SEPTEMBER 19, 2001

· Record First Quarter 2002 Revenue and Earnings
· Net Income Up 11 percent
· Rental Revenue Up 11 percent

CINCINNATI, OH, SEPTEMBER 19, 2001-Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS) today reported record earnings of 33 cents per diluted share for its fiscal 2002 first quarter, up 10 percent from EPS (diluted) of 30 cents in the fiscal 2001 first quarter. Revenue for the quarter was $565 million, up 8.2 percent from $522 million last year. Net income of $56.5 million increased 11.2 percent from the same period last year.

"We had another strong first quarter, with double-digit growth in rental revenue despite the slowing economy," said Cintas Chairman and Founder Richard T. Farmer. "Our core business, the uniform business, has been impacted by the decline in employment, primarily at our existing customers. We continue to experience success in adding new uniform customers, however, and our other business services--our entrance mat services, hygiene supply services and first aid and safety services-are growing at attractive rates."

"In this tough economic climate, Cintas has managed to post profits that are consistent with our historical margins," said Cintas Chief Executive Officer Robert J. Kohlhepp. "Our working partners should be proud of this achievement."

In total, Cintas' revenue increased 8.2 percent due in large part to the Company's continued market expansion efforts targeting companies that do not currently have uniform rental programs. The majority of the Company's new customers are companies that never used uniform and related rental services before.

Cintas' rental revenues grew 11.2 percent while other services revenues were flat compared to last year. "Many customers who purchase their uniforms have postponed their purchases until they get a clearer picture of the future direction of the economy," said Mr. Kohlhepp. "We believe those customers will resume their purchases once the economy turns around."

In light of the weak economy, Cintas has reduced expenditures in every area of the Company, except those related to sales growth and customer service. After-tax profit margins of 10 percent were 30 basis points higher than those in the first quarter of last fiscal year.

OUTLOOK
"We anticipate continued growth in our businesses," Mr. Kohlhepp said. "While the economic impacts of the tragic events of Sept. 11 have yet to become clear, they did not have an impact on our productive capacity or ability to service our customers. Prior to this tragedy, our outlook was on target with our previous guidance for fiscal 2002. That guidance called for annual revenue to be in the range of $2.43 billion to $2.48 billion, with full year earnings per share (diluted) in the range of $1.48 to $1.53, with higher growth rates in the last half of the fiscal year. As the impact of these events becomes clearer, we will reexamine our guidance."

Mr. Kohlhepp expressed the Company's sympathy for the victims of last week's terrorist attacks and those affected by the tragedies. "We are shocked and saddened by the assaults made on our great Nation last week. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and friends. We have the utmost confidence in our Nation's leadership and the resiliency of the American economy."

ABOUT CINTAS
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cintas Corporation is a leader in the corporate identity uniform industry, and also provides a wide range of ancillary services including entrance mats, sanitation supplies, cleanroom services and first aid products and services. Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol CTAS. Cintas' stock is a component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. Cintas was recently ranked No.1 among outsourcing services companies in Fortune Magazine's survey on "America's Most Admired Companies."

CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor from civil litigation for forward-looking statements. This news release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current views as to future events and financial performance with respect to its operations. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in this news release. Factors that might cause such a difference include the possibility of greater than anticipated operating costs, lower sales volumes, the performance and costs of integration of acquisitions, fluctuations in costs of materials and labor, the outcome of pending environmental matters, higher assumed sourcing or distribution costs of products and the reactions of competitors in terms of price and service. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. Cintas undertakes no obligation under the Act to update any forward-looking statements to reflect the events or circumstances arising after the date on which they are made.

For additional information, contact:

William C. Gale
Vice President-Finance and CFO
(513)573-4211

Karen L. Carnahan
Vice President and Treasurer
(513)573-4013

Cintas Corporation Consolidated Condensed Statements of Income (Unaudited) (In thousands)
	Three Months Ended
	Aug 31, 2001	Aug 31, 2000	% Chng
Revenue:
Rentals	$433,152	$389,627	11.2
Other services	131,448	132,332	-0.7
Total revenue	$564,600	$521,959	8.2
Costs and expenses (income):
Cost of rentals	$237,920	$217,821	9.2
Cost of other services	89,403	86,873	2.9
Selling and admin. expenses	145,743	132,936	9.6
Interest income	(1,251)	(1,260)	-0.7
Interest expense	3,086	4,087	-24.5
Total costs and expenses	$474,901	$440,457	7.8

Income before income taxes	$ 89,699	$ 81,502	10.1
Income taxes	33,159	30,653	8.2
Net income	$ 56,540	$ 50,849	11.2

Per share data:
Basic earnings per share	$ .33	$ .30	10.0
Diluted earnings per share	$ .33	$ .30	10.0

Basic shares outstanding	169,528	168,366
Diluted shares outstanding	172,170	171,217

CINTAS CORPORATION SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
	Three Months Ended
	Aug 31, 2001	Aug 31, 2000	% Chng.
EBIT	$ 91,534	$ 84,329	8.5
EBIT/revenue	16.2%	16.2%
EBITDA	$120,939	$111,945	8.0
EBITDA/revenue	21.4%	21.4%
Rental gross margin	45.1%	44.1%
Other services gross margin	32.0%	34.4%
Total gross margin	42.0%	41.6%
Net margin	10.0%	9.7%

Depreciation and amortization	$29,405	$27,616	6.5
Capital expenditures	$32,731	$42,270	-22.6

Debt to Equity	15.6%	19.4%

Cintas Corporation Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (In thousands except share data)
	Aug 31, 2001	Aug 31, 2000

ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$64,751	$30,509
Marketable securities	61,899	47,754
Accounts receivable, net	248,283	239,023
Inventories	204,208	175,549
Uniforms and other rental items in service	248,983	218,287
Prepaid expenses	10,585	8,125
Total current assets	838,709	719,247

Property, plant and equipment, at cost, net	710,590	663,541

Goodwill	130,745	120,507
Other assets	105,226	99,507
	$1,785,270	$1,602,802

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	$42,541	$47,030
Accrued liabilities	97,010	88,870
Deferred income taxes	65,575	59,323
Long-term debt due within one year	20,540	16,201
Total current liabilities	225,666	211,424

Long-term debt due after one year	217,738	247,317

Deferred income taxes	53,202	52,036

Shareholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, no par value, 100,000 shares authorized, none outstanding	-	-
Common stock, no par value, 425,000,000 shares authorized, 169,693,847 shares issued and outstanding (168,512,002 at August 31, 2000)	64,173	55,472
Retained earnings	1,230,405	1,040,220
Other accumulated comprehensive loss	(5,914)	(3,667)
Total shareholders’ equity	1,288,664	1,092,025

	$1,785,270	$1,602,802

Cintas Corporation Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) (In thousands)
	Three Months Ended
	Aug 31, 2001	Aug 31, 2000
Cash flows from operating activities:

Net income	$56,540	$50,849

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	24,673	21,591
Amortization of deferred charges	4,732	6,025
Deferred income taxes	12,008	13,049
Change in current assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions of businesses:
Accounts receivable	(2,435)	(12,705)
Inventories	10,727	(10,883)
Uniforms and other rental items in service	(6,647)	(4,586)
Prepaid expenses	(2,100)	(914)
Accounts payable	(536)	(4,586)
Accrued compensation and related liabilities	(16,820)	(1,472)
Accrued liabilities	(19,712)	(28,053)
Net cash provided by operating activities	60,430	28,315

Cash flows from investing activities:

Capital expenditures	(32,731)	(42,270)
Proceeds from sale or redemption of marketable securities	537	19,017
Purchase of marketable securities	(25,931)	(9,131)
Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired	(9,839)	(572)
Other	554	(7,992)
Net cash used in investing activities	(67,410)	(40,948)

Cash flows from financing activities:

Repayment of long-term debt	(3,267)	(10,420)
Stock options exercised	1,070	687
Other	204	693
Net cash used in financing activities	(1,993)	(9,040)

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(8,973)	(21,673)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	73,724	52,182
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$64,751	$30,509

For further information
William C. Gale,
Vice President - Finance and CFO, 513-573-4211, or
Karen L. Carnahan,
Vice President and Treasurer, 513-573-4013,
both of Cintas Corporation
Web site: http://www.cintas.com

Cash flows from operating activities:

Cash flows from investing activities: