10 Dividend Knights that Beat The Market Last 3 Years

4. Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ:CTAS)

3-Year Share Price Gains as of  December 4: 109.1%

Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ:CTAS) is an American company that offers a range of products and services primarily focused on workplace essentials, including uniform rental and facility services. The company reported solid earnings in its fiscal Q1 2025. Its revenue came in at $2.5 billion, which showed a 6.8% growth from the same period last year. The revenue beat analysts’ estimates by over $8 million. Its gross margin also grew to $1.25 billion during the quarter, from $1.14 billion in the prior-year period.

In view of its strong earnings, the company announced an upward revision to its full fiscal year financial guidance. Annual revenue projections have been raised from the previous range of $10.16 billion–$10.31 billion to a new range of $10.22 billion–$10.32 billion. Additionally, the guidance for diluted EPS has been increased from $4.06–$4.19 to $4.17–$4.25.

On October 30, Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ:CTAS) currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.70%, as of December 5. The company’s strong cash position has made it possible for it to increase its payouts consecutively for 41 years. In the most recent quarter, it generated $466.7 million in operating cash flow, up from $337 million in the prior-year period. The company also returned approximately $158 million to shareholders through dividends in Q1.

According to Insider Monkey’s database of Q3 2024, 48 hedge funds held stakes in Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ:CTAS), up from 46 in the previous quarter. The collective value of these stakes is over $1.76 billion. Among these hedge funds, Impax Asset Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q3.