Cintas (NASDAQ:CTAS) Posts Q4 2026 EPS Beat and Record Margins, Full-Year Revenue Hits $11.26B

Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: CTAS) closed fiscal 2026 with a fourth-quarter EPS of $1.29, beating the $1.26 consensus estimate by 2.1%, while full-year revenue reached $11.26 billion. Fourth-quarter revenue rose 8.9% year-over-year, and the company reported record gross margin and profitability metrics for the period ending May 31, 2026.

Q4 2026 Results

• EPS: GAAP EPS of $1.29 for Q4 2026, up 6.6% from $1.21 in the prior-year quarter, beating the $1.26 consensus estimate by $0.03.
• Revenue growth: Fourth-quarter revenue increased 8.9% year-over-year, consistent with the company's full-year revenue growth rate.
• Full-year revenue: Fiscal 2026 revenue totaled $11.26 billion.
• Record margins: Cintas reported a record gross margin for the quarter, with CEO Todd Schneider citing record profitability metrics as a highlight of the fiscal year.
• Fiscal 2027 outlook: Management issued guidance calling for continued gains in sales and adjusted earnings in the coming fiscal year.

What Drove the Results

Cintas posted a 2.1% positive EPS surprise in Q4 2026, reversing two consecutive quarters of modest misses: a -1.8% miss in the quarter ended March 31, 2026, and a -0.9% miss in the quarter ended December 31, 2025. The 8.9% revenue increase reflected broad-based growth, though the earnings call highlighted some softness in uniform sales and regulatory hurdles as factors the company is managing. Full income statement line items were not available at time of publication, limiting a deeper breakdown of margin drivers beyond the record gross margin disclosed by management.

CEO Todd Schneider noted that the company ended fiscal 2026 with strong fourth-quarter revenue growth and record profitability metrics, and that fiscal 2027 guidance calls for continued gains in both sales and adjusted earnings. The uniform services and business services provider serves a wide range of industries, and the 8.9% top-line expansion reflects sustained demand across its core segments despite the identified challenges in uniform sales.

Wall Street View

Analyst consensus heading into the print leaned constructive, though no specific new price targets were issued alongside today's results in the available data. Shares gained 4.36% on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.40%.

Investor Takeaway

The Q4 beat restores a beat cadence after two consecutive quarters of EPS shortfalls, and the record gross margin in a period that also saw uniform sales softness suggests Cintas is finding margin leverage in other parts of the business. The fiscal 2027 guidance for continued revenue and adjusted earnings growth gives investors a forward target to measure execution against, making the sustainability of the 8.9% growth rate the key metric to watch in coming quarters.