If AI Takes Your Job, This Stock Could Rip

What happens when the world starts worrying that AI might take everything?

Some people double down on tech. Others look for the things AI can’t replace.

Enter Universal Technical Institute (NYSE: UTI) — a publicly traded trade school riding the wave of rising interest in skilled labor. 

Yes, the ticker isn’t ideal ... but the thesis? It’s strong. With a Zen Rating of B, here’s why UTI could be an outperformer.

 Why UTI Is A Quiet Winner Right Now

UTI focuses on training students for trades like automotive repair, diesel, welding, and HVAC — industries where demand is rising, boomers are retiring, and robots aren’t quite ready to get under the hood.

Here's why the setup looks compelling:

The Boomer Gap Is Real – The average age of a skilled tradesperson in the U.S. is pushing 60. Many are retiring, and there’s not enough younger talent stepping in—yet.

College Costs Keep Climbing – More students are questioning whether a four-year degree is worth it. Trade school offers faster, cheaper paths to jobs with six-figure potential.

Student Interest Is Surging – A recent ECMC Group survey showed nearly half of Gen Z teens prefer career training programs over traditional college. Home services app Thumbtack found that about 9 in 10 Gen Z graduates said learning a skilled trade can be a better route to economic security than college. Trade school is having a moment.

AI Resistance – With fears that white-collar office jobs could be automated, there’s growing interest in “robot-proof” careers — hands-on, real-world work that can’t be outsourced or coded away. Yes, humanoid robots are coming too … but it’s going to be a long time before they go from doing basic factory work to replacing highly skilled trades. On the other hand, LLMs are rapidly advancing at reasoning, coding, and other knowledge-based skills. 

UTI’s Fundamentals Back It Up

UTI isn’t just a sentiment play. This is a business with strong partnerships, high ROI for students, and growing demand for what it offers.

Here are some of their top programs:

Other highlights for UTI?

• Just posted a beat-and-raise quarter
• Analysts are all in: 4 Strong Buys, 2 Buys
• Top 6% in our system for Momentum, Top 8% in Financials
• Rosenblatt’s Steve Frankel sees more upside ahead, raising his price target to $36

When it comes to top analysts that follow the stock, they see an 18% avg. increase ahead, and as high as 31% possible:

See analyst price targets here.

In addition to scoring well in Financials and Momentum, UTI also scores a B in our Sentiment Component Grade. 

This means it’s doing well on key sentiment factors like:

• Earnings surprises: Captures how actual earnings diverge from expectations.
• Short interest: Tracks the percentage of shares being shorted.
• Upward and downward earnings revisions: Indicates how analysts' expectations have shifted recently.
• Insider action: Analyzes buying or selling activity by company insiders, which can signal confidence or concern.

See UTI’s score on other Component Grades like Growth, Value, and more here.

Looking For More Stocks Built To Thrive In A Changing World?

If UTI is what’s next, what else could be? Check out our latest screeners and top-rated lists to see what other stocks are riding the right macro trends.

And remember: the future may be automated … but it still needs someone who can fix your car, or the AC.

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