Cintas Corporation Announces Fiscal 2014 Third Quarter Results

Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS) today reported results for its third quarter ended February 28, 2014. Revenue for the third quarter was $1.13 billion, representing a 5.1% increase compared to last year’s third quarter. Adjusting for one more workday in this year’s third quarter compared to last year’s third quarter, revenue grew 3.5%. Organic growth, which adjusts for the impact of acquisitions and the one additional workday, was 3.1%. This organic growth rate reflects the impact of a weaker Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar and the difficult year-over-year comparison due to our Uniform Direct Sales operating segment having the largest uniform program roll-out in the Company’s history during last year’s third quarter. These items negatively impacted organic growth by 0.5% and 1.7%, respectively.

The Company’s operating income of $150.2 million was a 12.9% increase as compared to $133.0 million in last year’s third quarter. Net income increased 13.2% to $84.6 million as compared to $74.7 million in last year’s third quarter. Earnings per diluted share (EPS) for the third quarter were $0.69, a 15.0% increase over the $0.60 EPS in last year’s third quarter.

Scott D. Farmer, Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Despite the impact of the severe winter weather which affected our customers and our operations, as well as the weaker Canadian dollar, we were able to grow earnings at a double-digit rate. We are pleased with our results for the quarter and our fiscal year to date achieved by the hard work and dedication of our employees, who we call partners.”

Mr. Farmer concluded, “We are updating our fiscal 2014 guidance based on our third quarter results. We expect fiscal 2014 revenue in the range of $4.550 billion to $4.575 billion and EPS in the range of $2.75 to $2.79. This guidance assumes no deterioration in the U.S. economy and does not consider any additional share buybacks.”

Earlier today, the Company announced an agreement with the shareholders of Shred-it International Inc. (Shred-it) to combine Cintas’ Document Shredding business with Shred-it’s Document Shredding business. Under the agreement, Cintas and Shred-it will each contribute its document shredding business to a newly formed partnership that will be owned 42% by Cintas and 58% by the shareholders of Shred-it. The combined entity will operate under the Shred-it brand and is expected to have annual revenue in excess of $600 million. In addition to its 42% ownership of the partnership, Cintas will receive approximately $180 million in cash at the closing of the transaction which is expected to occur before May 31, 2014. The updated guidance above does not include any impact of this transaction.

About Cintas

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas Corporation provides highly specialized services to businesses of all types primarily throughout North America. Cintas designs, manufactures and implements corporate identity uniform programs, and provides entrance mats, restroom supplies, first aid, safety, fire protection products and services and document management services for over one million businesses. Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.

CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

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 ability and timing to satisfy the closing conditions to consummate the transaction with Shred-it, including the receipt of government and other approvals; the Shred-it partnership’s ability to promptly and effectively integrate the Cintas Document Shredding business with Shred-it’s Document Shredding business; the Shred-it partnership’s ability to realize any synergies from the combination of the Cintas Document Shredding business with Shred-it’s Document Shredding business; the ability to successfully explore strategic opportunities for the Cintas Global Document Storage and Imaging business; 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; 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; uncertainties regarding any existing or newly-discovered expenses and liabilities related to environmental compliance and remediation; the cost, results and ongoing assessment of internal controls for financial reporting required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; disruptions caused by the inaccessibility of computer systems data; 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; the amount and timing of repurchases of our common stock, if any; changes in federal and state tax and labor laws; the reactions of competitors in terms of price and service; the ultimate impact of the Affordable Care Act; and the finalization of our financial statements for the quarter ended February 28, 2014. 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. 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, 2013 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.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Regulation G Disclosure

The press release contains non-GAAP financial measures within the meaning of Regulation G promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. To supplement its consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the Company provides additional measures of revenue growth, debt and cash flow. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are appropriate to enhance understanding of its past performance as well as prospects for future performance. A reconciliation of the differences between these non-GAAP financial measures with the most directly comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP is shown below.

Management believes that Workday Adjusted Revenue Growth is valuable to investors because it reflects the revenue performance compared to a prior period with the same number of revenue generating days.

Management believes the ratio of debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) is valuable to investors, particularly investors of the company's debt, because it is a common metric that reflects the company's earnings and cash flow available for debt service payments.

Management uses free cash flow to assess the financial performance of the Company. Management believes that free cash flow is useful to investors because it relates the operating cash flow of the Company to the capital that is spent to continue, improve and grow business operations.