Cintas to Buy UniFirst for $5.5B, Cuts $375M in Costs
Cintas will acquire Massachusetts-based rival UniFirst for $5.5B in a deal adding $2.4B in annual sales, expected to close in H2 2026 after board approvals. The merger targets $375M in cost cuts and pays UniFirst shareholders $310 per share with a $155 cash component and 0.77 Cintas shares.
1. Deal Structure and Terms
Cintas agreed to acquire UniFirst for $5.5 billion, offering $155 cash plus 0.77 Cintas shares for each UniFirst share, valuing them at $310 apiece, with approvals secured from both companies’ boards on March 11.
2. Financial Scale and Synergies
The transaction adds UniFirst’s $2.4 billion in annual revenue to Cintas’s $10.3 billion fiscal 2025 sales and is projected to deliver $375 million in cost savings through combined operations and streamlined functions.
3. Timeline and Approvals
Following years of overtures, the deal cleared voting by the Croatti family—holders of two-thirds of UniFirst shares—and is slated to close in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory review.