UNIFIRST CORP 10-K

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES Disclosure Controls and Procedures As required by Rule 13a-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), we carried out an evaluation under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based upon their evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, solely as a result of the material weaknesses identified by management and described below, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective to ensure that material information relating to the Company required to be disclosed by the Company in reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms and to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating our disclosure controls and procedures, our management recognized that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurances of achieving the desired control objectives, and management necessarily was required to apply its judgment in designing and evaluating the controls and procedures. We continue to review our disclosure controls and procedures, and our internal control over financial reporting, and may from time to time make changes aimed at enhancing their effectiveness and to ensure that our systems evolve with our business. Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting Except for the material weaknesses identified by management and described below, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended August 31, 2024 that have materially affected, or that are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. Management’s Responsibility for Financial Statements Our management is responsible for the preparation, integrity and objectivity of our Consolidated Financial Statements and other financial information contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. Those Consolidated Financial Statements were prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. In preparing those Consolidated Financial Statements, management was required to make certain estimates and judgments, which are based upon currently available information and management’s view of current conditions and circumstances. The Audit Committee of our Board of Directors, which consists solely of independent directors, oversees our process of reporting financial information and the audit of our Consolidated Financial Statements. The Audit Committee stays informed of our financial condition and regularly reviews management’s financial policies and procedures, the independence of our independent auditors, our internal control over financial reporting and the objectivity of our financial reporting. Our independent registered public accounting firm has full access to the Audit Committee and meets with the Audit Committee periodically, both with and without management present. We have retained Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, to audit our Consolidated Financial Statements found in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31, 2024. We have made available to Ernst & Young LLP all of our financial records and related data in connection with their audit of our Consolidated Financial Statements. 73 Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Management has assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of August 31, 2024. In making its assessment, management has utilized the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (“COSO”) of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013 Framework). Management concluded that based on its assessment, our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of August 31, 2024. Material Weakness A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. As disclosed in Part II, Item 9A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2023, we previously identified a material weakness related to deficiencies in our manage change and manage access processes that were not designed and operating effectively. These deficiencies related to our CRM system and affected revenue and receivables as well as a group of legacy applications which affected revenue and receivables, supply inventory and merchandise in service. While we worked during fiscal 2024 to remediate the previously identified material weakness, we were unable to fully remediate the material weakness prior to the end of fiscal 2024 and also identified deficiencies within the manage change and manage access processes related to additional applications. The material weaknesses identified as of the end of fiscal 2024 include design and operating deficiencies in the manage change and manage access processes impacting all financially relevant business processes. Consequently, our automated and manual business process controls that rely upon information from the IT systems were also deemed ineffective because they could have been adversely impacted. Our independent registered accounting firm, Ernst & Young LLP has issued an adverse audit report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of August 31, 2024, which is included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. As a result of the identification of the material weaknesses, and prior to filing this Annual Report, along with our auditors, we performed further analysis and completed additional procedures intended to ensure our consolidated financial statements for the years ended August 31, 2024 and August 26, 2023 fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Based on these procedures and analysis, and notwithstanding the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, our management has concluded that our consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in this Annual Report fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have certified that, based on each such officer’s knowledge, the financial statements, as well as the other financial information included in this Annual Report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of, and for, the periods presented in this Annual Report. Ernst & Young LLP has issued an unqualified opinion on our financial statements, which is included in Part IV of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Remediation Our management is committed to maintaining a strong internal control environment. In response to the material weaknesses described above, management is continuing to take actions to remediate the material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting. The intended remediation actions include: (i) reassessing and redesigning our manage change and manage access processes and controls, (ii) enhancing oversight and involvement from our recently created business controls group, (iii) strengthening our internal policies related to ITGCs, (iv) enhancing training and awareness programs addressing ITGCs and policies, including further education of control owners regarding the principles and requirements of each control, (v) implementing an Identity and Access Management (IAM) system, which will provide enhanced control over the provisioning of user access 74 management, and (vi) onboarding our new CITO during the first quarter of fiscal 2025, who will oversee and inform the remediation actions. We believe that these actions, when fully implemented, will remediate the material weaknesses, however, as we continue to evaluate and improve the applicable controls, management may determine that additional remediation measures are required. The material weaknesses will not be considered remediated until applicable controls operate for a sufficient period of time and management has concluded, through testing, that these controls are operating effectively. Management is committed to successfully remediating the material weaknesses as promptly as possible. 75 Report of Independent Regist ered Public Accounting Firm To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of UniFirst Corporation Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting We have audited UniFirst Corporation and subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting as of August 31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework) (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, because of the effect of the material weaknesses described below on the achievement of the objectives of the control criteria, UniFirst Corporation (and subsidiaries) (the Company) has not maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of August 31, 2024, based on the COSO criteria. A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The following material weaknesses have been identified and included in management’s assessment. Management has identified material weaknesses related to ineffective information technology (“IT”) controls over user access and change management related to the IT systems that support all financially relevant business processes. Consequently, automated and IT dependent manual business process and transactional controls that are affected by the relevant IT systems were deemed ineffective. We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of August 31, 2024 and August 26, 2023, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended August 31, 2024, and the related notes and the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15(a) of the Company. The material weaknesses were considered in determining the nature, timing and extent of audit tests applied in our audit of the fiscal 2024 consolidated financial statements, and this report does not affect our report dated November 14, 2024, which expressed an unqualified opinion thereon. Basis for Opinion The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. 76 Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. /s/ Ernst & Young LLP Boston, Massachusetts November 14, 2024 77 ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION On July 15, 2024 , David Katz , Executive Vice President , Operations of the Company , adopted a trading arrangement for the sale of the Company’s Common Stock (the “Katz Trading Plan”) that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Securities Exchange Act Rule 10b5-1(c). The Katz Trading Plan, which has a term expiring on October 1, 2025 , provides for the sale of up to 2,667 shares of Common Stock pursuant to its terms. On August 16, 2024 , Steven S. Sintros , President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, adopted a trading arrangement for the sale of the Company’s Common Stock (the “Sintros Trading Plan”) that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Securities Exchange Act Rule 10b5-1(c). The Sintros Trading Plan, which has a term expiring on October 31, 2025 , provides for the sale of up to 3,207 shares of Common Stock pursuant to its terms. ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS Not applicable. PART III ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OF FICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE We have adopted a Statement of Corporate Policy and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which applies to our directors and all of our employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer and corporate controller. Our Statement of Corporate Policy and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available, free of charge, on our website at www.unifirst.com. Information contained on our website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or the documents incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We intend to disclose any amendment to or waiver of a provision of the Statement of Corporate Policy and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller by posting such information on our website at www.unifirst.com. Information regarding our directors and executive officers required by this Item 10 will be included in our definitive Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and is incorporated by reference into this Item 10. Certain information required by this Item 10 is set forth in Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the heading “Executive Officers”. ITEM 11. EXECUTIV E COMPENSATION Information required by this Item 11 will be included in our definitive Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and is incorporated by reference into this Item 11. 78 ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWN ERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS Equity Compensation Plan Information The following table sets forth information concerning our equity compensation plans as of August 31, 2024: Equity Compensation Plan Information Plan category Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights (1) Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights (2) Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities referenced in column (a)) (a) (b) (c) Equity compensation plans approved by security holders 432,958 $ 164.41 375,000 Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders — N/A — Total 432,958 375,000 (1) Includes shares of Common Stock issuable upon vesting of restricted stock units. (2) Restricted stock units are not included in the weighted average exercise price calculation because there is no exercise price associated with restricted stock units. Information required by this Item 12 will be included in our definitive Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and is incorporated by reference into this Item 12. ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE Information required by this Item 13 will be included in our definitive Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and is incorporated by reference into this Item 13. ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUN TANT FEES AND SERVICES Information required by this Item 14 will be included in our definitive Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and is incorporated by reference into this Item 14. Our independent public accounting firm is Ernst & Young LLP, New York, NY, PCAOB Auditor ID (PCAOB ID: 42 ). 79 PART IV ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINAN CIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES (a) The financial statements listed below are filed as part of this report: (1) and (2) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES. The items listed below are included under Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K: Consolidated Statements of Income for each of the three years in the period ended August 31, 2024 Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for each of the three years in the period ended August 31, 2024 Consolidated Balance Sheets as of August 31, 2024 and August 26, 2023 Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for each of the three years in the period ended August 31, 2024 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for each of the three years in the period ended August 31, 2024 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements Report of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm The items listed below are included under Item 9A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K: Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting Report of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm The following additional schedule is filed herewith: Schedule II—Valuation and qualifying accounts and reserves for each of the three years in the period ended August 31, 2024 UniFirst Corporation and Subsidiaries Schedule II—Valuation and qualifying accounts and reserves (In thousands) Balance at Beginning of Year Charged to Costs and Expenses Charges for Which Reserves Were Created or Deductions Balance at End of Year Reserves for Accounts Receivable August 31, 2024 $ 6,276 $ 13,976 $ ( 12,336 ) $ 7,916 August 26, 2023 $ 5,930 $ 10,740 $ ( 10,394 ) $ 6,276 August 27, 2022 $ 6,843 $ 4,369 $ ( 5,282 ) $ 5,930 Separate financial statements of the Company have been omitted because the Company is primarily an operating company and all subsidiaries included in the Consolidated Financial Statements are totally held. All other schedules have been omitted since the required information is not present or not present in amounts sufficient to require submission of the schedule, or because the information required is included in the financial statements or the notes thereto. 80 (3) EXHIBITS. The list of exhibits filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K is set forth below. DESCRIPTION 3.1 Restated Articles of Organization (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on July 5, 2006) 3.2 Articles of Amendment dated January 13, 1988 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on July 5, 2006) 3.3 Articles of Amendment dated January 21, 1993 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on July 5, 2006) 3.4 By-laws (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 10, 2008) 4.1 Specimen Stock Certificate for Shares of Common Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on July 5, 2006) 4.2 Description of securities (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on October 30, 2019) *10.1 UniFirst Corporation Unfunded Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan as restated January 11, 2017 to incorporate and consolidate all previous amendments thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on April 4, 2017) *10.2 UniFirst Corporation 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 14, 2011) *10.3 Form of Stock Appreciation Right Award Agreement for Company Employees under the UniFirst Corporation 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 14, 2011) *10.4 Form of Stock Appreciation Right Agreement for Non-Employee Directors under the UniFirst Corporation 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 14, 2011) *10.5 Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement for Company Employees under the UniFirst Corporation 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 14, 2011) *10.6 Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement for Non-Employee Directors under the UniFirst Corporation 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 14, 2011) 10.7 Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, by and among UniFirst Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries, as Borrowers, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer, the other lenders party thereto, BofA Securities, Inc., as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Manager, Santander Bank, N.A., as Syndication Agent and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Documentation Agent. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on April 1, 2021) * 10.8 UniFirst Corporation CEO Cash Incentive Bonus Plan, as amended (incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Commission on December 3, 2013) *10.9 UniFirst Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Commission on December 2, 2014) . *10.10 Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement under the UniFirst Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on December 20, 2017) *10.11 Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement under the UniFirst Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (with respect to performance-based restricted stock unit awards) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on January 3, 2019) *10.12 UniFirst Corporation Amendment No. 1 to Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on April 4, 2018) 81 *10.13 UniFirst Corporation Amendment No. 2 to Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on April 4, 2019) *10.14 Form of Stock Appreciation Right Award for Company Employees under the UniFirst Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on January 9, 2020) *10.15 Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award for Company Employees under the UniFirst Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on January 9, 2020) *10.16 UniFirst Corporation Executive Employment Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.19 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on October 28, 2020) *10.17 Form of Stock Appreciation Right Award for eligible participants under the UniFirst Corporation Executive Employment Plan pursuant to the UniFirst Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.20 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on October 28, 2020) *10.18 Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award for eligible participants under the UniFirst Corporation Executive Employment Plan pursuant to the UniFirst Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on October 28, 2020) *10.19 Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award for eligible participants under the UniFirst Corporation Executive Employment Plan pursuant to the UniFirst Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (with respect to performance-based restricted stock unit awards) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.22 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on October 28, 2020) *10.20 UniFirst Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 14, 2022) . *10.21 Form of Stock Appreciation Right Award for eligible participants under the UniFirst Corporation Executive Employment Plan pursuant to the UniFirst Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on January 6, 2022) *10.22 Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award for eligible participants under the UniFirst Corporation Executive Employment Plan pursuant to the UniFirst Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on January 6, 2022) *10.23 Form of Stock Appreciation Right Award for employees (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.3 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on January 6, 2022) *10.24 Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award for employees (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.4 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on January 6, 2022) *10.25 Form of Stock Appreciation Right Award for Directors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.5 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on January 6, 2022) *10.36 UniFirst Corporation 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 12, 2024) 19.1 UniFirst Corporation Insider Trading Policy (filed herewith) 19.2 UniFirst Corporation Special Trading Procedures for Insiders (filed herewith) 21 List of Subsidiaries (filed herewith) 23.1 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (filed herewith) 31.1 Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of Steven S. Sintros (filed herewith) 82 31.2 Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of Shane O’Connor (filed herewith) 32.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith) 32.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith) 99.1 Amendment No. 1 to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated March 9, 2023, by and among UniFirst Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries, as Borrowers, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer, and the other lenders party thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 17, 2023) 101 The following financial information from UniFirst Corporation Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024 formatted in Inline XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language) includes: (i) the Consolidated Statements of Income, (ii) the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, (iii) the Consolidated Balance Sheets, (iv) the Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity, (v) the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, and (vi) Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. 104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL with the applicable taxonomy extension information contained in Exhibits 101. *) (filed herewith) * Management contract, compensatory plan or arrangement ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY Not Applicable. 83 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. UniFirst Corporation By: /s/ Steven S. Sintros Steven S. Sintros President and Chief Executive Officer November 14, 2024 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated. NAME TITLE DATE /s/ Steven S. Sintros President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) November 14, 2024 Steven S. Sintros /s/ Shane O’Connor Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) November 14, 2024 Shane O’Connor /s/ Cynthia Croatti Director November 14, 2024 Cynthia Croatti /s/ Cecilia McKenney Director November 14, 2024 Cecilia McKenney /s/ Michael Iandoli Director November 14, 2024 Michael Iandoli /s/ Joseph Nowicki Director November 14, 2024 Joseph Nowicki /s/ Sergio A. Pupkin Director November 14, 2024 Sergio A. Pupkin /s/ Raymond C. Zemlin Chairman of the Board of Directors November 14, 2024 Raymond C. Zemlin 84