Cintas Corporation

Cintas supplies work uniforms and the services that keep workplaces clean and safe to more than one million businesses, from small service firms and manufacturers to major corporations. Its lineup runs from uniforms, mats, mops and shop towels to restroom supplies, workplace water, first aid products, defibrillators, safety training, fire extinguishers and sprinkler and alarm testing. The U.S. produced over 90% of revenue; most of the rest comes from Canada.

Revenue was $11.26 billion in the fiscal year ended May 31, 2026, up 8.9%. The Uniform Rental and Facility Services segment, which also includes restroom cleaning and supplies, brought in 76.5%. Cintas owns the garments, mats and towels, cleans them in its plants and delivers them on local routes, so customers pay for an ongoing service. First Aid and Safety Services added 12.4%, Fire Protection Services 8.2% and direct uniform sales 2.9%.

At May 31, 2026, Cintas ran about 12,500 delivery routes, 484 operating facilities and 12 distribution centers, and it made standard uniforms in five of its own factories. No customer accounts for more than 1% of revenue. In March 2026 it agreed to buy UniFirst, a North American uniform and facility services rival, in a deal valued at about $5.5 billion that Cintas expected to close in the second half of calendar 2026.

• In Q1 FY2027 (ended Aug 31, 2026), revenue was $3.01B, up 10.9% from a year earlier, and net income was $551.7M (+12.3%).
• For fiscal 2026, revenue was $11.26B (+8.9% year over year; +9.6% a year from FY2021 to FY2026) with a 17.8% net margin.

• Over FY2022–FY2026: $4.51B in buybacks and $2.67B in dividends.
• Regular dividend per share increased 4 years in a row.
• Regular dividends per share grew +7.5% a year over 5 years (FY2021–FY2026).
• Dividends took 35.1% of earnings and 37.3% of free cash flow in the latest fiscal year.
• Shares outstanding changed -4.3% from Dec 31, 2021 to Sep 30, 2026.

Rank among 1514 US companies

Market value at each year end

Cintas’s market value went from $12.13B at the end of 2016 to $89.25B on Nov 2, 2026, about 7.4 times as much; since the end of 2025 it is up 19%.

Form 4 filings from 2025-10-31 to 2026-10-31 (25 read): 0 open-market purchases and 2 sales ($2.7M).

Large shareholders (13G filings)

ETFs with the most weight in CTAS

1. The UniFirst deal may stall or disappoint. The roughly $5.5 billion UniFirst purchase had not closed by July 29, 2026. Competition regulators could block it or impose conditions, and combining the businesses could cost more or deliver less than planned.
2. New shares and distraction during the deal. UniFirst holders get $155 cash plus 0.772 Cintas shares per share. Issuing those shares shrinks existing owners' slice of the company, and the pending deal can divert management's attention and restrict some decisions.
3. Crowded local markets and do-it-yourself customers. Cintas's markets are local and split among many rivals, from national providers to small local firms and online sellers. Customers can also bring services in-house, which can squeeze prices and customer counts.
4. Fuel, energy and tariff costs. Cintas runs about 12,500 delivery routes and 484 facilities, so fuel and energy prices matter. It sources many finished products from outside suppliers, and tariffs or supply problems can raise costs.
5. Hiring, keeping staff and labor relations. Cintas calls its workers employee-partners. Trouble filling key roles, higher labor and medical costs, or union organizing efforts could raise expenses and disrupt operations. Breaking pay, safety or discrimination rules can bring penalties.
6. A slowdown can reduce customer demand. Cintas serves more than one million businesses, mostly in the U.S. If the economy weakens, customers may spend less or close, lowering sales volumes. Inflation and higher interest rates can also weigh on results.

• Oct 30, 2026 Shareholder vote results
• Oct 6, 2026 Other company announcement
• Sep 23, 2026 Quarterly results released
• Aug 27, 2026 Executive or board change
• Aug 3, 2026 Executive or board change
• Jul 15, 2026 Quarterly results released
• Jun 12, 2026 Other company announcement
• Mar 31, 2026 Major agreement signed; Major agreement ended; New debt or financial obligation
• Mar 25, 2026 Quarterly results released
• Mar 11, 2026 Major agreement signed; Investor presentation or announcement; Other company announcement

Cintas pays a dividend, but a small one: the yield was 0.88% as of October 28, 2026, so it adds little income. Adjusted for the 2024 four-for-one stock split, dividends per share rose four fiscal years in a row, from $0.95 in fiscal 2022 to $1.80 in fiscal 2026. Fiscal 2021's figure was higher, about $1.25; growth since then averaged 7.5% a year. Fiscal 2026 dividends used 35% of earnings and 37% of free cash flow (cash left after running and investing in the business). Cintas spent more on buybacks, $4.51 billion over fiscal 2022–2026, than on dividends, $2.67 billion.

The stock has fallen hard in downturns. It lost about 50% between October 2007 and March 2009 and took about 33 months to recover. It fell about 48% in the 2020 COVID crash but recovered in about four months. In 2022 it dropped about 20% and recovered in under two months. Single stocks carry more risk than diversified funds.