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UniFirst Corporation

WILMINGTON, Mass., June 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) ("UniFirst" or "the Company") today announced that at its Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Special Meeting") held yesterday, an overwhelming majority of UniFirst shareholders voted to approve the Company's pending acquisition by Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS) ("Cintas"). Under the terms of the agreement, UniFirst shareholders will receive $155.00 in cash and 0.7720 shares of Cintas stock for each UniFirst share they own.

"We appreciate the strong support of our shareholders, whose approval marks an important milestone toward completing our transaction with Cintas," said Joseph M. Nowicki, Chairman of the UniFirst Board of Directors. "Together with Cintas, UniFirst will be well positioned to deliver meaningful benefits for all of our stakeholders and the communities we serve, while unlocking additional opportunities for growth, advancing innovation and maximizing value for our shareholders."

Over 99% of votes cast were in favor of the merger agreement, representing approximately 95% of all outstanding UniFirst shares of common stock and shares of Class B common stock, voting together as a single class. The voting results, as certified by an independent inspector of election, are available on a Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Company continues to expect the transaction to close in the second half of calendar 2026, subject to customary closing conditions and the receipt of certain regulatory approvals.

About UniFirst

Headquartered in Wilmington, Mass., UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) is a North American leader in the supply and servicing of uniform and workwear programs, facility service products, as well as first aid and safety supplies and services. Together with its subsidiaries, the company also manages specialized garment programs for the cleanroom and nuclear industries. In addition to partnering with leading brands, UniFirst manufactures its own branded workwear, protective clothing, and floorcare products at its three company-owned manufacturing facilities. With more than 270 service locations, over 300,000 customer locations, and 16,000-plus employee Team Partners, the company outfits more than 2 million workers every day.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act of 1933"), which involve risks and uncertainties. Any statements about Cintas', UniFirst's or the combined company's plans, objectives, expectations, strategies, beliefs, or future performance or events and any other statements to the extent they are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Words, phrases or expressions such as "estimates," "confident," "continue," "hope," "likely," "might," "possible," "potential," "trend," "anticipates," "predicts," "projects," "plans," "expects," "intends," "targets," "forecasts," "believes," "seeks," "could," "should," "may," "will," "strategy," "objective," and similar words, phrases or expressions or the negative versions thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on information available and assumptions made at the time the statements are made. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this communication include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the transaction between Cintas and UniFirst (the "Transaction"), including future financial and operating results, the combined company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, and other statements that are not historical facts.

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The following Transaction-related factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward-looking statements: the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstance that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the definitive merger agreement between Cintas and UniFirst; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Cintas or UniFirst; the possibility that the Transaction does not close when expected or at all because required regulatory, shareholder, or other approvals and other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all (and the risk that seeking or obtaining such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the Transaction); the risk that the benefits from the Transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected, including as a result of changes in, or problems arising from, general economic and market conditions, interest and exchange rates, monetary policy, trade policy (including tariff levels), laws and regulations and their enforcement, and the degree of competition in the geographic and business areas in which Cintas and UniFirst operate; any failure to promptly and effectively integrate the businesses of Cintas and UniFirst; the possibility that the Transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; reputational risk and potential adverse reactions of Cintas' or UniFirst's customers, employees or other business partners, including those resulting from the announcement, pendency or completion of the Transaction; the dilution caused by Cintas' issuance of additional shares of its capital stock in connection with the Transaction; changes in the trading price of Cintas' or UniFirst's capital stock; and the diversion of management's attention and time to the Transaction from ongoing business operations and opportunities.

Additional important factors relating to Cintas that could cause actual results to differ from those in forward-looking statements 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; changes in global trade policies, tariffs, and other measures that could restrict international trade; 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, and other political, economic and regulatory risks; uncertainties regarding any existing or newly-discovered expenses and liabilities related to environmental compliance and remediation; Cintas' ability to meet its aspirations relating to sustainability opportunities, improvements and efficiencies; the cost, results and ongoing assessment of internal controls over 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 risk 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 Cintas' common stock, if any; changes in global tax and labor laws; the reactions of competitors in terms of price and service; and the other risks and contingencies detailed in Cintas' most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").

Additional important factors relating to UniFirst that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, uncertainties caused by an economic recession or other adverse economic conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of elevated inflation or interest rates or extraordinary events or circumstances such as geopolitical conflicts like the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and disruption in the Middle East, and their impact on UniFirst's customers' businesses and workforce levels; disruptions of UniFirst's business and operations, including limitations on, or closures of, UniFirst's facilities, or the business and operations of UniFirst's customers or suppliers in connection with extraordinary events or circumstances; uncertainties regarding UniFirst's ability to consummate acquisitions and successfully integrate acquired businesses, and the performance of such businesses; uncertainties regarding any existing or newly-discovered expenses and liabilities related to environmental compliance and remediation; any adverse outcome of pending or future contingencies or claims; UniFirst's ability to compete successfully without any significant degradation in UniFirst's margin rates, seasonal and quarterly fluctuations in business levels; UniFirst's ability to preserve positive labor relationships and avoid becoming the target of corporate labor unionization campaigns that could disrupt UniFirst's business; the effect of currency fluctuations on UniFirst's results of operations and financial condition; UniFirst's dependence on third parties to supply UniFirst with raw materials, which such supply could be severely disrupted as a result of extraordinary events or circumstances such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine; any loss of key management or other personnel; increased costs as a result of any changes in federal, state, international or other laws, rules and regulations or governmental interpretation of such laws, rules and regulations; uncertainties regarding, or adverse impacts from continued high price levels of natural gas, electricity, fuel and labor or increases in such costs; the negative effect on UniFirst's business from sharply depressed oil and natural gas prices; the continuing increase in domestic healthcare costs, increased workers' compensation claim costs, increased healthcare claim costs; UniFirst's ability to retain and grow its customer base, demand and prices for UniFirst's products and services; fluctuations in UniFirst's nuclear business; political or other instability; supply chain disruption or infection among UniFirst's employees in Mexico and Nicaragua where UniFirst's principal garment manufacturing plants are located; UniFirst's ability to properly and efficiently design, construct, implement and operate a new enterprise resource planning ("ERP") computer system; interruptions or failures of UniFirst's information technology systems, including as a result of cyber-attacks; additional professional and internal costs necessary for compliance with any changes in or additional SEC, NYSE and accounting or other rules; strikes and unemployment levels; UniFirst's efforts to evaluate and potentially reduce internal costs; the impact of U.S. and foreign trade policies and tariffs or other impositions on imported goods on UniFirst's business, results of operations and financial condition; UniFirst's ability to successfully implement its business strategies and processes, including UniFirst's capital allocation strategies; UniFirst's ability to successfully remediate the material weakness in internal control over financial reporting disclosed in UniFirst's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 30, 2025, filed with the SEC on October 29, 2025, in an appropriate and timely matter or at all; and the other risks and contingencies detailed in UniFirst's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other filings with the SEC.

These factors are not necessarily all of the factors that could cause Cintas', UniFirst's or the combined company's actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could harm Cintas', UniFirst's or the combined company's results.

All forward-looking statements attributable to Cintas, UniFirst, or the combined company, or persons acting on Cintas' or UniFirst's behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Cintas and UniFirst do not undertake or assume any obligation to update publicly any of these statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. If Cintas or UniFirst updates one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that Cintas or UniFirst will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. Further information regarding Cintas, UniFirst and factors that could affect the forward-looking statements contained herein can be found in Cintas' Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and its other filings with the SEC, and in UniFirst's Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and its other filings with the SEC.

Contacts

Investors: Shane O'Connor, Executive Vice President & CFO UniFirst Corporation 978-658-8888 shane_oconnor@unifirst.com

Media: Aura Reinhard / Joe Sala Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher unifirst-jf@joelefrank.com

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Wir haben einen bullischen Thesis auf Valueinvestorsclub.com von dman976 gefunden. In diesem Artikel werden wir die Bullen-Thesis zu VSTS zusammenfassen. Der Aktienkurs von Vestis Corporation lag am 29. April bei $9,57. Das Trailing-P/E-Verhältnis von VSTS betrug 17,49 nach Yahoo Finance. DoorDash (DASH) ist immer noch Citi's Top-Pick im Internet-Sektor, nachdem Q4 überboten wurde.

Vestis Corporation (VSTS) ist ein post-spin-uniformer und Arbeitsplatzdienstleister, der in einem ~$48B-fragmentierten nordamerikanischen B2B-Markt operiert, wobei er sich mit Cintas und UniFirst in einem wiederkehrenden, vertraglichen Modell konkurriert. Seit seiner Spin im Oktober 2023 von Aramark hat Vestis Corporation Earnings-Misses, niedrigere Ein-Prozent-Einnahme-Rückgänge und EBITDA-Margen-Kompression von ~19,2% auf ~10% erlebt, was zu einem ~60%-Stammaktienrückgang von ~$20 bis ~$7,70 geführt hat.

Aktivistendruck von Corvex Management führte zu Board-Änderungen und der Ernennung des CEO Jim Barber, ehemals von UPS, der einen Wendeversuch auf Service-Restaurierung, Preisdisziplin und ~$75M an Kostenersparnis durch Struktur- und Personaloptimierung gestartet hat. Frühe Fortschritte umfassen Verbesserungen bei der Pünktlichkeit, reduzierte Kundenbeschwerden und niedrigere Abwanderungsraten, unterstützt durch eine wiederkehrende Einnahmebasis über 90% und bedeutende Querverkäufe in Uniformen, Matten, Sanitär- und Sicherheitsdiensten, die sich auf Margen erheblich erhöhen können.

Vestis Corporation handelt bei ~7,7x FY26 EBITDA von $301M, was als zu konservativ angesehen wird, gegeben erwartete Margenerweiterungen auf niedrige Zehnerstel-Niveaus, verbesserte freie Cash-Flüsse und eine potenzielle Beat-and-Raise-Bahn, wenn die operative Umsetzung stabilisiert.

Mit Optionalität aus Vermögensverkäufen, Entlehnung und fortgesetzter Umsetzung könnte der Aktienkurs auf ~$13,80 innerhalb von 12 Monaten steigen, basierend auf ~$365M 2H26 EBITDA bei 8,5x, da die Grundlagen und das Vertrauen der Investoren mit asymmetrischem Skew verbessert werden.

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Environmental engineering firm Tetra Tech (NASDAQ:TTEK) will be announcing earnings results this Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what to look for.

Tetra Tech beat analysts’ revenue expectations last quarter, reporting revenues of $1.04 billion, down 13.4% year on year. It was a strong quarter for the company, with a beat of analysts’ EPS and revenue estimates.

Is Tetra Tech a buy or sell going into earnings? Read our full analysis here, it’s free for active Edge members.

This quarter, the market is expecting Tetra Tech’s revenue to decline 9.2% year on year, a reversal from the 4.9% increase it recorded in the same quarter last year.Tetra Tech Total Revenue

The majority of analysts covering the company have reconfirmed their estimates over the last 30 days, suggesting they anticipate the business to stay the course heading into earnings. Tetra Tech has a history of exceeding Wall Street’s expectations.

Looking at Tetra Tech’s peers in the business services & supplies segment, some have already reported their Q1 results, giving us a hint as to what we can expect. UniFirst delivered year-on-year revenue growth of 3.4%, beating analysts’ expectations by 1.3%, and Cintas reported revenues up 8.9%, topping estimates by 0.7%. UniFirst traded up 1.8% following the results while Cintas was down 5.2%.

Read our full analysis of UniFirst’s results here and Cintas’s results here.

There has been positive sentiment among investors in the business services & supplies segment, with share prices up 13.1% on average over the last month. Tetra Tech is up 6.2% during the same time and is heading into earnings with an average analyst price target of $41.17 (compared to the current share price of $31.58).

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Investors interested in Industrial Products stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Halma (HLMAF) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Industrial Products peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Halma is a member of the Industrial Products sector. This group includes 183 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #11. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the sector to gauge the strength of each group.

The Zacks Rank emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find stocks with improving earnings outlooks. This system has a long record of success, and these stocks tend to be on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. Halma is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for HLMAF's full-year earnings has moved 1.2% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

Based on the latest available data, HLMAF has gained about 8.6% so far this year. Meanwhile, the Industrial Products sector has returned an average of 8.2% on a year-to-date basis. This means that Halma is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

One other Industrial Products stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is UniFirst (UNF). The stock is up 32.7% year-to-date.

For UniFirst, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 1.8% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

To break things down more, Halma belongs to the Security and Safety Services industry, a group that includes 18 individual companies and currently sits at #39 in the Zacks Industry Rank.

On the other hand, UniFirst belongs to the Uniform and Related industry. This 2-stock industry is currently ranked #22.

Investors with an interest in Industrial Products stocks should continue to track Halma and UniFirst. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance.

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Halma (HLMAF) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Unifirst Corporation (UNF) : Free Stock Analysis Report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

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Zusammenfassung:

UniFirst Corporation (UNF) ist eines der 10 besten Aktien, die Vorhersagen über die Gewinnentwicklung übertroffen haben. Am 2. April 2026 erhöhte der UBS-Analyst Joshua Chan das Kursziel für UniFirst Corporation (UNF) von 206 auf 260 US-Dollar und behielt eine neutrale Bewertung bei, da er die jüngste Quartalsergebnisse als "solide" bezeichnete und die Ergebnisse leicht über den Erwartungen lagen.

Am 1. April 2026 meldete UniFirst Corporation (UNF) einen Umsatz von 622,51 Mio. US-Dollar, der höher lag als die Konsensschätzung von 614,91 Mio. US-Dollar. CEO Steven Sintros betonte, dass das Unternehmen eine stabile Leistung erbrachte und gleichzeitig in Wachstum und betrieblicher Effizienz investierte, wobei die Stärken seines serviceorientierten Modells und die Kundenbindung hervorgehoben wurden.

Letzten Monat kündigten UniFirst Corporation (UNF) und Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ:CTAS) eine verbindliche Vereinbarung an, wonach Cintas UniFirst für 310 US-Dollar pro Aktie – eine Mischung aus Bargeld und Aktien – übernehmen würde, was einen Unternehmenswert von etwa 5,5 Milliarden US-Dollar bedeutet. Der Deal beinhaltet erwartete Betriebskostenersparnisse von rund 375 Millionen US-Dollar innerhalb von vier Jahren und wird voraussichtlich zu Gewinnsteigerungen beitragen. Die Transaktion, die von den Vorständen beider Unternehmen genehmigt und von den Großaktionären von UniFirst unterstützt wird, wird voraussichtlich im zweiten Halbjahr 2026 abgeschlossen werden, vorbehaltlich der Genehmigung durch die Aufsichtsbehörden und die Aktionäre.

Trotz der positiven Nachrichten und des Potenzials von UniFirst weist ein Analyst darauf hin, dass bestimmte KI-Aktien ein größeres Wachstumspotenzial mit geringerem Risiko bieten.

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Workplace uniform provider UniFirst (NYSE:UNF) reported revenue ahead of Wall Street’s expectations in Q1 CY2026, with sales up 3.4% year on year to $622.5 million. Its GAAP profit of $1.13 per share was 4.5% above analysts’ consensus estimates.

Is now the time to buy UniFirst? Find out in our full research report.

UniFirst (UNF) Q1 CY2026 Highlights:

On March 10, 2026, Cintas entered into an agreement to acquire UniFirst Corporation. The deal is subject to regulatory approval and has not closed yet. Revenue: $622.5 million vs analyst estimates of $614.6 million (3.4% year-on-year growth, 1.3% beat) EPS (GAAP): $1.13 vs analyst estimates of $1.08 (4.5% beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $66.81 million vs analyst estimates of $67.11 million (10.7% margin, in line) Operating Margin: 4.2%, down from 5.2% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow Margin: 5.7%, similar to the same quarter last year Market Capitalization: $4.55 billion

Steven Sintros, UniFirst President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We delivered solid results in the second quarter as we continued to take meaningful actions to invest in growth and deliver operational efficiencies. Our differentiated, service-driven model continues to build loyalty amongst new and existing customers as they recognize our commitment to reliability, accountability and sustained relationships.”

Company Overview

With a fleet of trucks making weekly deliveries to over 300,000 customer locations, UniFirst (NYSE:UNF) provides, rents, cleans, and maintains workplace uniforms and protective clothing for businesses across various industries.

Revenue Growth

A company’s long-term performance is an indicator of its overall quality. Any business can experience short-term success, but top-performing ones enjoy sustained growth for years.

With $2.47 billion in revenue over the past 12 months, UniFirst is a mid-sized business services company, which sometimes brings disadvantages compared to larger competitors benefiting from better economies of scale. On the bright side, it can still flex high growth rates because it’s working from a smaller revenue base.

As you can see below, UniFirst’s sales grew at a decent 6.9% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years. This shows its offerings generated slightly more demand than the average business services company, a useful starting point for our analysis.UniFirst Quarterly Revenue

We at StockStory place the most emphasis on long-term growth, but within business services, a half-decade historical view may miss recent innovations or disruptive industry trends. UniFirst’s recent performance shows its demand has slowed as its annualized revenue growth of 2.9% over the last two years was below its five-year trend. We’re wary when companies in the sector see decelerations in revenue growth, as it could signal changing consumer tastes aided by low switching costs.

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UniFirst Year-On-Year Revenue Growth

This quarter, UniFirst reported modest year-on-year revenue growth of 3.4% but beat Wall Street’s estimates by 1.3%.

Looking ahead, sell-side analysts expect revenue to grow 2.6% over the next 12 months, similar to its two-year rate. This projection is underwhelming and suggests its newer products and services will not lead to better top-line performance yet.

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Operating Margin

UniFirst was profitable over the last five years but held back by its large cost base. Its average operating margin of 7.2% was weak for a business services business.

Looking at the trend in its profitability, UniFirst’s operating margin decreased by 1.9 percentage points over the last five years. This raises questions about the company’s expense base because its revenue growth should have given it leverage on its fixed costs, resulting in better economies of scale and profitability. UniFirst’s performance was poor no matter how you look at it - it shows that costs were rising and it couldn’t pass them onto its customers.UniFirst Trailing 12-Month Operating Margin (GAAP)

This quarter, UniFirst generated an operating margin profit margin of 4.2%, down 1 percentage points year on year. This reduction is quite minuscule and indicates the company’s overall cost structure has been relatively stable.

Earnings Per Share

Revenue trends explain a company’s historical growth, but the long-term change in earnings per share (EPS) points to the profitability of that growth – for example, a company could inflate its sales through excessive spending on advertising and promotions.

UniFirst’s EPS grew at a weak 2% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years, lower than its 6.9% annualized revenue growth. This tells us the company became less profitable on a per-share basis as it expanded due to non-fundamental factors such as interest expenses and taxes.UniFirst Trailing 12-Month EPS (GAAP)

Diving into the nuances of UniFirst’s earnings can give us a better understanding of its performance. As we mentioned earlier, UniFirst’s operating margin declined by 1.9 percentage points over the last five years. This was the most relevant factor (aside from the revenue impact) behind its lower earnings; interest expenses and taxes can also affect EPS but don’t tell us as much about a company’s fundamentals.

Like with revenue, we analyze EPS over a shorter period to see if we are missing a change in the business.

For UniFirst, its two-year annual EPS growth of 9.9% was higher than its five-year trend. Accelerating earnings growth is almost always an encouraging data point.

In Q1, UniFirst reported EPS of $1.13, down from $1.31 in the same quarter last year. Despite falling year on year, this print beat analysts’ estimates by 4.5%. Over the next 12 months, Wall Street expects UniFirst’s full-year EPS of $7.38 to stay about the same.

Key Takeaways from UniFirst’s Q1 Results

It was good to see UniFirst beat analysts’ EPS expectations this quarter. We were also happy its revenue narrowly outperformed Wall Street’s estimates. Overall, this print had some key positives. Investors were likely hoping for more, and shares traded down 1.5% to $247.99 immediately following the results.

So do we think UniFirst is an attractive buy at the current price? The latest quarter does matter, but not nearly as much as longer-term fundamentals and valuation, when deciding if the stock is a buy. We cover that in our actionable full research report which you can read here, it’s free.

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UniFirst Corporation

WILMINGTON, Mass., April 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) (“UniFirst” or the “Company”) today reported results for its fiscal 2026 second quarter ended February 28, 2026.

Second Quarter 2026 Consolidated Results

Consolidated revenues increased 3.4% to $622.5 million compared to $602.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, driven by organic growth in the core Uniform & Facility Service Solutions segment. Operating income and Adjusted EBITDA were $26.0 million and $66.8 million, respectively, compared to $31.2 million and $68.9 million, respectively, in the second quarter of fiscal 2025. Operating margin was 4.2% compared to 5.2% in the prior year period, reflecting planned investments in growth and digital transformation initiatives. Net income was $20.5 million compared to $24.5 million in the prior year period and diluted earnings per share was $1.13 compared to $1.31 in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 10.7% compared to 11.4% in the prior year period. The quarterly tax rate was 25.1% compared to 25.0% in the prior year period.

Steven Sintros, UniFirst President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We delivered solid results in the second quarter as we continued to take meaningful actions to invest in growth and deliver operational efficiencies. Our differentiated, service-driven model continues to build loyalty amongst new and existing customers as they recognize our commitment to reliability, accountability and sustained relationships.”

Mr. Sintros continued, “Our accomplishments continue to be made possible by our thousands of Team Partners across the business. I’m thankful for their dedication to UniFirst and each other, which helps us win with customers every day.”

The Company's results for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 and 2025 included approximately $3.0 million and $1.9 million, respectively, of costs related to its enterprise resource planning project (“Key Initiative”), which is expected to enhance long-term growth, scalability, operating efficiency and profitability. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026 and 2025, these costs decreased:

Both operating income and Adjusted EBITDA by $3.0 million and $1.9 million, respectively. Net income by $2.2 million and $1.6 million, respectively. Diluted earnings per share by $0.12 and $0.09, respectively.

UniFirst's results for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 were further impacted by (1) approximately $2.0 million in costs related to shareholder engagement and proxy-related matters in connection with the Company’s 2026 annual meeting of shareholders and the proposed merger with Cintas Corporation (“Cintas”), and (2) legal expenses related to an employee matter of $2.5 million (referred to collectively as the “Strategic and Employee Matters”).

Story Continues

As previously announced on March 11, 2026, UniFirst and Cintas have entered into a definitive agreement under which Cintas will acquire UniFirst. Under the terms of the agreement, UniFirst shareholders will receive $155.00 in cash and 0.7720 shares of Cintas stock for each UniFirst share they own. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of calendar 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, approval by UniFirst shareholders and the receipt of certain regulatory approvals.

Segment Reporting Results

Uniform & Facility Service Solutions

Revenues increased 3.2% to $568.8 million compared to $551.4 million in the prior year period. Organic growth, which excludes the effect of acquisitions and fluctuations in the Canadian dollar, was 2.8%. As a result of the Company's strategic investments in growth, new customer account acquisitions surpassed those of the corresponding period last year, and customer retention rates also demonstrated improvement. Operating margin was 4.4% compared to 5.5% in the prior period and Adjusted EBITDA margin was 11.1% compared to 12.0% in the prior period, reflecting the Company’s planned investments in growth and digital transformation initiatives. In addition, the costs incurred related to the Strategic and Employee Matters were recorded to this segment. These additional costs were partially offset by lower merchandise costs. Costs related to the Company’s Key Initiative were also recorded to this segment and decreased operating and Adjusted EBITDA margins by 0.5% and 0.3% in the second quarters of fiscal 2026 and 2025, respectively.

First Aid & Safety Solutions

Revenues increased 12.2% to $30.8 million compared to $27.5 million in the prior year period. Operating loss and Adjusted EBITDA were $1.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively. The segment’s results again reflected the investments the Company has made to drive growth and improve profitability in its First Aid van business.

Other

Revenues for the quarter decreased 1.9% to $22.9 million compared to $23.4 million in the prior year period, reflecting the continued wind-down of a large refurbishment project and fewer reactor outages. Operating income and Adjusted EBITDA were $2.2 million and $3.2 million, respectively. This segment consists of its nuclear solutions. Given the cyclical and seasonal nature of the nuclear industry, this segment’s results are often affected by seasonality, the timing and duration of power reactor outages and project-based activities.

Balance Sheet and Capital Allocation

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $157.5 million and the Company had no long-term debt outstanding as of February 28, 2026. The Company did not repurchase any shares of its Common Stock in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 and had $8.9 million remaining under its existing share repurchase authorization as of February 28, 2026. The Company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.365 per Common Stock share on January 13, 2026.

As previously announced, due to the pending transaction with Cintas, UniFirst is no longer providing financial guidance or hosting quarterly conference calls regarding our financial results.

About UniFirst Corporation

Headquartered in Wilmington, Mass., UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) is a North American leader in the supply and servicing of uniform and workwear programs, facility service products, as well as first aid and safety supplies and services. Together with its subsidiaries, the Company also manages specialized garment programs for the cleanroom and nuclear industries. In addition to partnering with leading brands, UniFirst manufactures its own branded workwear, protective clothing, and floorcare products at its five company-owned ISO-9001-certified manufacturing facilities. With more than 270 service locations, over 300,000 customer locations, and 16,000-plus employee Team Partners, the Company outfits more than 2 million workers every day. For more information, contact UniFirst at 888.296.2740 or visit UniFirst.com.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure

This public announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws that reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance, including statements regarding the transaction between UniFirst and Cintas (the “Transaction”). Forward-looking statements contained in this public announcement are subject to the safe harbor created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and may be identified by words such as “guidance,” “outlook,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “could,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “strategy,” “objective,” “assume,” “strive,” “design,” “assumption,” “vision,” “approximate,” or the negative versions thereof, and similar expressions and by the context in which they are used. Such forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations and speak only as of the date made. Such statements are highly dependent upon a variety of risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such forward-looking statements.

The following Transaction-related factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward-looking statements: the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstance that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the definitive merger agreement between Cintas and UniFirst; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Cintas or UniFirst; the possibility that the Transaction does not close when expected or at all because required regulatory, shareholder, or other approvals and other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all (and the risk that seeking or obtaining such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the Transaction); the risk that the benefits from the Transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected, including as a result of changes in, or problems arising from, general economic and market conditions, interest and exchange rates, monetary policy, trade policy (including tariff levels), laws and regulations and their enforcement, and the degree of competition in the geographic and business areas in which Cintas and UniFirst operate; any failure to promptly and effectively integrate the businesses of Cintas and UniFirst; the possibility that the Transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; reputational risk and potential adverse reactions of Cintas’ or UniFirst’s customers, employees or other business partners, including those resulting from the announcement, pendency or completion of the Transaction; the dilution caused by Cintas’ issuance of additional shares of its capital stock in connection with the Transaction; changes in the trading price of Cintas’ or UniFirst’s capital stock; and the diversion of management’s attention and time to the Transaction from ongoing business operations and opportunities.

Additional factors include, but are not limited to, uncertainties caused by an economic recession or other adverse economic conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of elevated inflation or interest rates or extraordinary events or circumstances such as geopolitical conflicts like the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and the United States and Iran and other disruption in the Middle East and their impact on our customers' businesses and workforce levels, disruptions of our business and operations, including limitations on, or closures of, our facilities, or the business and operations of our customers or suppliers in connection with extraordinary events or circumstances, uncertainties regarding our ability to consummate acquisitions and successfully integrate acquired businesses and the performance of such businesses, uncertainties regarding any existing or newly-discovered expenses and liabilities related to environmental compliance and remediation, any adverse outcome of pending or future contingencies or claims, our ability to compete successfully without any significant degradation in our margin rates, seasonal and quarterly fluctuations in business levels, our ability to preserve positive labor relationships and avoid becoming the target of corporate labor unionization campaigns that could disrupt our business, the effect of currency fluctuations on our results of operations and financial condition, our dependence on third parties to supply us with raw materials, which such supply could be severely disrupted as a result of extraordinary events or circumstances such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the United States and Iran, any loss of key management or other personnel, increased costs as a result of any changes in federal, state, international or other laws, rules and regulations or governmental interpretation of such laws, rules and regulations, uncertainties regarding, or adverse impacts from continued high price levels of natural gas, electricity, fuel and labor or increases in such costs, the negative effect on our business from sharply depressed oil and natural gas prices, the continuing increase in domestic healthcare costs, increased workers' compensation claim costs, increased healthcare claim costs, our ability to retain and grow our customer base, demand and prices for our products and services, fluctuations in our nuclear business, political or other instability, supply chain disruption or infection among our employees in Mexico and Nicaragua where our principal garment manufacturing plants are located, our ability to properly and efficiently design, construct, implement and operate a new enterprise resource planning computer system, interruptions or failures of our information technology systems, including as a result of cyber-attacks, additional professional and internal costs necessary for compliance with any changes in or additional Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), New York Stock Exchange and accounting or other rules, strikes and unemployment levels, our efforts to evaluate and potentially reduce internal costs, the impact of U.S. and foreign trade policies and tariffs or other impositions on imported goods on our business, results of operations and financial condition, our ability to successfully implement our business strategies and processes, including our capital allocation strategies, our ability to successfully remediate the material weakness in internal control over financial reporting disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 30, 2025 and the other factors described under Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 30, 2025, Part II, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which they are made.

Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)

Thirteen Weeks Ended Twenty-Six Weeks Ended (In thousands, except per share data) February 28, 2026 March 1, 2025 February 28, 2026 March 1, 2025 Revenues $ 622,505 $ 602,219 $ 1,243,823 $ 1,207,127 Operating expenses: Cost of revenues(1) 403,686 394,145 796,715 775,199 Selling and administrative expenses(1) 157,413 141,914 305,219 275,429 Depreciation and amortization 35,392 34,946 70,567 69,754 Total operating expenses 596,491 571,005 1,172,501 1,120,382 Operating income 26,014 31,214 71,322 86,745 Other (income) expense: Interest income, net (1,576 ) (2,213 ) (3,505 ) (4,908 ) Other expense, net 250 794 509 1,084 Total other income, net (1,326 ) (1,419 ) (2,996 ) (3,824 ) Income before income taxes 27,340 32,633 74,318 90,569 Provision for income taxes 6,856 8,174 19,471 23,005 Net income $ 20,484 $ 24,459 $ 54,847 $ 67,564 Income per share – Basic: Common Stock $ 1.18 $ 1.37 $ 3.15 $ 3.78 Class B Common Stock $ 0.94 $ 1.10 $ 2.52 $ 3.02 Income per share – Diluted: Common Stock $ 1.13 $ 1.31 $ 3.02 $ 3.62 Income allocated to – Basic: Common Stock $ 17,133 $ 20,559 $ 45,887 $ 56,778 Class B Common Stock $ 3,351 $ 3,900 $ 8,960 $ 10,786 Income allocated to – Diluted: Common Stock $ 20,484 $ 24,459 $ 54,847 $ 67,564 Weighted average shares outstanding – Basic: Common Stock 14,523 15,009 14,557 15,011 Class B Common Stock 3,551 3,558 3,551 3,566 Weighted average shares outstanding – Diluted: Common Stock 18,143 18,649 18,159 18,653

(1) Exclusive of depreciation on the Company's property, plant and equipment and amortization on its intangible assets.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

(In thousands) February 28, 2026 August 30, 2025 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 151,794 $ 203,501 Short-term investments 5,664 5,672 Receivables, net 291,580 285,297 Inventories 147,477 145,197 Rental merchandise in service 236,251 227,720 Prepaid taxes 7,185 7,708 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 63,135 49,508 Total current assets 903,086 924,603 Property, plant and equipment, net 848,054 829,622 Goodwill 669,996 657,748 Customer contracts and other intangible assets, net 95,790 105,829 Deferred income taxes 991 977 Operating lease right-of-use assets, net 77,804 70,110 Other assets 204,677 189,266 Total assets $ 2,800,398 $ 2,778,155 Liabilities and shareholders’ equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 92,089 $ 94,980 Accrued liabilities 178,065 176,903 Accrued taxes 30 674 Operating lease liabilities, current 20,225 17,846 Total current liabilities 290,409 290,403 Long-term liabilities: Accrued liabilities 129,862 128,554 Accrued and deferred income taxes 137,166 135,648 Operating lease liabilities 59,669 54,593 Total liabilities 617,106 609,198 Shareholders’ equity: Common Stock 1,453 1,468 Class B Common Stock 355 355 Capital surplus 109,755 109,107 Retained earnings 2,091,769 2,079,812 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (20,040 ) (21,785 ) Total shareholders’ equity 2,183,292 2,168,957 Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 2,800,398 $ 2,778,155

Detail of Operating Results (Unaudited)

Thirteen Weeks Ended February 28, 2026 Thirteen Weeks Ended March 1, 2025 (In thousands, except percentages) Uniform & Facility Service Solutions First Aid & Safety Solutions Other Total Uniform & Facility Service Solutions First Aid & Safety Solutions Other Total Revenues $ 568,808 $ 30,793 $ 22,904 $ 622,505 $ 551,407 $ 27,454 $ 23,358 $ 602,219 Revenue Growth % 3.2 % 12.2 % -1.9 % 3.4 % Operating Income(1), (2) $ 24,875 $ (1,106 ) $ 2,245 $ 26,014 $ 30,172 $ (486 ) $ 1,528 $ 31,214 Operating Margin 4.4 % -3.6 % 9.8 % 4.2 % 5.5 % -1.8 % 6.5 % 5.2 % Adjusted EBITDA(1), (2) $ 63,265 $ 314 $ 3,235 $ 66,814 $ 65,994 $ 490 $ 2,434 $ 68,918 Adjusted EBITDA Margin 11.1 % 1.0 % 14.1 % 10.7 % 12.0 % 1.8 % 10.4 % 11.4 %

(1) The Company's financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 and 2025 included approximately $3.0 million and $1.9 million, respectively, of costs directly attributable to its Key Initiative. (2) The Key Initiative costs decreased both Uniform & Facility Service Solutions' segment operating and Adjusted EBITDA margin for the second quarters of fiscal 2026 and 2025 by 0.5% and 0.3%, respectively.

Twenty-Six Weeks Ended February 28, 2026 Twenty-Six Weeks Ended March 1, 2025 (In thousands, except percentages) Uniform & Facility Service Solutions First Aid & Safety Solutions Other Total Uniform & Facility Service Solutions First Aid & Safety Solutions Other Total Revenues $ 1,134,700 $ 61,037 $ 48,086 $ 1,243,823 $ 1,104,159 $ 53,676 $ 49,292 $ 1,207,127 Revenue Growth % 2.8 % 13.7 % -2.4 % 3.0 % Operating Income(3), (4) $ 66,712 $ (1,508 ) $ 6,118 $ 71,322 $ 78,692 $ (145 ) $ 8,198 $ 86,745 Operating Margin 5.9 % -2.5 % 12.7 % 5.7 % 7.1 % -0.3 % 16.6 % 7.2 % Adjusted EBITDA(3), (4) $ 140,461 $ 1,114 $ 8,050 $ 149,625 $ 151,097 $ 1,743 $ 10,038 $ 162,878 Adjusted EBITDA Margin 12.4 % 1.8 % 16.7 % 12.0 % 13.7 % 3.2 % 20.4 % 13.5 %

(3) The Company's financial results for the first half of fiscal 2026 and 2025 included approximately $5.3 million and $4.4 million, respectively, of costs directly attributable to its Key Initiative. (4) The Key Initiative costs decreased both Uniform & Facility Service Solutions' segment operating and Adjusted EBITDA margin for the first half of fiscal 2026 and 2025 by 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

(In thousands) February 28, 2026 March 1, 2025 Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 54,847 $ 67,564 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization(1) 70,567 69,754 Share-based compensation 6,261 6,034 Accretion on environmental contingencies 702 640 Accretion on asset retirement obligations 536 314 Deferred income taxes 433 2,159 Loss on sale of property and equipment 163 55 Other 83 224 Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions: Receivables, less reserves (5,915 ) (4,878 ) Inventories (1,551 ) (2,242 ) Rental merchandise in service (8,360 ) 10,233 Prepaid expenses and other current assets and Other assets (16,347 ) (13,429 ) Accounts payable (1,074 ) (3,729 ) Accrued liabilities (12,756 ) (8,867 ) Prepaid and accrued income taxes 886 4,472 Net cash provided by operating activities 88,475 128,304 Cash flows from investing activities: Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired (14,627 ) (5,374 ) Capital expenditures, including capitalization of software costs (77,284 ) (66,086 ) Purchases of investments (5,664 ) (14,734 ) Maturities of investments 5,664 18,747 Proceeds from sale of assets 362 222 Net cash used in investing activities (91,549 ) (67,225 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from exercise of share-based awards 4 4 Taxes withheld and paid related to net share settlement of equity awards (4,170 ) (4,218 ) Repurchase of Common Stock (32,736 ) (12,528 ) Payment of cash dividends (12,470 ) (12,153 ) Net cash used in financing activities (49,372 ) (28,895 ) Effect of exchange rate changes 739 (1,581 ) Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (51,707 ) 30,603 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 203,501 161,571 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 151,794 $ 192,174

(1) Depreciation and amortization for the first half of fiscal 2026 and 2025 included approximately $8.1 million and $8.4 million, respectively, of non-cash amortization expense recognized on acquisition-related intangible assets.

Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company reports its consolidated financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). To supplement the Company’s consolidated financial results in this press release, the Company also presents Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin, which are non-GAAP financial measures. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, further adjusted for share-based compensation expense and other items impacting the comparability of the Company’s underlying operating performance between periods. Adjusted EBITDA margin is defined as Adjusted EBITDA for a period divided by revenue for the same period.

The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information regarding the performance of the Company and its segments to both management and investors. In addition, by excluding certain items, these non-GAAP financial measures enable management and investors to further evaluate the underlying operating performance of the Company.

Supplemental reconciliations of the Company’s consolidated net income on a GAAP basis to Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are presented in the following table. Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, which are provided below. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin should be considered in addition to, and not as substitutes for, or in isolation from, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

The Company does not allocate its provision for income taxes to its business segments and as a result, presents it in a separate column in the following tables.

Thirteen Weeks Ended February 28, 2026 (In thousands, except percentages) Uniform & Facility Service Solutions First Aid & Safety Solutions Other Unallocated Adjustments Total Revenue $ 568,808 $ 30,793 $ 22,904 $ — $ 622,505 Net income $ 26,201 $ (1,106 ) $ 2,245 $ (6,856 ) $ 20,484 Provision for income taxes — — — 6,856 6,856 Interest income, net (1,576 ) — — — (1,576 ) Depreciation and amortization 33,187 1,387 818 — 35,392 Share-based compensation expense 3,469 33 172 — 3,674 Non-operating adjustments(1) 1,984 — — — 1,984 Adjusted EBITDA $ 63,265 $ 314 $ 3,235 $ — $ 66,814 Adjusted EBITDA Margin 11.1 % 1.0 % 14.1 % 10.7 %

Thirteen Weeks Ended March 1, 2025 (In thousands, except percentages) Uniform & Facility Service Solutions First Aid & Safety Solutions Other Unallocated Adjustments Total Revenue $ 551,407 $ 27,454 $ 23,358 $ — $ 602,219 Net income $ 31,591 $ (486 ) $ 1,528 $ (8,174 ) $ 24,459 Provision for income taxes — — — 8,174 8,174 Interest income, net (2,213 ) — — — (2,213 ) Depreciation and amortization 33,234 947 765 — 34,946 Share-based compensation expense 3,028 29 141 — 3,198 Executive transaction costs (2) 354 — — — 354 Adjusted EBITDA $ 65,994 $ 490 $ 2,434 $ — $ 68,918 Adjusted EBITDA Margin 12.0 % 1.8 % 10.4 % 11.4 %

(1) Primarily represents costs related to shareholder engagement and proxy-related matters in connection with the Company’s 2026 annual meeting of shareholders and the proposed merger with Cintas.

(2) Primarily represent one-time costs expected to be incurred related to the hiring and on-boarding of the Company's new Chief Operating Officer, Kelly Rooney, and for the transition of Michael Croatti from his role as Executive Vice President, Operations.

Twenty-Six Weeks Ended February 28, 2026 (In thousands, except percentages) Uniform & Facility Service Solutions First Aid & Safety Solutions Other Unallocated Adjustments Total Revenue $ 1,134,700 $ 61,037 $ 48,086 $ — $ 1,243,823 Net income $ 69,708 $ (1,508 ) $ 6,118 $ (19,471 ) $ 54,847 Provision for income taxes — — — 19,471 19,471 Interest income, net (3,505 ) — — — (3,505 ) Depreciation and amortization 66,397 2,558 1,612 — 70,567 Share-based compensation expense 5,877 64 320 — 6,261 Non-operating adjustments(3) 1,984 — — — 1,984 Adjusted EBITDA $ 140,461 $ 1,114 $ 8,050 $ — $ 149,625 Adjusted EBITDA Margin 12.4 % 1.8 % 16.7 % 12.0 %

Twenty-Six Weeks Ended March 1, 2025 (In thousands, except percentages) Uniform & Facility Service Solutions First Aid & Safety Solutions Other Unallocated Adjustments Total Revenue $ 1,104,159 $ 53,676 $ 49,292 $ — $ 1,207,127 Net income $ 82,516 $ (145 ) $ 8,198 $ (23,005 ) $ 67,564 Provision for income taxes — — — 23,005 23,005 Interest income, net (4,908 ) — — — (4,908 ) Depreciation and amortization 66,344 1,832 1,578 — 69,754 Share-based compensation expense 5,716 56 262 — 6,034 Executive transaction costs(4) 1,429 — — — 1,429 Adjusted EBITDA $ 151,097 $ 1,743 $ 10,038 $ — $ 162,878 Adjusted EBITDA Margin 13.7 % 3.2 % 20.4 % 13.5 %

(3) Primarily represents costs related to shareholder engagement and proxy-related matters in connection with the Company’s 2026 annual meeting of shareholders and the proposed merger with Cintas.

(4) Primarily represent one-time costs expected to be incurred related to the hiring and on-boarding of the Company's new Chief Operating Officer, Kelly Rooney, and for the transition of Michael Croatti from his role as Executive Vice President, Operations.

Investor Relations Contact Shane O'Connor, Executive Vice President & CFO UniFirst Corporation 978-658-8888 shane_oconnor@unifirst.com

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Cintas service truck outside corporate building, representing steady business growth and institutional stability.

Key Points

Cintas' March price pullback set a new long-term low, creating a deep value opportunity for buy-and-hold investors. Growth and capital returns underpin the price action, which is likely to resume upward momentum before year-end. Institutions and analysts help support this market, limiting the downside in 2026. Interested in Cintas Corporation? Here are five stocks we like better.

Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: CTAS) is a deep-value opportunity no one is talking about, perhaps because of its humdrum business. Cintas Corporation delivers uniforms, laundry services, first-aid supplies, and other services to businesses across industries and verticals. The critical detail is that this must-have service generates revenue, is growing, and is returning value to shareholders.

Its growth is largely “self-funded”, enabled by quality execution and a fortress balance sheet, allowing value-building dividends and share buybacks in addition to organic and acquisitional growth. The net result is clearly evident in the share price, which, aside from a post-stock-split correction, shows a robust uptrend likely to continue over time.

→ Quiet BNY and Northern Trust Reward Patient Investors

Cintas Trades at Value Levels; Provides Opportunity for Buy and Hold Investors

Cintas' stock price trades at historically low levels relative to its earnings in late March, amid a major acquisition. The once-stalled Unifirst (NYSE: UNF) takeover is well underway following unanimous board approval.

The cash-and-stock deal assigns a premium to Unifirst, likely to be unlocked quickly. The merger provides opportunities for consolidation, cost-cutting, and efficiency across all levels while expanding Cintas' client base, product range, and cross-selling opportunities. At face value, Unifirst's business accounts for approximately 20% of Cintas' revenue, suggesting that more than 20% of earnings growth could be unlocked through business rationalization.

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Cintas is not a cheap stock to own, but it commands a premium for a reason. The P/E range tends to run in the high 30s, supported by its cash flow quality and capital return. The stock trades near 36X the 2026 consensus, but only 14X versus the 2035 consensus, suggesting a minimum 100% upside is possible over time.

Cintas capital return includes dividends, dividend growth, and share buybacks. The dividend yield tends to run in the 1.0% range, with annual increases offset by stock price gains. The company is a Dividend Aristocrat with over 40 years of consecutive increases to its credit and has the capacity to continue increasing at a robust pace. The double-digit compound annual growth rate is supported by double-digit earnings growth and share-reducing buybacks. The company helps offset the distribution increase by repurchasing shares.

Story Continues

→ Is Oracle the First of the AI Bubbles to Pop?

Cintas’ share buybacks increased by approximately $250,000 or 36% on a year-to-date basis, as of the end of its third quarter. The pace of reduction is slim, about 0.18%, but sufficient to offset share-based compensation and the impact of dividend increases. The impact for investors is a stable to slightly declining share count, helping reduce volatility and downside risk. Cintas is a lower beta stock that can help reduce portfolio volatility.

Institutions Limit Downside in 2026

Institutional ownership and persistently low short interest also help keep volatility low. Short interest tends to run about 2%, a healthy level for a blue-chip stock that helps provide day-to-day liquidity. The days to cover are also relatively low at 4 days, suggesting a quick exit for this group should price action begin to heat up. Institutions, the largest group impacting this stock, own about 65% of it and have been accumulating it over the trailing 12 months. The group bought on balance three of the last four quarters, ramping buying activity in Q1 2026 as price action declined.

The technical price action is weak in early 2026 but reflects support at an important technical target aligning with price action in 2024. The support level marks the breakout point of a bull market consolidation and is likely a very strong level. Assuming the market continues to support this stock at its 150-week EMA, a rebound is likely to form soon. CTAS stock has retreated to this level only five times in 15 years, and each time triggered significant rallies, the last two leading to quadruple and high-triple-digit gains, respectively.CTAS stock chart displaying a retreat to deep value territory.

The biggest risks this year include potential for economic downturn, labor force contraction, and regulatory scrutiny of the Unifirst deal. Cintas and Unifirst already operate in some of the same areas, and the acquisition will make the nation’s largest uniform service that much larger. The risk of labor force contraction is legitimate; however, the total claims data suggest employment conditions are not only stable but improving relative to the prior year.

The article "Cintas Corporation: The Deep Value Opportunity in Plain Sight" was originally published by MarketBeat.

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Find your next quality investment with Simply Wall St's easy and powerful screener, trusted by over 7 million individual investors worldwide.

Cintas has seen its modelled fair value edge from US$214.56 to US$214.24, a very small move that signals only limited change in the latest price target work. Behind that, analysts are weighing enthusiasm for the UniFirst acquisition against fresh caution on what investors should pay, with some raising targets toward US$250 and others trimming estimates by US$7 to US$32. As you read on, you will see how these shifting targets fit into the broader story and what to watch as the narrative evolves.

Analyst Price Targets don't always capture the full story. Head over to our Company Report to find new ways to value Cintas.

What Wall Street Has Been Saying

🐂 Bullish Takeaways

Baird upgraded Cintas to Outperform from Neutral and lifted its price target to US$250 from US$225, highlighting expected earnings growth benefits from the UniFirst acquisition through cost and revenue synergies. Baird also pointed to Cintas tools and capabilities as a positive for integration of UniFirst, which it sees as supportive for execution on the deal thesis. BofA reinstated coverage with a Neutral rating and a US$215 price target, describing its stance on the wider peer group as generally constructive. This keeps Cintas within a group it views as fundamentally supported.

🐻 Bearish Takeaways

Stifel cut its Cintas price target by US$32, while Goldman Sachs trimmed its target by US$23 and UBS by US$7, signaling greater caution on what investors should pay even as the UniFirst deal remains a key part of the story. The cluster of target reductions in late March 2026 suggests some analysts are more focused on valuation risk and execution questions around the acquisition rather than on further expanding upside cases.

Do your thoughts align with the Bull or Bear Analysts? Perhaps you think there's more to the story. Head to the Simply Wall St Community to discover more perspectives!NasdaqGS:CTAS 1-Year Stock Price Chart

We've flagged 1 risk for Cintas. See which could impact your investment.

What's in the News

Cintas is reported to be nearing an agreement to acquire UniFirst, with talks focused on a price above the resubmitted US$275 per share offer and a possible announcement as soon as next week. UniFirst is said to be in active sale discussions with Cintas after years of intermittent deal attempts, following Cintas resubmitting a US$275 per share takeover proposal. Cintas raised earnings guidance for fiscal 2026, setting annual revenue expectations in the range of US$11.21b to US$11.24b. Between September 1, 2025 and January 7, 2026, Cintas repurchased 2,700,000 shares, or 0.67% of its shares, for a total of US$508.9m under its existing buyback program.

Story Continues

How This Changes the Fair Value For Cintas

Fair value moved from US$214.56 to US$214.24, a change of about 0.1%. Revenue growth shifted from 7.30% to 7.27%. Profit margin moved from 18.81% to 19.26%. Future P/E multiple moved from 40.76x to 38.82x. Discount rate moved from 7.01% to 6.98%.

Never Miss an Update: Follow The Narrative

Narratives link a company's real world story to a financial forecast and fair value, updating as new data, deals and guidance come through. They help you see how catalysts and risks connect to the numbers you are tracking.

Head over to the Simply Wall St Community and follow the Narrative on Cintas to stay up to date on:

How expanded offerings in safety, hygiene rentals and industry specific programs aim to deepen customer relationships and support recurring revenue. How technology projects such as SAP, SmartTruck routing and plant auto sortation are expected to influence efficiency and margins. Key structural risks, including remote work, automation, cost pressures and potential customer insourcing that could challenge the traditional uniform and facility services model.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include CTAS.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com

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