase, hold, vote, trade, dispose, sell or otherwise deal the Stock for the benefit of its clients depending on changes in the per share price of the Stock, or related to changes in the Issuer's operations, management structure, business strategy, future acquisitions, growth prospects, liquidity, capital allocation, including use of leverage, or from the sale or merger of the Issuer. The Filer may discuss such matters and specifically may discuss board of director nominees and may suggest potential board of director nominees, with the Issuer's management or directors, other shareholders, existing or potential strategic partners or competitors, investment and finance professionals, and other investors. Such analysis and discussions may result in the Filer materially modifying their ownership of the Stock. The Filer may also exchange information with the Issuer pursuant to confidentiality or similar agreements, propose changes in its operations, governance, capitalization, or propose one or more of the actions described in sections a through j of Item 4 of Schedule 13D, all in order to enhance shareholder value. The Filer does not intend to seek control of the Issuer or participate in the day-to-day management of the Issuer.
Item 5.	Interest in Securities of the Issuer
(a)	Based on 14,521,268 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer outstanding as of January 2, 2026, the Filer, or the persons listed in Annex A, may be deemed to beneficially own 571,761, or 3.9%, of the Issuer's outstanding shares of Common Stock.
(b)	The Filer, or the persons listed in Annex A, have the sole power to vote or direct the vote of 481,098 shares of the Stock and to dispose or direct the disposition of 571,761 shares of the Stock that the Filers may be deemed to beneficially own.
(c)	The Filer effected the following transactions (Found in Exhibit 3 - Transactions) in the Stock in open market transactions on the dates indicated, and such transactions are the only transactions in the Stock by the Filer during the sixty days prior to and including March 16, 2026 (date range: January 15, 2026 through March 16, 2026).
(d)	Not Applicable
(e)	March 6, 2026
Item 6.	Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships With Respect to Securities of the Issuer
	RRAM is the investment adviser to accounts of RRAM clients pursuant to investment advisory agreements between RRAM clients and RRAM. Each investment advisory agreement provides RRAM with the authority, among other things, to invest account funds in the Stock, to dispose of the Stock, and to file this statement on behalf of the account. Some, but not all, investment advisory agreements provide RRAM with the authority to vote for the Stock. The number of shares of Stock for which RRAM has sole voting power is reflected on RRAM's cover page.
Item 7.	Material to be Filed as Exhibits.
	Annex A - The name, business address, business activity, present principal occupation or employment and, if natural person, citizenship of each executive officer and director of the Filers. Exhibit 3 - Transactions for Item 5c.

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

River Road Asset Management, LLC

Signature:	Meagan N. Snyder
Name/Title:	CCO
Date:	03/17/2026