Cintas delays UniFirst closing. Market value of Cintas stock is USD 84.3 billion

Published on 10/20/2026 at 11:20 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

The FTC timing pact bars closing before December 11, 2026. Cintas stock costs EUR 189.64 on October 20, 2026, minus 0.19 percent versus the EUR 190.00 Xetra close.

Regulatory timing and growth

Cintas and UniFirst agreed on October 2, 2026 not to close before December 11, 2026.
Fiscal first-quarter revenue reached USD 3.01 billion, up 10.90 percent year over year.
Cintas stock was trading at EUR 189.64 at 11:11 a.m. CEST at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026, 0.19 percent below the Xetra close of October 19, 2026.

Industrielle Wäscherei mit Uniformen auf Förderschienen und Industriewaschmaschinen — Cintas Corp. Uniformmietanlage US1729081035 zeigt Mitarbeiter beim Sortieren frisch gereinigter Arbeitskleidung an Förderschienen, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Cintas (ISIN US1729081059) was trading at EUR 189.64 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 11:11 a.m. CEST, down 0.19 percent versus the Xetra close of October 19, 2026 at EUR 190.00. The latest company event is the regulatory timetable for its planned UniFirst transaction, which set December 11, 2026 as the earliest closing date.

On October 6, 2026, a filing by the SEC said Cintas and UniFirst had certified substantial compliance with the Federal Trade Commission's additional information request on October 2. The companies agreed not to complete the merger before December 11 unless the FTC closes its investigation earlier in writing.

Three dates shape the transaction

The recent chronology shows how the deal has moved toward a regulatory decision. On September 15, 2026, Cintas paid an aggregate quarterly dividend of USD 208.8 million. On September 23, 2026, it reported fiscal first-quarter revenue of USD 3.01 billion, up 10.90 percent from the prior year. On October 2, 2026, Cintas and UniFirst signed the timing agreement that set December 11, 2026 as the earliest possible closing date.

What does December 11 mean?

The date creates a regulatory floor rather than a guaranteed completion date. Cintas said in its fiscal first-quarter release that it still expected the merger to close before the end of calendar 2026, subject to customary conditions. The transaction also remains exposed to review outcomes, integration costs and financing needs.

The operating backdrop gives the deal a stronger financial context. In the fiscal first quarter ended August 31, 2026, gross margin was USD 1.55 billion, or 51.50 percent of revenue, versus 50.30 percent a year earlier. Operating income rose 15.20 percent to USD 711.9 million, while adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 15.80 percent to USD 1.39. The official Cintas release also raised fiscal 2027 revenue guidance to USD 12.15 billion-USD 12.27 billion from USD 12.10 billion-USD 12.25 billion.

Analyst targets remain divided

MarketBeat reported on October 17, 2026 that 10 of 17 tracked firms rated Cintas Buy, six rated it Hold and one rated it Sell. The average 12-month target was USD 218.50. That target sits above the October 19 primary-market close of USD 213.69, while the regulatory timetable remains the key counterweight to the earnings momentum.

Stock stays near its yearly high

Cintas had a primary-market 52-week range of USD 161.16 to USD 219.17 as of October 19, 2026, with market capitalization of USD 84.3 billion. Its next earnings date is December 17, 2026, according to Gekko.

Cintas was trading at EUR 189.64 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 11:11 a.m. CEST, 0.19 percent below the Xetra close of October 19, 2026 at EUR 190.00. The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of Cintas stock.