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CTAS vs UNF
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Cintas Corporation (CTAS) vs. UniFirst Corporation (UNF) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Cintas (CTAS) and UniFirst (UNF) operate in the uniform rental and facility services sector, with CTAS holding a dominant market position at $70B market cap versus UNF's $4.7B.
- Recent quarters show robust growth: CTAS Q3 FY2026 revenue up 8.9% to $2.84B; UNF Q2 FY2026 revenues up 3.4% to $622.5M.
- UNF outperforms on relative performance with YTD return of 33.86% vs. CTAS's 6.76% and 1-year 52.79% vs. 12.96%.
- A pending $5.5B acquisition of UNF by CTAS at $310/share introduces consolidation dynamics, potentially accretive to CTAS EPS post-close.
- Both stocks trade at elevated P/E ratios around 35-37x trailing earnings, reflecting growth expectations amid macroeconomic pressures.
- Investor focus remains on merger synergies, revenue stability, and sector resilience in recent market activity.
Introduction
Cintas Corporation (CTAS) and UniFirst Corporation (UNF) are leading providers of uniform rental, facility services, and protective clothing, primarily serving manufacturing, healthcare, and service industries across North America. This stock comparison evaluates their business models, recent performance, and market positioning in the current environment of economic uncertainty and sector consolidation. Traders seeking momentum plays may eye UNF's relative strength, while long-term investors might assess CTAS's scale advantages and acquisition potential. Understanding their contrasts aids in relative performance analysis for diversified portfolios.
CTAS Overview and Recent Performance
Cintas Corporation (CTAS), headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, provides corporate identity uniforms, facility services, first aid, and safety products mainly in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. With a market cap nearing $70B, it dominates the specialty business services segment through its Uniform Rental and Facility Services, First Aid and Safety Services, and other operations.
In recent market activity, CTAS shares have traded around $175, reflecting YTD gains of 6.76% but lagging the S&P 500's broader indices over one year at 12.96% versus 29.40%. Fiscal Q3 2026 results highlighted record revenue of $2.84B, up 8.9% year-over-year with 8.2% organic growth, and gross margins at an all-time high of 51.0%. Earnings reached $502.5M, supported by operating margins near 23%. Sentiment has been influenced by macroeconomic concerns, labor market softness, and a proposed $5.5B acquisition of rival UniFirst, expected to enhance synergies and expand service capabilities, though shares dipped amid integration uncertainties.
UNF Overview and Recent Performance
UniFirst Corporation (UNF), based in Wilmington, Massachusetts, delivers workplace uniforms, protective wear, first aid, and facility solutions across the U.S., Europe, and Canada. Operating via segments like U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning, Manufacturing, and Specialty Garments, its $4.7B market cap underscores a solid but smaller footprint in the industrials space.
Recent weeks saw UNF shares near $258, driving strong YTD performance of 33.86% and 1-year returns of 52.79%, outpacing the S&P 500. Fiscal Q2 2026 revenues grew 3.4% to $622.5M, with net income at $20.5M and diluted EPS of $1.13, beating estimates despite costs from ERP initiatives and legal matters. Positive sentiment stems from operational resilience, NASCAR sponsorships boosting visibility, and the pending Cintas acquisition at $310/share ($155 cash + 0.772 CTAS shares), which supports premium valuation amid merger arbitrage interest.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Both CTAS and UNF thrive on recurring revenue from uniform rentals and ancillary services, but CTAS boasts superior scale, higher margins (gross ~51% vs. ~36-37%), and broader geographic reach including Latin America. Growth drivers differ: CTAS leverages first aid/safety diversification and M&A (mergers and acquisitions), while UNF emphasizes specialty garments like cleanroom and nuclear wear.
Recent momentum favors UNF with stronger YTD/1-year returns amid acquisition premium, versus CTAS's steadier but pressured trajectory. Risk factors include integration hurdles for the deal, labor costs, and economic slowdowns impacting client volumes. Sector exposure overlaps in industrials but CTAS shows greater stability (beta ~1.01). Market sentiment tilts toward UNF for short-term upside, CTAS for post-merger dominance.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently leans toward CTAS due to its trend consistency, higher organic growth, superior margins, and catalysts from the UniFirst acquisition, which promises $375M in synergies and EPS accretion. While UNF exhibits stronger recent momentum from the deal premium, CTAS's scale and stability position it better for sustained outperformance probabilistically in volatile conditions.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full Disclaimers and Limitations.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is CTAS is a Hold and UNF is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
CTAS’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileUNF’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- CTAS’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- UNF’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
CTAS’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while UNF’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- CTAS’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- UNF’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
Price Growth
CTAS (@Office Equipment/Supplies) experienced а -5.96% price change this week, while UNF (@Office Equipment/Supplies) price change was -4.72% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Office Equipment/Supplies industry was -1.74%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +0.30%, and the average quarterly price growth was +0.98%.
Reported Earning Dates
CTAS is expected to report earnings on Jul 09, 2026.
UNF is expected to report earnings on Jul 01, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Office Equipment/Supplies (-1.74% weekly)The industry produces equipment regularly used in offices by businesses and other organizations, and could range from items like Blank sheet paper, calendars, Label and adhesive paper, paper clips, janitorial supplies, to larger /higher cost products like computers, printers, photocopiers, office furniture and so on. Many businesses in the office supply industry have been expanding into related markets like business cards, plus printing and binding of high quality, high volume business and engineering documents. Some companies in this industry also offer shipping services, including packaging and bulk mailing. Herman Miller, Inc., Steelcase Inc. and HNI Corporation.
| CTAS | UNF | CTAS / UNF | |
| Capitalization | 68.4B | 4.72B | 1,449% |
| EBITDA | 3.05B | 310M | 982% |
| Gain YTD | -9.346 | 35.019 | -27% |
| P/E Ratio | 36.04 | 35.37 | 102% |
| Revenue | 11B | 2.47B | 446% |
| Total Cash | 183M | N/A | - |
| Total Debt | 2.92B | 79.9M | 3,652% |
CTAS | UNF | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 22 | 22 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 67 Overvalued | 60 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 32 | 64 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 23 | 83 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 61 | 44 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 80 | 18 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
UNF's Valuation (60) in the Other Consumer Services industry is in the same range as CTAS (67). This means that UNF’s stock grew similarly to CTAS’s over the last 12 months.
CTAS's Profit vs Risk Rating (32) in the Other Consumer Services industry is in the same range as UNF (64). This means that CTAS’s stock grew similarly to UNF’s over the last 12 months.
CTAS's SMR Rating (23) in the Other Consumer Services industry is somewhat better than the same rating for UNF (83). This means that CTAS’s stock grew somewhat faster than UNF’s over the last 12 months.
UNF's Price Growth Rating (44) in the Other Consumer Services industry is in the same range as CTAS (61). This means that UNF’s stock grew similarly to CTAS’s over the last 12 months.
UNF's P/E Growth Rating (18) in the Other Consumer Services industry is somewhat better than the same rating for CTAS (80). This means that UNF’s stock grew somewhat faster than CTAS’s over the last 12 months.
| CTAS | UNF | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 81% | 2 days ago 66% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 64% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 34% | 2 days ago 61% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 43% | 2 days ago 70% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 43% | 2 days ago 62% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 50% | 2 days ago 63% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 9 days ago 57% | 9 days ago 51% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 5 days ago 41% | 5 days ago 63% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 39% | 2 days ago 63% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 56% | 2 days ago 49% |
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CTAS and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, CTAS has been loosely correlated with EXPO. These tickers have moved in lockstep 62% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if CTAS jumps, then EXPO could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To CTAS | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTAS | 100% | -4.00% | ||
| EXPO - CTAS | 62% Loosely correlated | -0.58% | ||
| UNF - CTAS | 54% Loosely correlated | -2.32% | ||
| VRSK - CTAS | 51% Loosely correlated | -2.37% | ||
| ARLO - CTAS | 47% Loosely correlated | -4.23% | ||
| EFX - CTAS | 46% Loosely correlated | -7.35% | ||
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UNF and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, UNF has been loosely correlated with CTAS. These tickers have moved in lockstep 54% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if UNF jumps, then CTAS could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To UNF | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNF | 100% | -2.32% | ||
| CTAS - UNF | 54% Loosely correlated | -4.00% | ||
| EXPO - UNF | 48% Loosely correlated | -0.58% | ||
| ARLO - UNF | 42% Loosely correlated | -4.23% | ||
| LOPE - UNF | 39% Loosely correlated | -1.34% | ||
| BRC - UNF | 39% Loosely correlated | -1.70% | ||
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