CINCINNATI, October 29, 2019 - Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS) announced that the Company’s Board of Directors approved a $2.55 per share annual dividend at its meeting today, representing an increase of 24.4% over last year’s dividend. This is the 36thconsecutive year that the annual dividend has increased, which is every year since Cintas’ initial public offering in 1983. This dividend is payable on December 6, 2019 to shareholders of record as of November 8, 2019.
Cintas also announced that the Board of Directors approved an additional share buyback program under which the Company may buy up to $1.0 billion of Cintas common stock at market prices. The number of shares to be purchased and the timing will be determined at the discretion of the Board, and purchases may be discontinued at any time.
Scott D. Farmer, Cintas’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We achieved record revenue and net income in our fiscal 2019, and this fiscal year is off to a good start. Given our excellent financial results and strong financial position, we are pleased to announce an increase in the annual dividend. The dividend, accompanied by our share buyback program, continues to demonstrate our commitment to increasing shareholder value.”
As of October 29, 2019, the Company has $263 million available under its existing share buyback program that was authorized on October 30, 2018. Since the Board authorized that $1 billion program, the Company has purchased 3.5 million shares at an average price of $209.82 for a total of $737 million. This program does not have an expiration date and will continue to be executed at the discretion of the Board.
Collectively, as of October 29, 2019, Cintas has $1.263 billion available under the buyback programs.
About Cintas
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 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.
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 timeframe 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; 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