Cintas Corporation(Nasdaq: CTAS) today reported results for its fiscal 2022 third quarter ended February 28, 2022. Revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 was $1.96 billion compared to $1.78 billion in last year’s third quarter, an increase of 10.3%. The organic revenue growth rate for the third quarter of fiscal 2022, which adjusts for the impacts of acquisitions, divestitures and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, was 10.0%.
Gross margin for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 was $898.2 million compared to $809.5 million in last year’s third quarter. Gross margin as a percentage of revenue was 45.8% for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 compared to 45.6% in last year’s third quarter. Energy expenses comprised of gasoline, natural gas and electricity were 45 basis points higher during the third quarter of fiscal 2022 compared to last year’s third quarter.
Operating income for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 was $407.6 million compared to $326.5 million in last year’s third quarter. Operating income as a percentage of revenue was 20.8% in the third quarter of fiscal 2022 compared to 18.4% in last year’s third quarter. Fiscal 2022 third quarter operating income included a $30.2 million gain on an equity method investment transaction. The gain was recorded in selling and administrative expenses. Excluding this gain, fiscal 2022 third quarter operating income as a percentage of revenue was 19.3%, an increase of 90 basis points from last year’s third quarter.
Net income was $315.4 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 compared to $258.4 million in last year’s third quarter. Third quarter of fiscal 2022 diluted earnings per share (EPS) was $2.97 compared to $2.37 in last year’s third quarter. Fiscal 2022 third quarter diluted EPS contained $0.28 from the gain on an equity method investment transaction, which included a related $0.07 tax rate benefit. Excluding this gain and the related tax impact, fiscal 2022 third quarter diluted EPS was $2.69 compared to $2.37 in last year’s third quarter, a 13.5% increase from last year’s diluted EPS.
Fiscal 2022 third quarter net cash provided by operating activities was $393.3 million compared to $331.9 million in last year’s third quarter, an increase of 18.5%. During the third quarter of fiscal 2022 and through March 22, 2022, Cintas purchased $584.2 million of Cintas common stock under its buyback program. On March 15, 2022, Cintas paid shareholders an aggregate of $99.0 million in quarterly dividends.
Todd M. Schneider, Cintas’ President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, «We are pleased with our third quarter financial results, led by a revenue increase of 10.3%. Excluding the gain previously mentioned, operating income and diluted EPS increased significantly despite inflation. Our financial results are indicative of our strong value proposition. Businesses prioritize image, cleanliness, safety and compliance and, challenged with labor scarcity and rising costs, increasingly count on Cintas to help get them Ready for the Workday®.»
Mr. Schneider concluded, «We are increasing our financial guidance. We expect our fiscal 2022 fourth quarter revenue to be in the range of $1.96 billion to $2.02 billion and diluted EPS to be in the range of $2.54 to $2.74. Our fourth quarter fiscal 2022 effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 23.2% compared to a rate of 19.4% for last year’s fourth quarter. The expected higher effective tax rate is anticipated to negatively impact fiscal 2022 fourth quarter diluted EPS guidance by approximately $0.14 and diluted EPS growth by approximately 560 basis points. Our financial guidance includes share buybacks through March 22, 2022 but does not include the impact of any future share buybacks.»