NAS10029,403−1.38%S&P7,720−0.30%GOLD$3,993−0.95%BTC$78,307+0.68%VIX17.20+1.71%latest tape · as of 07:23 UTC
The Screen · Industrials · Specialty Business Services
Cintas
CTAS · a US exchange · USD · Market cap $86.6B · 48,300 employees
Cintas Corporation engages in the provision of corporate identity uniforms and related business services primarily in the United States, Canada, and Latin America.
Positioning no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
Options put/call open interest 4.09, read 2026-10-29
Ethical passes the values gate
Price218.07 USD
Fair value173.86
Ethical score84.0/100
RatingOVERVALUED
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-10-25Read Accumulation213.06+2.4% to today ✓Markup gives way to Accumulation after a 7% rise in 2 weeks
2026-10-11Read Markup199.91+9.1% to today ✓Distribution gives way to Markup with volume flow in agreement
2026-10-02Read Distribution199.91+9.1% to today Markdown gives way to Distribution
2026-09-19Read Markdown200.50+8.8% to today Accumulation gives way to Markdown with results news in the headlines
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
Cintas holds its Markup at $218.07. Consolidating, no directional conviction, held for 21 days.
As held on the ledger · 2026-10-29
Phase
Markup
Quantitative state
Consolidating, no directional conviction, held for 21 days
Price at the screen
$218.07
Valuation
43.01 trailing · 35.40 forward price to earnings
Values screen
PASS· score 84.0
Beta
0.92
The Workings
Five Screens, Shown in Full
Full pass across all five screens. This security clears the Titan Ethical Standard: its business and its balance sheet both stay inside the lines.
Test
Figure
Limit
What it means
Status
Business activity
Permissible
Core business clean
Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines: no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending.
Pass
Debt load
27.02%
Below 33%
Interest-bearing debt is just 27.0% of its assets, well under the one-third ceiling: it does not run on borrowed money.
Pass
Interest-bearing cash
3.46%
Below 33%
Cash held in interest-bearing accounts and securities is 3.5% of assets, under the one-third limit.
Pass
Receivables
17.11%
Below 49%
Money owed to the company is 17.1% of assets, under the 49% limit.
Pass
Revenue purity
0.05%
Below 5%
Only 0.1% of revenue comes from non-compliant sources, under the 5% line.
Pass
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
The Ethical Read
Why It Clears, in Plain English
Cintas clears all five screens. Its business is in a permissible area, its interest-bearing debt is about 27%, inside the ~33% line, and almost none of its income is interest, so it passes.
Read as at 2026-10-29. It updates when the underlying figures move, and past reads are kept below.
Follow this verdict
Get an email when CTAS's ethical verdict changes
Today CTAS passes the screen. If new figures move it to a fail, we send you one short email with the before and after. Verdicts change rarely, so you may not hear from us for a long time.
Free, no account needed. Every email has a link to stop.
What the Numbers Say It Is Worth
The Fair Value Range
Our analysis reads OVERVALUED: it trades above our $173.86 fair value estimate, moderate competitive moat, 10.90% revenue growth.
Fair value range in USD, drawn from the 2026-10-29 screen. The gold marker is the market price at the same screen. The price runs 20.3% above the base estimate.
Third-party analyst targets: 16 covering, consensus Buy. The average target sits +3% from the screen price.
Reading the gap · Both our model and the Street see limited upside at this price.
Price History & Projections
Where it has been, where the models see it going. History from market close data; projection points are our fair-value estimates and third-party analyst targets, dated to the 2026-10-29 screen.
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; the Street's range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
The Business, in Plain Words
Uniform supplier priced well beyond its reach
Every workplace needs fresh uniforms and safety kits on time, and Cintas has built a reliable service delivering them across North and Latin America. Yet the shares sit 17 percent above our fair value at $204.45, leaving no margin when growth is only 9 percent and the moat is merely moderate.
Revenue and margins look solid with 18 percent profit margins and 41 percent return on equity, yet the 33.6 times forward earnings multiple already prices in smooth expansion that a moderate competitive position may not sustain. The ethical screen clears without issue.
Any dip in corporate budgets or fresh rivals could trim those returns quickly, and the stretched valuation already signals the main risk. Analysis, not advice.
The risks · The main risks here are ordinary market swings and the chance our fair-value read proves too optimistic.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
Where & How to Trade
CTAS trades on a US exchange. As a listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering its home market. New to this, or investing from abroad? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
The framework has shifted from markup to accumulation since the last review. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with strong ethical credentials. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 13% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are down 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 11%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $212.
2026-10-18Markup$213.06+6.6%Entry 13
The analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved up 6.6% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with strong ethical credentials. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 11%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $212.
2026-10-11Markup · changed$199.91+0.0%Entry 12
The framework has shifted from distribution to markup since the last review. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with strong ethical credentials. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 11%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $212.
The framework has shifted from markdown to distribution since the last review. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.3% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with strong ethical credentials. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 11%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $212.
2026-09-21Markdown$200.50+0.0%Entry 10
Our analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with strong ethical credentials. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 11%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $212. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-09-19Markdown · changed$200.50+0.0%Entry 9
The framework has shifted from accumulation to markdown since the last review. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with strong ethical credentials. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 11%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $212. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-09-18Accumulation$200.50+0.0%Entry 8
Our analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with strong ethical credentials. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 11%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $212. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-09-17Accumulation$200.50+0.0%Entry 7
Our analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with strong ethical credentials. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 11%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $212. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
The framework has shifted from distribution to accumulation since the last review. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 1.5% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with strong ethical credentials. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 11%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $212. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-08-26Distribution$203.52-0.5%Entry 5
Our analysis reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.5% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with strong ethical credentials. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 18%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 11%. The street (17 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $212.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
