Stock fact sheet · data as of
Cintas Corporation (CTAS): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Industrials · Specialty Business Services · United States · Quality / Blue-Chip
Is CTAS undervalued?
At 213.06 (close of 16 Oct 2026), CTAS trades 121% over the GLS average fair value of 96.42, with 0 of 9 models above the price. The stock earns none of the Wheel Score's Value points at this price. That is a statement about price against trailing fundamentals, not about the company's prospects - the Wall Street View and the Growth tab on the Quote page carry the forward numbers.
There is a wide gap between DDM (27.52) and Graham Growth (173.40). When the models are this far apart the "fair value" is really a range, and the margin of safety above should be read with that range in mind.
The nightly engine files CTAS under Quality / Blue-Chip: a high moat score and a high health score together.
Nine valuation models for CTAS
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | 130.63 | -39% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | 38.82 | -82% | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share |
| Graham Growth | 173.40 | -19% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 66.78 | -69% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 97.76 | -54% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | 134.57 | -37% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | 141.12 | -34% | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself |
| DDM | 27.52 | -87% | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend |
| EPV | 57.22 | -73% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -3.87 | -102% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 234.60 | +10% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
Cintas Corporation scores 8 of 9 on the Piotroski F-score, the nine yes/no tests of profitability, leverage and efficiency on the latest annual accounts - a strong reading that passes the Sunday Scan's "6 or more" rule with room to spare. A GLS Moat score of 9.7/10 puts CTAS among the more durable businesses we track: over ten years the metrics the score watches (revenue, EPS, book value, margins, cash flow, ROIC) have mostly moved the right way, year after year.
Returns on capital are high - ROIC 25.5%, ROE 38.9%, ROA 19.0% - with debt at 0.53 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 2.4%.
The dividend yield is 0.88% with a payout ratio of 35% - a small yield that leaves most of the earnings in the business. Revenue comes mainly from Uniform Rental and Facility Services 76%, First Aid and Safety Services 13%, Fire Protection Services 9% (quarter Q4 FY2026).
Institutional ownership scores 9/10, insider activity 2/10 and Congressional trading 10/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 8 / 9 | ROIC | 25.5% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 9.7 / 10 | ROE | 38.9% |
| Debt / equity | 0.53 | ROA | 19.0% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 2.4% | Payout ratio | 35% |
| Institutions | 9 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 2 · 10 / 10 |
Wheel Score 65: Good
With a Wheel Score of 65 - the Good band - Cintas Corporation falls just short of the Sunday Scan's "70 or higher" rule. The parts: Value 0/25, Health 18/20, Moat 15/15, Premium 13/20, Stability 20/20; Value (0/25) scores lowest.
Implied volatility is 28% on the near-the-money contracts 20-60 days out: some premium, but under the 35-60% range the Wheel Score pays full marks for (13 of 20 points). Chain open interest is 27,513 contracts across all expiries - enough for the wheel at normal size.
Volume runs at 1.9M shares a day on a market cap of $84.6B, with a beta of 0.92; the Stability part of the Wheel Score gives that 20 of 20.
| Part | Points | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 0 / 25 | -121% margin of safety | |
| Health | 18 / 20 | Piotroski 8/9 | |
| Moat | 15 / 15 | moat 9.7/10 | |
| Premium | 13 / 20 | implied volatility 28% | |
| Stability | 20 / 20 | 1.9M shares/day, $84.6B cap, beta 0.92 |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls; it is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. The walkthrough lesson shows how the score fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
The next earnings report is due on 17 Dec 2026, 62 days away - outside the window of a 30-45-day put sold today.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Specialty Business Services
The 12 companies below are the closest to Cintas Corporation by market cap within the Specialty Business Services industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RELX RELX Plc | 36.93 | 25.63 | -44% | 62Fair | $64.2B |
| TRI Thomson Reuters Corporation | 105.40 | 87.62 | -20% | 64Fair | $45.7B |
| CPRT Copart, Inc. | 27.75 | 25.53 | -9% | 72Good | $25.7B |
| RBA RB Global, Inc. | 87.82 | 88.64 | +1% | 74Good | $16.3B |
| ROL Rollins, Inc. | 32.63 | 21.47 | -52% | 68Good | $15.7B |
| ARMK Aramark | 55.04 | 31.36 | -76% | 59Fair | $14.5B |
| ULS UL Solutions Inc. | 71.60 | 37.20 | -92% | 69Good | $14.5B |
| BIPI BIP Bermuda Holdings I Limited | 16.02 | 1,493.04 | +99% | 39No options | $12.7B |
| RTO Rentokil Initial plc | 20.24 | 29.85 | +32% | 84Prime | $10.2B |
| UNF UniFirst Corporation | 258.08 | 110.82 | -133% | 54Fair | $4.7B |
| FA First Advantage Corporation | 20.08 | 17.04 | -18% | 60Fair | $3.4B |
| BFAM Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. | 70.42 | 107.32 | +34% | 85Prime | $3.4B |
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Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about CTAS
Is CTAS undervalued right now?
No: at 213.06 the stock trades 121% above the GLS average fair value of 96.42 (data as of 16 Oct 2026), well beyond what trailing earnings, cash flow and book value support.
What is the Wheel Score of CTAS and what does it mean?
CTAS scores 65 out of 100 (Good). The Wheel Score blends the margin of safety (25 points), Piotroski health (20), the GLS moat (15), the option premium on offer (20) and trading stability (20) into one number that ranks stocks for the wheel strategy - selling cash-secured puts, then covered calls if assigned. 80 and above is Prime, 65-79 Good, 50-64 Fair, under 50 Weak.
What is the GLS fair value for CTAS?
96.42 per share as of 16 Oct 2026 - the simple average of the 9 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does Cintas Corporation report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 17 Dec 2026, 62 days from the data date of 16 Oct 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does CTAS have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 1,000 listed contracts with 27,513 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 28% on the near-the-money contracts. The Options scanner lists the cash-secured put and covered call set-ups with premium and annualised yield worked out.