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Cintas Corp.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 15 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter revenue grew 8.9%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $2.91 billion, up from $2.67 billion; organic growth, excluding acquisitions and currency effects, was 8.4%. Source
  • Operating income rose 12.7%: Operating income was $673.0 million, or 23.2% of revenue versus 22.4%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.29, up 18.3%; diluted EPS was $1.26, up 15.6%. Source
  • Gross margin reached all-time high: Gross margin was 51.0% of revenue in the fourth quarter, up from 49.7%, and 50.7% for fiscal 2026, up from 50.0%; both are described as all-time highs. Source
  • Adjusted EPS guidance range set: Fiscal 2027 adjusted diluted EPS is expected at $5.36 to $5.50, up 8.5% to 11.3% from $4.94. The company has not reconciled this to GAAP EPS because UniFirst costs cannot be estimated. Source
  • Shareholders approved UniFirst deal: UniFirst shareholders voted to approve the acquisition on June 11, 2026; Cintas and UniFirst also each received an FTC request for additional information. Source
  • Returned $1.65 billion to shareholders: Cintas returned $1.65 billion in fiscal 2026 through buybacks and dividends; the cash flow statement shows $952.1 million of repurchases and $701.5 million of dividends paid. Source

“These results conclude an outstanding year for Cintas. We delivered record revenues and operating margins.”

Todd M. Schneider, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total revenue Sourcefiscal 2027$12.10 billion to $12.25 billionNew
Workday-adjusted revenue growth Sourcefiscal 20277.0% to 8.3%New
Workdays Sourcefiscal 2027261 workdaysNew
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefiscal 2027$5.36 to $5.50New
Interest, net Sourcefiscal 2027approximately $105.0 millionNew
Effective tax rate Sourcefiscal 202720.2%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: First fiscal 2027 revenue guidance in this release: $12.10 billion to $12.25 billion. Source
  • New guidance: First fiscal 2027 adjusted diluted EPS guidance in this release: $5.36 to $5.50. Source
  • New guidance: First fiscal 2027 effective tax rate guidance: 20.2%, the same as fiscal 2026. Source
  • New: UniFirst shareholders approved the acquisition on June 11, 2026; Cintas and UniFirst each received an FTC request for additional information. Source

Fourth quarter and full-year results

  • Fourth-quarter revenue grew 8.9%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $2.91 billion, up from $2.67 billion; organic growth, excluding acquisitions and currency effects, was 8.4%. Source
  • Operating income rose 12.7%: Operating income was $673.0 million, or 23.2% of revenue versus 22.4%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.29, up 18.3%; diluted EPS was $1.26, up 15.6%. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 revenue reached $11.26 billion: Fiscal 2026 revenue was $11.26 billion, up 8.9%, with organic growth of 8.3%. Operating income was $2.61 billion, up 10.5%, at a 23.1% margin. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 diluted EPS was $4.91: Diluted EPS was $4.91, up 11.6%; adjusted diluted EPS, excluding $0.03 of UniFirst transaction expenses, was $4.94, up 12.3%. Source

Segment results

  • Uniform rental segment revenue and profit rose: Uniform Rental and Facility Services revenue was $2,197.7 million, up from $2,030.7 million, with operating income of $529.5 million versus $465.1 million. Source
  • First Aid and Safety profit rose: First Aid and Safety Services revenue was $368.1 million, up from $324.4 million; operating income was $98.6 million, up from $76.7 million. Source
  • All Other revenue and income increased: All Other revenue was $339.4 million, up from $312.6 million, and its operating income was $59.0 million, up from $55.7 million. Source
  • Full-year uniform segment profit rose: For fiscal 2026, Uniform Rental and Facility Services operating income was $2,077.0 million, up from $1,873.4 million; First Aid and Safety was $353.4 million. Source

“Our all-time high gross margin reflects the outstanding performance of our employee-partners and the clear impact of our investments in technology, capacity and talent.”

Todd M. Schneider, President and Chief Executive Officer

Gross margin and net margin

  • Gross margin reached all-time high: Gross margin was 51.0% of revenue in the fourth quarter, up from 49.7%, and 50.7% for fiscal 2026, up from 50.0%; both are described as all-time highs. Source
  • Both rental and other margins rose: Uniform rental and facility services gross margin was 50.2% versus 49.0%; other gross margin was 53.4% versus 52.0% in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Net income margin rose in quarter: Net income margin was 17.6% versus 16.8% in the quarter, and 17.8% for fiscal 2026 versus 17.5%. Source

Costs, tax and interest

  • Selling and administrative costs up 8.9%: Selling and administrative expenses were $793.2 million in the quarter, up from $728.5 million; for fiscal 2026 they were $3.09 billion, up 9.7%. Source
  • Cost of other rose faster than revenue: For fiscal 2026, cost of uniform rental and facility services rose 6.7% and cost of other rose 10.6%, compared with total revenue growth of 8.9%. Source
  • Effective tax rate fell to 21.2%: The effective tax rate was 21.2% in the quarter versus 22.1%; management said discrete items, mainly stock-based compensation tax accounting, affected both quarters. Source
  • Interest expense rose to $25.8 million: Interest expense was $25.8 million, up from $24.1 million; operating income in the quarter includes UniFirst transaction costs. Source

“We are excited about the substantial value we expect to create for shareholders and customers through the UniFirst transaction, and we look forward to welcoming UniFirst Team Partners to Cintas once the transaction is complete.”

Todd M. Schneider, President and Chief Executive Officer

Fiscal 2027 guidance

  • Adjusted EPS guidance range set: Fiscal 2027 adjusted diluted EPS is expected at $5.36 to $5.50, up 8.5% to 11.3% from $4.94. The company has not reconciled this to GAAP EPS because UniFirst costs cannot be estimated. Source
  • Workday count adds to revenue: Fiscal 2027 has one more workday than fiscal 2026. Workday-adjusted revenue growth is expected at 7.0% to 8.3%. Source
  • Interest and tax guidance set: Interest, net is expected near $105.0 million, up from $101.2 million, mainly from amortizing UniFirst bridge loan financing costs; the effective tax rate is expected at 20.2%. Source

UniFirst acquisition

  • Shareholders approved UniFirst deal: UniFirst shareholders voted to approve the acquisition on June 11, 2026; Cintas and UniFirst also each received an FTC request for additional information. Source
  • Transaction costs booked to date: Transaction expenses were $14.0 million in the fourth quarter and $15.1 million for fiscal 2026, both included in operating income. Source
  • Interest estimate excludes deal funding: The interest estimate does not include debt or commercial paper funding for the UniFirst purchase or for future share buybacks. Source

Cash flow and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow rose to $2.28 billion: Net cash from operations was $2.28 billion versus $2.17 billion; capital expenditures were $395.1 million, 3.5% of revenue, and acquisitions totaled $164.5 million. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $1.88 billion: Free cash flow, a non-GAAP measure management uses to assess performance, was $1.88 billion versus $1.76 billion for fiscal 2025. Source
  • Returned $1.65 billion to shareholders: Cintas returned $1.65 billion in fiscal 2026 through buybacks and dividends; the cash flow statement shows $952.1 million of repurchases and $701.5 million of dividends paid. Source
  • Quarterly dividend of $180.7 million: The company paid an aggregate quarterly dividend of $180.7 million to shareholders on June 15, 2026. Source

Balance sheet

  • Short-term debt now $999.0 million: Debt due within one year was $999.0 million at May 31, 2026, versus nil a year earlier; debt due after one year fell to $1.43 billion from $2.42 billion. Source
  • Cash balance rose to $289.0 million: Cash and cash equivalents were $289.0 million at May 31, 2026, up from $264.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • Goodwill and equity both rose: Goodwill was $3.54 billion, up from $3.40 billion; total shareholders' equity was $5.14 billion, up from $4.68 billion. Source
  • Shares outstanding declined: Shares outstanding were 400,147 at May 31, 2026, versus 402,948 a year earlier. Source

Demand and macro conditions

  • Management cites dynamic macro environment: Management said organic growth of 8.3% shows its ability to deliver results in a dynamic macro environment. Source
  • Customer base over one million: Cintas says it helps more than one million businesses of all types and sizes, across uniforms, mats, first aid, safety and related services. Source
  • Guidance assumes constant currency: Revenue guidance assumes constant foreign currency rates and no future acquisitions, and excludes the expected impacts of UniFirst. Source

Coming up, as management said on 15 July 2026

  • UniFirst closing expected second half: Management still expects the UniFirst acquisition to close in the second half of calendar 2026. Source
  • Welcoming UniFirst team partners: Management looks forward to welcoming UniFirst Team Partners to Cintas after the transaction is complete. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Cintas and UniFirst each received a request for additional information from the FTC; management said both developments were expected. Source
  • Financial: Expected interest does not include financing for the UniFirst purchase or future buybacks, so the cost of that financing is not in the estimate. Source
  • Financial: Management said uncertainty and variability of UniFirst transaction costs could be material to GAAP results and prevent a GAAP reconciliation of guidance. Source
  • Demand: Adjusted EPS guidance does not include the impact of significant economic disruptions or downturn, or future share buybacks. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said the shareholder vote and the FTC second request were expected; the vote is reported as held on June 11, 2026. Source
  • Not stated: The March release raised fiscal 2026 revenue and adjusted EPS expectations; this release reports fiscal 2026 revenue of $11.26 billion and adjusted diluted EPS of $4.94.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.