Cintas Corporation Announces Fiscal 2020 Third Quarter Results
CINCINNATI - March 19, 2020 - Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq:CTAS) today reported results for its fiscal 2020 third quarter ended February 29, 2020. Revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2020 was $1.81 billion, an increase of 7.6% over last year’s third quarter. Earnings per diluted share (EPS) from continuing operations were $2.16 in the third quarter of fiscal 2020, an increase of 17.4% over last year's third quarter EPS, adjusted for G&K Services, Inc. (G&K) integration expenses. Free cash flow for the third quarter of fiscal 2020 was $300.0 million, an increase of 17.2% over last year's third quarter.
Scott D. Farmer, Cintas' Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are pleased with our third quarter and fiscal year-to-date performance which includes strong growth in revenue, EPS and cash flow generation. More importantly, though, our concerns have turned to the COVID-19 coronavirus and its effects on our customers, our employee-partners and our communities. The pandemic has created a very fluid environment in the markets in which we operate, and I can't thank our employee-partners enough for doing our part to keep our customers' places of work clean, safe and Ready for the Workday™."
The organic revenue growth rate for the third quarter of fiscal 2020, which adjusts for the impacts of acquisitions, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, and differences in the number of workdays, was 5.7%. The organic revenue growth rate for the Uniform Rental and Facility Services operating segment was 4.8%, and the organic revenue growth rate for the First Aid and Safety Services operating segment was 12.5%.
Gross margin for the third quarter of fiscal 2020 of $824.4 million increased 9.2% from last year’s third quarter. Gross margin as a percentage of revenue increased 60 basis points to 45.5% for the third quarter of fiscal 2020 compared to 44.9% in the third quarter of fiscal 2019.
Operating income for the third quarter of fiscal 2020 of $314.7 million increased 13.1% from last year’s third quarter operating income of $278.3 million. Operating income as a percentage of revenue was 17.4% in the third quarter of fiscal 2020 compared to 16.5% in the third quarter of fiscal 2019. Operating income in the third quarter of fiscal 2019 was impacted by non-recurring integration expenses related to the G&K acquisition of $0.8 million.
Net income from continuing operations was $234.5 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2020, and EPS from continuing operations were $2.16. Net income from continuing operations was $200.9 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2019, and EPS from continuing operations were $1.83. Fiscal 2019 third quarter EPS from continuing operations included non-recurring G&K integration expenses of $0.01.
The following table provides a comparison of fiscal 2020 third quarter EPS to fiscal 2019 third quarter EPS
Net cash provided by operating activities for the third quarter of fiscal 2020 of $363.2 million increased 11.4% from last year's third quarter net cash provided by operating activities of $326.2 million. Third quarter free cash flow, which is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures, was $300.0 million, an increase of 17.2% compared to last year. For the nine months ended February 29, 2020, free cash flow was $745.2 million, an increase of 61.0% compared to the nine months ended February 28, 2019.
Mr. Farmer commented, “We continue to effectively deploy cash to increase shareholder value. In the third quarter of fiscal 2020, we paid an annual dividend of $2.55 per share, an increase of 24.4% over last year’s annual dividend. The amount paid to shareholders was $268.0 million. We have increased the annual dividend for 36 consecutive years. In addition to the annual dividend, we utilized cash to purchase $393.1 million of Cintas stock in fiscal 2020 to date, including $200.0 million in March 2020. The amount remaining under our share buyback authorization is $1.1 billion.”
Mr. Farmer concluded, “A week ago, we were expecting today to raise revenue and EPS guidance based upon our fourth quarter outlook. However, much has changed in the past week as our country and others continue to respond to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Due to the uncertainty, including the severity and duration of the pandemic, we are not providing guidance for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 at this time and withdrawing our full fiscal year guidance. Although our visibility to near-term financial results is currently diminished, we remain focused on the safety and well-being of our employee-partners and the care of our customers.”
About Cintas Corporation
Cintas Corporation helps more than one million businesses of all types and sizes get Ready™ to open their doors with confidence every day by providing a wide range of products and services that enhance our customers’ image and help keep their facilities and employees clean, safe and looking their best. With products and services including uniforms, floor care, restroom supplies, first aid and safety products, fire extinguishers and testing, and safety and compliance training, Cintas helps customers get Ready for the Workday™. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas is a publicly held Fortune 500 company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and the Nasdaq-100 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, risks inherent with the G&K transaction in the achievement of cost synergies and the timing thereof, including whether the transaction will be accretive and within the expected time frame and the actual amounts of future integration expenses; 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, including G&K; 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; the effect on operations of exchange rate fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; 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; the effect of new accounting pronouncements; costs of our SAP system implementation; disruptions caused by the inaccessibility of computer systems data, including cybersecurity risks; 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 including viral pandemics such as the COVID-19 coronavirus; the amount and timing of repurchases of our common stock, if any; changes in federal and state tax and labor laws; and the reactions of competitors in terms of price and service. 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, 2019 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.
For additional information, contact:
J. Michael Hansen, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer - 513-972-2079 Paul F. Adler, Vice President and Treasurer - 513-972-4195