Cintas Reports Record Second Quarter 2002 Sales and Profits

· Sales and Profits Increase
· Achieved Earnings Per Share of $.34
· Margins remain strong
· Balance Sheet strengthens

CINCINNATI, December 18, 2001 -- Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq:CTAS) today reported that total revenue for its fiscal second quarter ended November 30, 2001, increased 3 percent to $557 million from $539 million a year ago. Net income of $58 million for the second quarter also increased 3 percent from $56.5 million reported in last year's second quarter. Earnings per share advanced to 34 cents per share (diluted) from 33 cents.

"Our results again illustrate Cintas' ability to grow even in the tough economic environment that we are in today," noted Robert J. Kohlhepp, Chief Executive Officer of Cintas. "Our uniform business has been negatively impacted by the decline in employment levels. In spite of that, we continue to add new customers and increase market share. We also continue to leverage our customer relationships to provide additional products and services. Cintas has one of the largest distribution systems in North America and our service sales representatives are in regular contact with more than 420,000 business customers who need our services to run their businesses every day."

Mr. Kohlhepp continued, "The rental of uniforms and other products and services continues to grow as we realize the efforts of an expanded sales force and aggressive marketing effort. Even in this difficult economic environment, our rental division has written more new business and added more new customers than ever before. When the economy begins to improve, we will be well-positioned to capture that growth and further increase our market share."

Cintas' rental revenue was up 8 percent from last year's second quarter. Other services revenue, which includes the sale of uniforms as well as the sale of other products and services, declined 11 percent from a year ago. Mr. Kohlhepp explained, "Since the tragic events of September 11th, our uniform sales customers which include hotels, airlines, auto rental and entertainment businesses have delayed their uniform purchases because of weakness in their business. Although we are disappointed in the sale-side of our uniform business, we believe the demand for new uniforms will increase as the economy gains strength. We also experienced healthy sales growth last year and we are up against tough comparisons to last year's results." In total, Cintas' revenue increased 3 percent compared to the second quarter of last fiscal year.

Strong Margins / Strong Balance Sheet
Despite planned increases in sales and marketing costs to propel future growth, productivity improvements and cost control efforts have allowed Cintas to continue to deliver excellent operating performance. Gross margins of 42.2 percent improved almost a full percentage point from last year's margin. Mr. Kohlhepp commented, "In this slower growth environment, we have become even more spartan by cutting costs and watching every expense in our Company. Operating margins were also a healthy 16.8 percent while net margins were 10.4 percent." The Company's balance sheet is strong with more than $200 million in cash and marketable securities and long-term debt to total capitalization of 13.5 percent.

Kohlhepp added, "We are well positioned, both operationally and financially, to emerge from this recession as a stronger force in our industry. We have the financial wherewithal to achieve our growth targets through organic growth and by making acquisitions."

At November 30, 2001, total assets were $1.9 billion. Shareholders' equity reached $1.3 billion, up from $1.15 billion last year.

Six Months Results
For the first six months of fiscal 2002, total revenue advanced 6 percent to $1.12 billion from $1.06 billion in the comparable prior period. Net income increased 7 percent to $114.5 million, or 67 cents per share (diluted) versus $107.4 million, or 63 cents, last year.
"Cintas has reported 32 consecutive years of uninterrupted growth in sales and profits, and we are confident that fiscal 2002 will continue that record, " Kohlhepp said.

Outlook
Mr. Kohlhepp commented, "Our current guidance for revenue and earnings per share for the remainder of fiscal 2002 remains unchanged from that presented in our press release on November 14, 2001. That guidance calls for total revenue to be in a range of $2.32 to $2.36 billion, representing a 7 to 9 percent increase, and diluted earnings per share to be in a range of $1.39 to $1.43, representing an increase of 7 to 10 percent over the previous fiscal year. We believe the economy should begin to show signs of stabilizing in the first quarter of calendar 2002 and begin to grow in the second quarter of the year."

Recognition
During the second quarter, B to B magazine, a leading business-to-business magazine, ranked Cintas' Web site number one in America within the professional services category. B to B magazine, a premier publication for marketing and e-commerce strategists, also placed Cintas in the top 30 out of 200 business-to-business sites. B to B evaluates web sites based on ease of navigation, presentation of information, quality of information, interactive resources, e-commerce capabilities and additional extras. Cintas' Web site also was recognized in 1999 and 1998.

About Cintas
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas Corporation is the leader in the corporate identity uniform industry providing uniforms to a wide variety of industries nationwide. The Company also provides a range of outsourcing services including entrance mats, sanitation supplies, cleanroom services and first aid and safety products and services. Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol CTAS, and is a Nasdaq-100 company and component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. The Company, which has achieved 32 consecutive years of growth in sales and earnings, to date, was named the top outsourcing services provider in Fortune Magazine's 2001 "America's Most Admired Companies" survey.

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 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

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