News October 07, 2026
Cintas Moves Closer to UniFirst Deal After Regulatory Review
The two companies have agreed to wait until Dec. 11, 2026, to finalize the deal, unless the FTC closes its investigation earlier in writing.
Key Takeaways
• Cintas (asi/162167) and UniFirst have cleared key regulatory review steps, certifying compliance with Federal Trade Commission information requests and responding to Canadian antitrust regulators.
• The companies agreed not to close the $5.5 billion acquisition before Dec. 11, though Cintas still expects the deal to be completed by year’s end.
• If approved, the merger would combine two of the industry’s largest uniform providers.
Two of the largest uniform companies are getting closer to becoming one.
Back in March, Counselor Top 40 distributor Cintas (asi/162167) announced it had reached an agreement to acquire Wilmington, MA-based UniFirst for approximately $5.5 billion. The announcement marked its third attempt at a purchase.
Now, the two parties are moving the deal forward. According to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission form obtained by Counselor, the companies have certified compliance with the Federal Trade Commission.
Cintas and UniFirst have also agreed to wait until Dec. 11, 2026, to close the deal, unless the FTC completes the investigation before then. However, Cintas says it expects the deal to officially close before the end of the year.
In addition to completing the necessary steps with United States regulatory bodies, Cintas and UniFirst also responded to a Supplementary Information Request from the Canadian Competition Bureau on Sept. 29, 2026.
These requests and responses ensure due diligence when evaluating whether a merger or acquisition requires additional information to determine if it promotes or threatens economic competition.
As part of the acquisition bid, which Cintas submitted for the third time in December of last year, the Cincinnati-based distributor added on a $350 million reverse termination fee payable from Cintas to UniFirst in the event the merger is blocked by antitrust laws.
“This agreement marks a critical step in realizing substantial value for shareholders and customers,” Cintas CEO and President Todd Schneider said in March. “For decades, Cintas and UniFirst have built their reputations on a shared commitment to service excellence and putting customers first. By combining, we will be better positioned to drive growth and deliver on efficiencies that will benefit our collective customers and employee-partners.”
Cintas also said the deal should result in around $375 million in operational cost savings for both companies within four years. Last month, Cintas reported earnings at just over $3 billion for its fiscal 2027 first quarter, jumping 10.9% when compared to the previous year.
Cintas was founded in 1929 and went public in 1983. As of Oct. 7, 2026, Cintas (NASDAQ: CTAS) shares were trading at approximately $197.03. Based on estimated 2025 North American promotional products revenue of $256.8 million, Cintas ranks 14th on Counselor’s most recent list of largest distributors in the industry. That figure does not account for the company’s proposed UniFirst acquisition.