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Cintas Corporation (CTAS), headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, is a leading provider of corporate identity uniform programs, facility services, and first aid and safety solutions. With a market cap of $79.3 billion, Cintas is a major player in the business services industry, delivering innovative solutions that help companies maintain a clean, safe, and professional work environment.
Companies valued at around $10 billion are typically classified as "large-cap stocks," and Cintas comfortably fits this category. Cintas has established a strong market presence driven by its comprehensive range of offerings and commitment to enhancing workplace safety, cleanliness, and professional image.
CTAS shares are trading 3.7% below their 52-week high of $812.01, which they hit on Sep. 3. The stock has seen a 14.6% gain over the last three months compared to the 3% returns seen in the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI) during the same period.
In the longer term, CTAS is up 29.7% on a YTD basis, and the shares have gained 57.7% over the past 52 weeks. The XLI has gained 10.4% in 2024 and 18.2% over the past year.
To confirm its bullish trend, CTAS has been trading above its 50-day moving average since early June and its 200-day moving average since early November 2023.
Strategic acquisitions and continuous innovation fuel Cintas' strong performance, such as new product launches and cross-selling solutions. On Jul. 18, CTAS shares jumped 5.4% following its Q4 earnings report, which featured an EPS of $3.99, beating the consensus estimate and delivering a notable 19.8% year-over-year increase.
Highlighting the contrast in performance, rival UniFirst Corporation (UNF) has slightly underperformed CTAS and XLI, with a 3.9% gain on a YTD basis.
Given the stock's strong recent price performance, analysts are moderately optimistic about CTAS' prospects. The stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from 19 analysts. The mean price target is $771.67, which indicates that the stock trades at a premium.
On the date of publication, Rashmi Kumari did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
