Cintas Corporation (CTAS) earnings on September 23, 2026

Before the market opens Q2 2026

More Cintas Corporation earnings

Prior outlook: Pessimistic Outcome: Accurate

CTAS jumped initially after earnings but reversed sharply, closing down 3.44%. Analysts expected moderate growth, and the stock had recently been downgraded.

CTAS price around the earnings

191.97

Change: -3.4%

2026-09-23, 20:00 UTC

Start of the measured window End of the measured window
191.33 195.79 200.24 204.70 198.80
Price series around the eventClosing price per minute from before the event to the end of the measured window.
September 23, 2026
  • Price: green if it ends above the starting price; red if it ends below
  • Start of the measured window
  • End of the measured window
  • Market open
  • Starting price
Price series around the event

Prior thesis

Prior outlook: Pessimistic Outcome: Accurate

Thesis published
Results released

Underperforming, retail optimism mismatch, downgrade

The stock has been falling while other growth stocks rise, and retail investors remain unusually optimistic despite the weakness. A recent analyst downgrade added to the pressure.

Context analyzed before publication

Summary
Underperforming, retail optimism mismatch, downgrade
Playbook
The price dropped 2.5% over 30 days while tech-heavy QQQ rose nearly 5%. The stock sits 9% below its yearly high, and Citigroup recently cut its rating to sell.
Trend
Sentiment flipped from positive to negative fast

Analysts

Drivers

  • Analysts Neutral

    Analysts point to an optimistic scenario with an average price target suggesting 9% upside, though Citigroup recently downgraded to sell

Evidence

Analyst consensus
Buy
Consensus average (1-5)
2.2
Analysts covering the stock
16
Average price target
216.63
Lowest price target
180
Highest price target
250
Upside to price target
9%
Quarterly earnings growth
14%
Revenue growth
8.9%
Forward EPS
6.12
Trailing EPS
4.95
Analyst moves in the last 60 days
1
  • Strong buy: 2
  • Buy: 8
  • Hold: 9
  • Sell: 1
  • Strong sell: 0
Strong buy
2
Buy
8
Hold
9
Sell
1
Strong sell
0
  • September 22, 2026 · Citigroup: Maintains rating (Sell → Sell)

News and sentiment

Evidence

Sentiment
Sentiment
Constructive
Mention volume
High
Normalized volume
99%
Messages
30
News
Sources (2)

Technicals

Drivers

  • Technical Negative

    30-day trend underperforms the tech-heavy index by over 7 percentage points; 9% below 52-week high

Evidence

Price when the context was analyzed
198.66
Average true range (ATR)
1.6%
Distance to 52-week high
-8.8%
14-day change (14d)
-0.9%
30-day change (32d)
-2.5%
30-day relative strength
-7.3%
QQQ change (32d)
+4.8%
Nearest support
198.62
Distance to nearest support
0%
Nearest resistance
199.57
Distance to nearest resistance
0.5%
Volume accumulation ratio (14d / 46d)
1
  • Major: 198.62 (0% away, 0.01 ATR, 61 touches)
  • Major: 197.75 (0.5% away, 0.29 ATR, 23 touches)
  • Major: 196.54 (1.1% away, 0.67 ATR, 33 touches)
  • Major: 199.57 (0.5% away, 0.29 ATR, 52 touches)
  • Major: 201.03 (1.2% away, 0.76 ATR, 54 touches)
  • Major: 201.82 (1.6% away, 1.01 ATR, 57 touches)

Trends

Evidence

Average earnings surprise
+1.1%
  • July 15, 2026: actual EPS 1.26 vs estimate 1.23 (surprise +2.4%)
  • March 25, 2026: actual EPS 1.24 vs estimate 1.24 (surprise +0.1%)
  • December 18, 2025: actual EPS 1.21 vs estimate 1.19 (surprise +1.3%)
  • September 24, 2025: actual EPS 1.2 vs estimate 1.19 (surprise +0.7%)

Expected move

Drivers

  • Past earnings Neutral

    Mixed reactions in past reports, ranging from -6% to +6% swings, most recent beat by 2.4%

Implied move
+3.8%
Source
Options chain

Reactions over its last 20 earnings

Median move
3.3%
75th percentile move
5.2%
90th percentile move
6.6%
Up / down moves
15 / 5
Average up move
+3.6%
Average down move
-3.7%

Monitoring and close

What Cintas Corporation reported

Status
Finished
Actual EPS1.39
EPS estimate1.35
EPS surprise+3.0%
Revenue$3,014 million
Revenue estimate$2,984 million
Revenue surprise+1.0%

Cintas Q1 2027 earnings transcript released as markets tumble; Nasdaq and Russell 2000 fell while 5-year Treasury hit 5% first time since 2007.

Sources (18)

Pre-market second reading after the results

There is no second reading available for this event.

How the stock reacted

Outcome
Accurate
Consolidated
-3.4%
Max favorable move (MFE)
3.8%
Max adverse move (MAE)
3%