Cintas Corporation Announces Fiscal 2025 First Quarter Results
CINCINNATI, September 25, 2024 -- Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS) today reported results for its fiscal 2025 first quarter ended August 31, 2024. Revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 was $2.50 billion compared to $2.34 billion in last year’s first quarter. First quarter revenue growth was 6.8%, which was negatively impacted by one less workday in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2024. On a same workday basis, first quarter revenue growth was 8.4%. The organic revenue growth rate for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, which adjusts for the impacts of acquisitions, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and differences in the number of workdays, was 8.0%.
Gross margin for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 was $1.25 billion compared to $1.14 billion in last year’s first quarter, an increase of 9.7%. Gross margin as a percentage of revenue was 50.1% for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 compared to 48.7% in last year's first quarter, an increase of 140 basis points. Energy expenses comprised of gasoline, natural gas and electricity were 20 basis points lower for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 compared to last year's first quarter.
Operating income for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 increased 12.1% to $561.0 million compared to $500.6 million in last year's first quarter. Operating income as a percentage of revenue was 22.4% in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 compared to 21.4% in last year's first quarter.
Net income was $452.0 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 compared to $385.1 million in last year's first quarter, an increase of 17.4%. The first quarter of fiscal 2025 effective tax rate was 15.8% compared to 19.2% in last year's first quarter. The tax rates in both quarters were impacted by certain discrete items, primarily the tax accounting impact for stock-based compensation. First quarter of fiscal 2025 diluted earnings per share (EPS) was $1.10 compared to $0.93 in last year's first quarter, an increase of 18.3%. The diluted EPS in each period is reflective of the impact of the four-for-one split of Cintas' common stock on September 11, 2024.
Cash flow from operating activities was $466.7 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 compared to $336.9 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2024, an increase of 38.5%. During the first quarter of fiscal 2025, Cintas purchased shares of Cintas common stock for a total purchase price of $473.6 million. Cintas increased its quarterly dividend per share of common stock by 15.6%, which resulted in an aggregate quarterly cash dividend payment on September 3, 2024 of $157.9 million to shareholders.
Todd M. Schneider, Cintas' President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Our first quarter fiscal 2025 results reflect the strength and breadth of Cintas’ value proposition for businesses of all types and stellar execution by our employee-partners. Cintas delivered revenue and earnings growth, continued margin expansion and strong cash generation, all of which enabled our balanced approach to capital allocation. Alongside returning capital to shareholders through our 41st consecutive annual dividend increase and significant share repurchase activity in the quarter, Cintas continued to reinvest in our customers and our employee-partners to ensure we are best positioned to deliver long-term value for our shareholders.”
Mr. Schneider concluded, "We are increasing our full fiscal year financial guidance. We are raising our annual revenue expectations from a range of $10.16 billion to $10.31 billion to a range of $10.22 billion to $10.32 billion and increasing our diluted EPS guidance from a range of $4.06 to $4.19 to a range of $4.17 to $4.25. Our raised fiscal 2025 outlook reflects the continued momentum we see across the business and the exceptional dedication of our employee-partners in helping our customers meet their image, safety, cleanliness and compliance needs. I look forward to another successful fiscal year.”
Please keep in mind there are two fewer workdays in fiscal 2025 compared to fiscal 2024. The following table helps illustrate the impact of two fewer workdays:
Please note the following regarding the total revenue guidance:
- Guidance does not assume any future acquisitions.
- Guidance assumes a constant foreign currency exchange rate.
For fiscal 2025, we are raising our diluted EPS expectations from a range of $4.06 to $4.19, after giving effect to the four-for-one stock split of Cintas' common stock on September 11, 2024, to a range of $4.17 to $4.25.
Please note the following regarding diluted EPS guidance:
- Fiscal year 2025 interest, net is expected to be approximately $101.0 million compared to $95.0 million in fiscal year 2024, predominately as a result of higher variable rate debt used to complete a portion of the previously mentioned share buybacks. This may change as a result of future share buybacks or acquisition activity.
- Fiscal year 2025 effective tax rate is expected to be 20.4%, the same compared to fiscal year 2024.
- Our diluted EPS guidance includes no future share buybacks or significant economic disruptions or downturn.
Cintas
Cintas Corporation helps more than one million businesses of all types and sizes get Ready™ to open their doors with confidence every day by providing products and services that help keep their customers’ facilities and employees clean, safe and looking their best. With offerings including uniforms, mats, mops, restroom supplies, first aid and safety products, fire extinguishers and testing, and safety training, Cintas helps customers get Ready for the Workday® . Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas is a publicly held Fortune 500 company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Nasdaq-100 Index. Cintas will host a live webcast to review the fiscal 2025 first quarter results today at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time. The webcast will be available to the public on Cintas' website at www.Cintas.com. A replay of the webcast will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the live call and will remain available for two weeks.
CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Press Release contains forward-looking statements regarding our future business plans and expectations, including the company's fiscal 2025 full-year guidance. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor from civil litigation for forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “estimates,” “anticipates,” “predicts,” “projects,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “target,” “forecast,” “believes,” “seeks,” “could,” “should,” “may” and “will” or the negative versions thereof and similar words, terms and expressions and by the context in which they are used. Such statements are based upon current expectations of Cintas and speak only as of the date made. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will be realized. These statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties, potentially inaccurate assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in or implied by this Press Release. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, the possibility of greater than anticipated operating costs including energy and fuel costs; lower sales volumes; loss of customers due to outsourcing trends; the performance and costs of integration of acquisitions; supply chain constraints and macroeconomic conditions, including inflationary pressures and higher interest rates; fluctuations in costs of materials and labor, including increased medical costs; costs and possible effects of union organizing activities; failure to comply with government regulations concerning employment discrimination, employee pay and benefits and employee health and safety; the effect on operations of exchange rate fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; uncertainties regarding any existing or newly-discovered expenses and liabilities related to environmental compliance and remediation; our ability to meet our aspirations relating to environmental, social and governance (ESG) opportunities, improvements and efficiencies; the cost, results and ongoing assessment of internal controls for financial reporting; the effect of new accounting pronouncements; risks associated with cybersecurity threats, including disruptions caused by the inaccessibility of computer systems data and cybersecurity management, the initiation or outcome of litigation, investigations or other proceedings; higher assumed sourcing or distribution costs of products; the disruption of operations from catastrophic or extraordinary events including global health pandemics; the amount and timing of repurchases of our common stock, if any; changes in global tax and labor laws; and the reactions of competitors in terms of price and service. Cintas undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to any forward-looking statements or to otherwise update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information or to reflect events, circumstances or any other unanticipated developments arising after the date on which such statements are made, except otherwise as required by law. A further list and description of risks, uncertainties and other matters can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended May 31, 2024 and in our reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. The risks and uncertainties described herein are not the only ones we may face. Additional risks and uncertainties presently not known to us, or that we currently believe to be immaterial, may also harm our business.
For additional information, contact:
J. Michael Hansen, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer - 513-972-2079
Jared S. Mattingley, Vice President, Treasurer & Investor Relations - 513-972-4195