Short interest for Cintas gives investors a sense of the degree to which investors are betting on the decline of Cintas's stock. Short interest data is updated every two weeks.

Cintas Stock (NASDAQ:CTAS), Short Interest Report

Cintas

Cintas is positioned as a one-stop shop that rents/sells uniforms and ancillary products and services, such as mops, first aid kits, and fire inspections. In its core uniform and facility services unit (a majority of sales), Cintas provides uniform rental programs for items including office attire, custom-tailored apparel, flame-resistant clothing, lab coats, and other profession-specific clothing. Facilities products generally include the rental and sale of entrance mats, mops, shop towels, hand sanitizers, and restroom supplies. Cintas' remaining businesses include first aid and safety services, fire protection services, and uniform direct sales.

Earnings

News

Price Target

Intraday Update

Markets

Analyst Ratings

Trading Ideas

CTAS

Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: CTAS) reported better-than-expected third-quarter financial results and raised FY24 guidance.

Cintas Analysts Increase Their Forecasts After Upbeat Earnings

Small Cap

Pre-Market Outlook

DRCT

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some improvement in overall market sentiment on Wednesday, but it remained in the &#34;Greed&#34; zone.

U.S. stocks closed higher on Wednesday, with the S&amp;P 500 settling at a fresh record level during the session. The index is up around 10% in the first quarter and is on course to record its best first-quarter surge since 2019.

Investor Optimism Improves; S&amp;P 500 Settles At New Record

Penny Stocks

Eurozone

Commodities

Global

GMDA

LIXT

MRDB

PAYS

U.S. stocks traded mostly higher toward the end of trading, with the Dow Jones index gaining over 300 points on Wednesday.

The Dow traded up 0.78% to 39,589.55 while the NASDAQ fell 0.02% to 16,312.74. The S&amp;P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.36% to 5,222.18.

Gold Moves Higher; Velo3D Shares Plummet

Cintas Corp

Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 15 years by 12.05% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 24.22%. Currently, Cintas has a market capitalization of $67.50 billion. 
Buying $1000 In CTAS: If an investor had bought $1000 of CTAS stock 15 years ago, it would be worth $25,941.17 today based on a price of $665.25 for CTAS at the time of writing.
<h3>Cintas's Performance Over Last 15 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1714158029_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much $1000 Invested In Cintas 15 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 17.24% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 27.96%. Currently, Cintas has a market capitalization of $67.95 billion. 
Buying $1000 In CTAS: If an investor had bought $1000 of CTAS stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $11,895.63 today based on a price of $669.73 for CTAS at the time of writing.
<h3>Cintas's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1712853022_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$1000 Invested In This Stock 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth $12,000 Today

Goldman Sachs analyst George Tong maintains Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) from Buy to Buy.

Goldman Sachs Maintains Buy on Cintasto Buy

Oppenheimer analyst Scott Schneeberger maintains Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) from Perform to Perform.

Oppenheimer Maintains Perform on Cintasto Perform

Deutsche Bank analyst Faiza Alwy maintains Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) with a Hold and raises the price target from $629 to $726.

Deutsche Bank Maintains Hold on Cintas, Raises Price Target to $726

Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ctas#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) reported better-than-expected third-quarter financial results and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/03/37963359/why-corporate-apparel-company-cintas-shares-are-gaining-today">raised FY24 guidance</a>.
Cintas posted GAAP earnings of $3.84 per share, beating market estimates of $3.59 per share. The company&rsquo;s quarterly sales came in at $2.406 billion, versus expectations of $2.386 billion, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro.</a>
Todd M. Schneider, Cintas&rsquo; President, and Chief Executive Officer, stated, &ldquo;Each of our operating segments continue to execute at a high level, which led to robust revenue growth of 9.9%, record high gross margin of 49.4%, record high operating margin of 21.6% and diluted EPS growth of 22.3%.&rdquo;
Cintas increased FY24 annual revenue expectations from $9.48 billion-$9.56 billion to $9.57 billion-$9.60 billion (estimate: $9.56 billion). The firm raised EPS outlook from $14.35-$14.65 to $14.80-$15.00 (estimate: $14.60).
Cintas shares rose 0.1% to trade at $686.63 on Thursday.
These analysts made changes to their price targets on Cintas following earnings announcement.
<ul>
<li>Baird raised the price target on Cintas from $660 to $750. Baird analyst Andrew Wittmann maintained an Outperform rating.</li>
<li>B of A Securities increased the price target on Cintas from $700 to $790. B of A Securities analyst Heather Balsky maintained a Buy rating.</li>
<li>UBS boosted the price target on Cintas from $680 to $790. UBS analyst Joshua Chan maintained a Buy rating.</li>
<li>Truist Securities raised the price target on Cintas from $660 to $775. Truist Securities analyst Jasper Bibb maintained a Buy rating.</li>
<li>RBC Capital boosted the price target on Cintas from $675 to $725. RBC Capital analyst Ashish Sabadra maintained an Outperform rating.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Now Read This: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/03/37975916/jim-cramer-likes-crown-castle-but-cant-recommend-archer-aviation-it-has-no-earnings-powe"> Jim Cramer Likes Crown Castle, But Can&#39;t Recommend Archer Aviation: It Has &#39;No Earnings Power&#39;</a>

Goldman Sachs analyst George Tong maintains Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $673 to $765.

Goldman Sachs Maintains Buy on Cintas, Raises Price Target to $765

RBC Capital analyst Ashish Sabadra maintains Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $675 to $725.

RBC Capital Maintains Outperform on Cintas, Raises Price Target to $725

Truist Securities analyst Jasper Bibb maintains Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $660 to $775.

Truist Securities Maintains Buy on Cintas, Raises Price Target to $775

UBS analyst Joshua Chan maintains Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $680 to $790.

UBS Maintains Buy on Cintas, Raises Price Target to $790

Throughout the last three months, 5 analysts have evaluated Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>), offering a diverse set of opinions from bullish to bearish.
The following table encapsulates their recent ratings, offering a glimpse into the evolving sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Indifferent</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">3</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The 12-month price targets assessed by analysts reveal further insights, featuring an average target of $715.0, a high estimate of $790.00, and a low estimate of $660.00. Observing a 8.99% increase, the current average has risen from the previous average price target of $656.00. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1711634483_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Deciphering Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Analysis</h2>
The standing of Cintas among financial experts is revealed through an in-depth exploration of recent analyst actions. The summary below outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Heather Balsky</td>
<td>B of A Securities</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$790.00</td>
<td>$700.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Andrew Wittmann</td>
<td>Baird</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$750.00</td>
<td>$660.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ashish Sabadra</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$675.00</td>
<td>$645.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Manav Patnaik</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$700.00</td>
<td>$630.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jasper Bibb</td>
<td>Truist Securities</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$660.00</td>
<td>$645.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Analysts adapt their recommendations to changing market conditions and company performance. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their response to recent developments related to Cintas. This information provides a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Analysts assign qualitative assessments to stocks, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey the analysts' expectations for the relative performance of Cintas compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts predict movements in price targets, offering estimates for Cintas's future value. Examining the current and prior targets offers insights into analysts' evolving expectations.</li>
</ul>
Analyzing these analyst evaluations alongside relevant financial metrics can provide a comprehensive view of Cintas's market position. Stay informed and make data-driven decisions with the assistance of our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/CTAS/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Cintas analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>All You Need to Know About Cintas</h2>
Cintas is positioned as a one-stop shop that rents/sells uniforms and ancillary products and services, such as mops, first aid kits, and fire inspections. In its core uniform and facility services unit (a majority of sales), Cintas provides uniform rental programs for items including office attire, custom-tailored apparel, flame-resistant clothing, lab coats, and other profession-specific clothing. Facilities products generally include the rental and sale of entrance mats, mops, shop towels, hand sanitizers, and restroom supplies. Cintas' remaining businesses include first aid and safety services, fire protection services, and uniform direct sales.
<h3>Financial Insights: Cintas</h3>
Market Capitalization Highlights: Above the industry average, the company's market capitalization signifies a significant scale, indicating strong confidence and market prominence.
Revenue Growth: Over the 3 months period, Cintas showcased positive performance, achieving a revenue growth rate of 9.3% as of 30 November, 2023. This reflects a substantial increase in the company's top-line earnings. As compared to competitors, the company encountered difficulties, with a growth rate lower than the average among peers in the Industrials sector.
Net Margin: Cintas's net margin surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive 15.7% net margin, the company effectively manages costs and achieves strong profitability.
Return on Equity (ROE): Cintas's ROE stands out, surpassing industry averages. With an impressive ROE of 9.25%, the company demonstrates effective use of equity capital and strong financial performance.
Return on Assets (ROA): The company's ROA is a standout performer, exceeding industry averages. With an impressive ROA of 4.26%, the company showcases effective utilization of assets.
Debt Management: The company maintains a balanced debt approach with a debt-to-equity ratio below industry norms, standing at 0.72.
<h2>The Significance of Analyst Ratings Explained</h2>
Benzinga tracks 150 analyst firms and reports on their stock expectations. Analysts typically arrive at their conclusions by predicting how much money a company will make in the future, usually the upcoming five years, and how risky or predictable that company's revenue streams are.
Analysts attend company conference calls and meetings, research company financial statements, and communicate with insiders to publish their ratings on stocks. Analysts typically rate each stock once per quarter or whenever the company has a major update.
Some analysts publish their predictions for metrics such as growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide additional guidance with their ratings. When using analyst ratings, it is important to keep in mind that stock and sector analysts are also human and are only offering their opinions to investors.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Forecasting The Future: 5 Analyst Projections For Cintas

B of A Securities analyst Heather Balsky maintains Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $700 to $790.

B of A Securities Maintains Buy on Cintas, Raises Price Target to $790

Baird analyst Andrew Wittmann maintains Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $660 to $750.

Baird Maintains Outperform on Cintas, Raises Price Target to $750

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some improvement in overall market sentiment on Wednesday, but it remained in the &quot;Greed&quot; zone.
U.S. stocks closed higher on Wednesday, with the S&amp;P 500 settling at a fresh record level during the session. The index is up around 10% in the first quarter and is on course to record its best first-quarter surge since 2019.
Shares of Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ctas#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) surged 8% on Wednesday after the company reported better-than-expected third-quarter financial results and raised FY24 guidance. Shares of Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/drct#NASDAQ">DRCT</a>) dipped more than 39% after the company reported worse-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results.
On the economic data front, U.S. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mortgage-lenders-no-tax-returns/">mortgage</a> applications declined by 0.7% on the week ending March 22, 2024. Crude oil inventories in the U.S. increased by 3.165 million barrels in the week ended March 22, compared to market estimates of a 1.275 million decline, the Energy Information Administration said.
All sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a positive note, with utilities, real estate and industrials stocks recording the biggest gains on Wednesday.
The Dow Jones closed higher by around 478 points to 39,760.08 on Wednesday. The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.86% at 5,248.49, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.51% at 16,399.52 during Wednesday&rsquo;s session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from Oxford Industries, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/oxm#NYSE">OXM</a>), MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/msm#NYSE">MSM</a>) and Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wba#NASDAQ">WBA</a>) today.
At a current reading of 70, the index remained in the &quot;Greed&quot; zone on Wednesday, versus a prior reading of 68.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.
&nbsp;
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/03/37951427/jim-cramer-visa-is-too-close-to-all-time-high-chart-industries-is-absolutely-terrific"> Jim Cramer: Visa Is &#39;Too Close To All-Time High,&#39; Chart Industries Is &#39;Absolutely Terrific&#39;</a>

Investor Optimism Improves; S&P 500 Settles At New Record

U.S. stocks traded mostly higher toward the end of trading, with the Dow Jones index gaining over 300 points on Wednesday.
The Dow traded up 0.78% to 39,589.55 while the NASDAQ fell 0.02% to 16,312.74. The S&amp;P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.36% to 5,222.18.
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37932398/top-3-energy-stocks-that-may-keep-you-up-at-night-in-q1"> Top 3 Energy Stocks That May Keep You Up At Night In Q1 </a>
&nbsp;
<h3>Leading and Lagging Sectors</h3>
&nbsp;
Utilities shares jumped by 2% on Wednesday.
In trading on Wednesday, communication services shares fell by 0.5%.
&nbsp;
<h3>Top Headline</h3>
&nbsp;
Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ctas#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) reported better-than-expected third-quarter financial results and raised FY24 guidance.
Cintas posted GAAP earnings of $3.84 per share, beating market estimates of $3.59 per share. The company&rsquo;s quarterly sales came in at $2.406 billion, versus expectations of $2.386 billion, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
Cintas increased FY24 annual revenue expectations from $9.48 billion-$9.56 billion to $9.57 billion-$9.60 billion (estimate: $9.56 billion). The firm raised EPS outlook from $14.35-$14.65 to $14.80-$15.00 (estimate: $14.60).
&nbsp;
<h3>Equities Trading UP</h3>
&nbsp;
Lixte Biotechnology Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lixt#NASDAQ">LIXT</a>) shares shot up 44% to $3.2571 after the company announced the publication of pre-clinical data on its lead clinical compound, LB-100.
Shares of MariaDB plc (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mrdb#NYSE">MRDB</a>) got a boost, surging 91% to $0.4311 after Progress Software announced that it is possibly considering an offer for the company.
PaySign, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pays#NASDAQ">PAYS</a>) shares were also up, gaining 19% to $4.01 after the company announced better-than-expected fourth-quarter results.
&nbsp;
<h3>Equities Trading DOWN</h3>
&nbsp;
Gamida Cell Ltd. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/gmda#NASDAQ">GMDA</a>) shares dropped 83% to $0.0591 after the company reported fourth-quarter results and disclosed the commencement of a restructuring process.
Shares of Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/drct#NASDAQ">DRCT</a>) were down 38% to $16.36 after the company reported worse-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results.
Velo3D, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/vld#NYSE">VLD</a>) was down, falling 42% to $0.3339 after the company reported worse-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results.
Also Check This Out:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37956326/netflix-to-rally-over-15-here-are-10-top-analyst-forecasts-for-wednesday"> Netflix To Rally Over 15%? Here Are 10 Top Analyst Forecasts For Wednesday </a>
&nbsp;
<h3>Commodities</h3>
&nbsp;
In commodity news, oil traded down 0.5% to $81.19 while gold traded up 0.6% at $2,211.80.
Silver traded up 0.3% to $24.705 on Wednesday, while copper fell 0.2% to $4.0000.
&nbsp;
<h3>Euro zone</h3>
&nbsp;
European shares were higher today. The eurozone&rsquo;s STOXX 600 rose 0.13%, London&rsquo;s FTSE 100 rose 0.01% while Spain&rsquo;s IBEX 35 Index rose 1.09% The German DAX rose 0.50% French CAC 40 rose 0.25% while Italy&rsquo;s FTSE MIB Index rose 0.21%.
The economic sentiment indicator in the eurozone climbed to a three-month high level of 96.3 in March, while services confidence indicator rose to 6.3 from 6 a month ago. The consumer confidence indicator in the eurozone increased by 0.6 points to a reading of -14.9 in March.
Spain posted a current account surplus of &euro;5,127 million in January, higher than the &euro;2,340 million surplus recorded in year-ago period, while consumer price inflation rate accelerated to 3.2% year-over-year in March. The construction output in Italy surged by 14.8% year-over-year in January, while consumer confidence indicator in France climbed to 91 in March.
&nbsp;
<h3>Asia Pacific Markets</h3>
&nbsp;
Asian markets closed mixed on Wednesday, with Japan&rsquo;s Nikkei 225 gaining 0.90%, Hong Kong&rsquo;s Hang Seng Index falling 1.36%, China&rsquo;s Shanghai Composite Index dipping 1.26% and India&rsquo;s S&amp;P BSE Sensex gaining 0.73%.
Profits earned by Chinese industrial firms jumped by 10.2% year-over-year to CNY 914.06 billion during the first two months of the year.
&nbsp;
<h3>Economics</h3>
&nbsp;
U.S. mortgage applications declined by 0.7% on the week ending March 22, 2024.
Crude oil inventories in the U.S. increased by 3.165 million barrels in the week ended March 22, compared to market estimates of a 1.275 million decline, the Energy Information Administration said.
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Wall Street witnessed a mixed session on Wednesday morning trading, with tech giants seeing slight declines while blue chips and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-small-cap-stocks">small caps recording gains.</a>
The S&amp;P 500 index climbed back above the 5,200-point mark, up by 0.2%, while the Dow Jones saw a 0.5% increase, and the Nasdaq experienced a marginal 0.1% dip.
A basket of the Magnificent Seven, as tracked by the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAGS#NYSE">MAGS</a>), dropped by 0.8%.
Small caps rallied, with the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) rising by 1.2%, marking the strongest performance of the past week.
On the macro front, there was a slight decrease in 30-year mortgage rates from 6.98% to 6.93%, as reported by the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. However, new mortgage applications experienced a weekly decline of 0.7%.
Treasury yields across the curve dropped by 3 basis points, providing support for gold, which rose by 0.5% to $2,190 per ounce. The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TLT#NASDAQ">TLT</a>) inched 0.6% higher. 
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) slipped 1.4% below the 69,000 mark, reaching an intraday low of 68,380. 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Wednesday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>1-day %chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,091.84</td>
<td>1.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>39,497.24</td>
<td>0.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>5,223.58</td>
<td>0.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>18,214.24</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was 0.3% higher to $520.78, the&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) fell 0.5% to $393.92 and the tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) held steady at $443.33, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.&nbsp;
Sector-wise, the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLU#NYSE">XLU</a>) and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLRE#NYSE">XLRE</a>) were the top performers for the day, up 2% and 1.8%, while the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLK#NYSE">XLK</a>) was the laggard, showing a flat reading.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Wednesday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>
<ul>
<li>nCino, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NCNO#NASDAQ">NCNO</a>) rallied nearly 19% after stronger-than-expected quarterly results. </li>
<li>Other companies reacting to earnings reports were GameStop Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>), down 15%, Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PRGS#NASDAQ">PRGS</a>), down 1.2%, Cintas Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>), up 9%, Carnival Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCL#NASDAQ">CCL</a>), up 2.6%, Lands End Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LE#NASDAQ">LE</a>), up 12%, Sonida Senior Living Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNDA#NYSE">SNDA</a>). </li>
<li>Celsius Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CELH#NASDAQ">CELH</a>) saw a nearly 8% drop after the energy-drink company amended its distribution agreement with PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>), adding an incentive program that boosts Pepsi&#8217;s margins on the sales of Celsius&#8217; beverages.</li>
<li>SL Green Realty Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLG#NYSE">SLG</a>) rallied 5.3% after Barclays upgraded the stock from &#8216;Underweight&#8217; to &#8216;Equalweight,&#8217; raising the price target from $38 to $45. </li>
<li>Companies set to report after market close are Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JEFF#NYSE">JEFF</a>), RH Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RH#NYSE">RH</a>), H.B. Fuller Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FUL#NYSE">FUL</a>), Braze Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRZE#NASDAQ">BRZE</a>), Chemours Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CC#NYSE">CC</a>) and Sprinklr Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CXM#NYSE">CXM</a>). </li>
</ul>
Now Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/03/37961518/yellen-issues-warnings-on-chinas-green-energy-exports-it-hurts-american-firms-and-workers">Yellen Issues Warnings On China&#8217;s Green Energy Exports: It &#8216;Hurts American Firms And Workers&#8217;</a>
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Small Caps Rally, Magnificent 7 Ease, Gold Eyes $2,200, Bitcoin Falls Below $69,000: What's Driving Markets Wednesday?

Shares of LuxUrban Hotels Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/luxh#NASDAQ">LUXH</a>) fell sharply during Wednesday&rsquo;s session after the company issued preliminary fourth-quarter <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/LUXH/earnings">revenue outlook below estimates</a>.
LuxUrban said it expects preliminary revenue of $28.2 million for the fourth quarter, versus market estimates of $34.199 million, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
LuxUrban Hotels shares dipped 27.4% to $1.5523 on Wednesday.
Here are some other stocks moving in today&#39;s mid-day session.
<h3>Gainers</h3>
<ul>
<li>MariaDB plc (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mrdb#NYSE">MRDB</a>) climbed 70.4% to $0.3850 after Progress Software announced that it is possibly considering an offer for the company.</li>
<li>Lixte Biotechnology Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lixt#NASDAQ">LIXT</a>) shares jumped 68.6% to $3.8099 after the company announced the publication of pre-clinical data on its lead clinical compound, LB-100.</li>
<li>Nutriband Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ntrb#NASDAQ">NTRB</a>) gained 33.2% to $3.9950 after the company provided a clinical and regulatory path overview for its AVERSA Fentanyl patch.</li>
<li>Verb Technology Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/verb#NASDAQ">VERB</a>) surged 30.5% to $0.3656 after the company announced that its MARKET.live entered into a formal partnership with TikTok to become a service provider for TikTok Shop and will receive a TikTok Shop Partner designation.</li>
<li>PaySign, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pays#NASDAQ">PAYS</a>) gained 28.2% to $4.3299 after the company announced better-than-expected fourth-quarter results.</li>
<li>Destiny Tech100 Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/dxyz#NASDAQ">DXYZ</a>) rose 26.6% to $11.39 after gaining 9% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>PAVmed Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pavm#NASDAQ">PAVM</a>) gained 19.7% to $2.4798 after the company issued business update and fourth quarter financial results.</li>
<li>Noah Holdings Limited (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/noah#NYSE">NOAH</a>) rose 17.5% to $11.89 after the company reported fourth quarter financial results.</li>
<li>NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/smr#NYSE">SMR</a>) rose 17.5% to $4.89.</li>
<li>The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/stks#NASDAQ">STKS</a>) shares rose 17.2% to $4.70 after the company announced that it will acquire Safflower Holdings.</li>
<li>Trump Media &amp; Technology Group Corp. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/djt#NASDAQ">DJT</a>) gained 16.7% to $67.68 after jumping 16% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>Ouster, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/oust#NYSE">OUST</a>) gained 16.7% to $5.82 following strong quarterly sales.</li>
<li>Ontrak, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/otrk#NASDAQ">OTRK</a>) rose 16.3% to $0.4931.</li>
<li>Cazoo Group Ltd (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/czoo#NYSE">CZOO</a>) rose 15.5% to $7.22.</li>
<li>A2Z Smart Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/az#NASDAQ">AZ</a>) surged 15.3% to $0.5301.</li>
<li>nCino, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ncno#NASDAQ">NCNO</a>) gained 15.2% to $34.78 as the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results and issued FY25 adjusted earnings guidance above estimates..</li>
<li>Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lxrx#NASDAQ">LXRX</a>) climbed 11.6% to $2.22.</li>
<li>Nuvation Bio Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nuvb#NASDAQ">NUVB</a>) shares rose 10% to $3.1688. Nuvation Bio shares gained 28% on Tuesday after BTIG upgraded the stock from Neutral to Buy.</li>
<li>Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ctas#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) gained 9.7% to $694.62 after the company reported better-than-expected third-quarter financial results and raised FY24 guidance.</li>
<li>Semtech Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/smtc#NASDAQ">SMTC</a>) rose 7.8% to $27.12.</li>
<li>Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mrvl#NASDAQ">MRVL</a>) gained 5.6% to $72.04.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Losers</h3>
<ul>
<li>Gamida Cell Ltd. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/gmda#NASDAQ">GMDA</a>) shares fell 83.2% to $0.0575 after the company reported fourth-quarter results and disclosed the commencement of a restructuring process.</li>
<li>Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/drct#NASDAQ">DRCT</a>) dipped 44.8% to $14.60 after the company reported worse-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results.</li>
<li>Velo3D, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/vld#NYSE">VLD</a>) fell 41.2% to $0.3401 after the company reported worse-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results.</li>
<li>Ryvyl Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/rvyl#NASDAQ">RVYL</a>) dipped 37.8% to $2.46 following fourth-quarter results.</li>
<li>Forge Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/frge#NYSE">FRGE</a>) fell 26.1% to $1.96 after the company reported worse-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results.</li>
<li>Organigram Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ogi#NASDAQ">OGI</a>) dipped 22% to $2.08 as the company announced pricing of overnight marketed public offering.</li>
<li>Akili, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/akli#NASDAQ">AKLI</a>) shares tumbled 21.2% to $0.3002. The company received a notice of allowance for U.S. Patent Application 17/890,478 titled Cognitive Platform For Deriving Effort Metric For Optimizing Cognitive Treatment (Using Data Computed With Artificial Neural Network Or Deep Learning Techniques).</li>
<li>Mesoblast Limited (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/meso#NASDAQ">MESO</a>) shares fell 19.4% to $3.17. Mesoblast shares jumped over 78% on Tuesday after the FDA informed the company that the available clinical data from its Phase 3 study MSB-GVHD001 appears sufficient to support submission of the proposed Biologics License Application for remestemcel-L for treatment of pediatric patients with steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease.</li>
<li>X Financial (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/xyf#NYSE">XYF</a>) fell 19.2% to $3.7250 following fourth-quarter results.</li>
<li>JOANN Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/joan#NASDAQ">JOAN</a>) fell 18.2% to $0.09 after dipping over 6% on Tuesday. The Nasdaq recently determined that the company is no longer suitable for listing and its stock will be suspended on March 28.</li>
<li>Bit Origin Ltd (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/btog#NASDAQ">BTOG</a>) fell 18.1% to $4.31.</li>
<li>C3is Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ciss#NASDAQ">CISS</a>) fell 17.4% to $0.0397. C3is recently reported a year-over-year increase in fourth-quarter financial results.</li>
<li>AEye, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lidr#NASDAQ">LIDR</a>) declined 14.6% to $1.34 after the company reported worse-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue results.</li>
<li>GameStop Corp. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/gme#NYSE">GME</a>) shares fell 14.4% to $13.27 as the company posted weaker-than-expected results for its fourth quarter on Tuesday.</li>
<li>Sonida Senior Living, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/snda#NYSE">SNDA</a>) fell 14% to $27.78 following fourth-quarter results.</li>
<li>Nocera, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ncra#NASDAQ">NCRA</a>) dipped 13.5% to $1.15.</li>
<li>Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bwmn#NASDAQ">BWMN</a>) fell 11.4% to $34.99 after the company priced a $45 million public offering of common stock at $34 per share.</li>
<li>Reddit, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/rddt#NYSE">RDDT</a>) fell 11.3% to $ 57.75.</li>
<li>Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/dnut#NASDAQ">DNUT</a>) fell 10.4% to $15.54.</li>
<li>Abits Group Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/abts#NASDAQ">ABTS</a>) fell 10.3% to $0.7001 after gaining 7% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>Astera Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/alab#NASDAQ">ALAB</a>) fell 8.8% to $75.99 amid post-IPO volatility.</li>
<li>XPeng Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/xpev#NYSE">XPEV</a>) declined 8.4% to $7.82.</li>
<li>Liquidia Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lqda#NASDAQ">LQDA</a>) fell 7% to $14.81.</li>
<li>NIO Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nio#NYSE">NIO</a>) fell 5.9% to $4.4959 after the company cut its first-quarter delivery outlook.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Now Read This: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37956326/netflix-to-rally-over-15-here-are-10-top-analyst-forecasts-for-wednesday"> Netflix To Rally Over 15%? Here Are 10 Top Analyst Forecasts For Wednesday </a>

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Why LuxUrban Hotels Shares Are Trading Lower By Around 27%? Here Are Other Stocks Moving In Wednesday's Mid-Day Session

Cintas Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) shares are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket" rel="noreferrer noopener">trading higher on Wednesday.</a>
The company reported third-quarter earnings per share of $3.84,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/03/b37956432/cintas-corporation-announces-fiscal-2024-third-quarter-results" rel="noreferrer noopener">beating the analyst consensus of $3.58.</a>
Quarterly revenue of $2.406 billion&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">beat the street view of $2.386 billion</a>. Revenues rose 9.9% year over year.
Gross profit for the third quarter was $1.19 billion, marking an increase of 14.9% year over year. Gross margin expanded to 49.4% compared to 47.2% in last year&#8217;s third quarter.
Operating income for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 increased 16.6% to $520.8 million.
Check This Out:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/03/37954177/why-is-nio-stock-trading-lower-today" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why Is NIO Stock Trading Lower Today?</a>
Todd M. Schneider, Cintas&#8217; President, and Chief Executive Officer, stated, &#8220;Each of our operating segments continue to execute at a high level, which led to robust revenue growth of 9.9%, record high gross margin of 49.4%, record high operating margin of 21.6% and diluted EPS growth of 22.3%.&#8221;
On March 15, 2024, Cintas paid an aggregate quarterly cash dividend of $137.6 million to shareholders, an increase of 17.1% from the amount paid last March.
Outlook:&nbsp;Cintas increased FY24 annual revenue expectations from $9.48 billion-$9.56 billion to $9.57 billion-<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">$9.60 billion (estimate: $9.56 billion).</a>
The firm raised EPS outlook from $14.35-$14.65 to $14.80-$15.00 (estimate: $14.60).
Price Action: CTAS shares are trading higher by 8.77% to $688.98 on the last check Wednesday.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Guidance

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Why Corporate Apparel Company Cintas Shares Are Gaining Today

U.S. stocks were higher, with the Dow Jones index gaining around 300 points on Wednesday.
Shares of Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ctas#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) rose sharply during Wednesday&rsquo;s session after the company reported better-than-expected third-quarter financial results and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/CTAS/earnings">raised FY24 guidance</a>.
Cintas posted GAAP earnings of $3.84 per share, beating market estimates of $3.59 per share. The company&rsquo;s quarterly sales came in at $2.406 billion, versus expectations of $2.386 billion, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Cintas shares climbed 9.7% to $694.62 on Wednesday.
Here are some other big stocks recording gains in today&rsquo;s session.
<ul>
<li>PaySign, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pays#NASDAQ">PAYS</a>) shares jumped 28.2% to $4.3299 after the company announced better-than-expected fourth-quarter results.</li>
<li>Noah Holdings Limited (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/noah#NYSE">NOAH</a>) climbed 17.5% to $11.89 after the company reported fourth quarter financial results.</li>
<li>NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/smr#NYSE">SMR</a>) gained 17.5% to $4.89.</li>
<li>The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/stks#NASDAQ">STKS</a>) shares climbed 17.2% to $4.70 after the company announced that it will acquire Safflower Holdings.</li>
<li>Trump Media &amp; Technology Group Corp. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/djt#NASDAQ">DJT</a>) climbed 16.7% to $67.68 after jumping 16% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>nCino, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ncno#NASDAQ">NCNO</a>) rose 15.2% to $34.78 as the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results and issued FY25 adjusted earnings guidance above estimates..</li>
<li>Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lxrx#NASDAQ">LXRX</a>) gained 11.6% to $2.22.</li>
<li>Nuvation Bio Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nuvb#NYSE">NUVB</a>) rose 11.3% to $3.2050 after Jefferies upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy and raised its price target from $1.40 to $10.</li>
<li>Annexon, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/annx#NASDAQ">ANNX</a>) gained 10.6% to $7.61 following quarterly results.</li>
<li>NovoCure Limited (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nvcr#NASDAQ">NVCR</a>) gained 8.6% to $14.19 after the company&#39;s METIS Phase 3 trial met primary endpoint, demonstrating statistically significant extension in time to intracranial progression for brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer.</li>
<li>Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/akba#NASDAQ">AKBA</a>) gained 8% to $2.16.</li>
<li>Semtech Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/smtc#NASDAQ">SMTC</a>) shares gained 7.8% to $27.12.</li>
<li>Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mrvl#NASDAQ">MRVL</a>) rose 5.6% to $72.04.</li>
<li>The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ssp#NASDAQ">SSP</a>) gained 5.6% to $3.8650.</li>
<li>Wayfair Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/w#NYSE">W</a>) rose 5.4% to $68.27.</li>
<li>Merck &amp; Co., Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mrk#NYSE">MRK</a>) gained 4.4% to $131.09 after the company received FDA approval for Winrevair (sotatercept) for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension.</li>
<li>Kohl&#39;s Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/kss#NYSE">KSS</a>) rose 4.1% to $27.36.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Now Read This: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/03/37956686/top-3-consumer-stocks-that-may-rocket-higher-this-quarter"> Top 3 Consumer Stocks That May Rocket Higher This Quarter</a>

AKBA

ANNX

NVCR

Cintas Reports Upbeat Earnings, Joins PaySign, Noah Holdings And Other Big Stocks Moving Higher On Wednesday

<h3>Gainers</h3>
<ul>
<li>Erayak Power Solution Gr (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RAYA#NASDAQ">RAYA</a>) shares rose 12.9% to $0.69 during Wednesday's pre-market session. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $8.2 million. </li>
<li>NuScale Power (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMR#NYSE">SMR</a>) stock increased by 11.29% to $4.63. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $369.5 million. </li>
<li>WANG &amp; LEE Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WLGS#NASDAQ">WLGS</a>) stock moved upwards by 7.76% to $0.63. The company's market cap stands at $9.5 million. </li>
<li>Energous (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WATT#NASDAQ">WATT</a>) stock rose 7.22% to $1.93. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $11.7 million. </li>
<li>Intelligent Living (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ILAG#NASDAQ">ILAG</a>) shares rose 6.12% to $0.53. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $9.5 million. </li>
<li>Cintas (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTAS#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>) shares moved upwards by 5.62% to $669.0. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $67.8 billion. As per the press release, Q3 earnings came out today. </li>
</ul>
<h3>Losers</h3>
<ul>
<li>Velo3D (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VLD#NYSE">VLD</a>) shares declined by 34.4% to $0.38 during Wednesday's pre-market session. The company's market cap stands at $98.1 million. As per the news, the Q4 earnings report came out yesterday. </li>
<li>Bowman Consulting Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BWMN#NASDAQ">BWMN</a>) shares fell 13.38% to $34.2. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $524.6 million. </li>
<li>C3is (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CISS#NASDAQ">CISS</a>) stock declined by 12.69% to $0.04. The company's market cap stands at $6.5 million. The company's, Q4 earnings came out yesterday. </li>
<li>Quhuo (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QH#NASDAQ">QH</a>) shares decreased by 7.95% to $0.55. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $3.4 million. </li>
<li>Singularity Future Tech (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGLY#NASDAQ">SGLY</a>) stock fell 7.75% to $4.41. The company's market cap stands at $15.2 million. </li>
<li>Satellogic (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SATL#NASDAQ">SATL</a>) shares fell 7.74% to $1.55. The market value of their outstanding shares is at $142.1 million. 
See Also: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/money/best-industrials-stocks/" title="www.benzinga.com/money/best-industrials-stocks/">www.benzinga.com/money/best-industrials-stocks/</a></li>
</ul>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

ILAG

RAYA

SATL

SGLY

WATT

WLGS

12 Industrials Stocks Moving In Wednesday's Pre-Market Session

The advancement of robotic process automation (RPA) and widening global workforce collaboration are pointing toward a big change in outsourcing. Against this backdrop, which of the two outsourcing stocks, Cintas Corporation (CTAS) or Paychex, Inc. (PAYX), could generate better returns? Let's find out… While businesses evolve, the strategy of outsourcing remains a fundamental method for organizations to make their operations more efficient and save money. In the global business environment, outsourcing has changed from being just about cost reduction into strategic cooperation that allows access to specialized skills and promotes creativity.
The transformation continues, and in 2024, we might see a change of era in how organizations use external resources. In light of this, we look into Cintas Corporation (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/CTAS/">CTAS</a>) and Paychex, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/PAYX/">PAYX</a>). Before delving into the featured stocks, let's examine the industry dynamics.
The pandemic had a huge impact on employment. With arrangements for work from home, companies worldwide accessed the possibility of gaining access to <a href="https://digitalmindsbpo.com/blog/outsourcing-statistics/">a large talent pool</a> without concerns about documentation and operational expenses.
The boundaries of outsourcing are expanding in terms of geography, with a rise in worldwide workforce cooperation. Businesses are using talent resources from all over the world and encouraging teamwork between teams located in various parts of the planet.
This movement is aided by better communication methods, project handling systems, and the increasing approval for distant jobs. Using different skills from different places allows organizations to push innovation and keep up with competition.
In addition, <a href="https://www.jindalx.com/blog/7-outsourcing-trends-that-will-rule-in-2024/">Automatic Process Automation (RPA)</a> is ready to change the outsourcing industry dynamics. More and more organizations are putting automation into their processes, using software robots for handling typical, repeated duties. Not only does this enhance efficiency, but it also brings down error chances.
Also, industry analysts are forecasting <a href="https://www.morganlewis.com/pubs/2024/01/the-outsourcing-industry-in-2024-anticipated-challenges-opportunities-and-hot-topics">big growths in IT and outsourcing spending</a> by 2024. Some predictions even go into double digits. The surges in AI use case development, cloud migration, security investments and platform modernization are some leading factors that fuel these forecasts.
According to Statista, the IT outsourcing industry made <a href="https://www.statista.com/topics/1900/it-outsourcing/#topicOverview">more than $460 billion</a> in revenue during 2023. At the same time, Grand View Research reveals that the global market for business process outsourcing was worth around $280.64 billion in 2023 and it's expected to grow up to approximately $525.20 billion by 2030 at <a href="https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/business-process-outsourcing-bpo-market">a CAGR of 9.4%</a>.
In terms of price performance, CTAS has climbed 9.2% over the past month, while PAYX plunged 1.1% during the same period. Moreover, CTAS gained 13.1% over the past three months, closing the last trading session at $685.64, whereas PAYX grew 2.1% during the same period, closing the last trading session at $121.53.
But which outsourcing stock could be a better pick? Let's find out.
Latest Developments
In its fiscal 2024 third quarter release, CTAS reported better-than-anticipated financial performance. The firm is now <a href="https://www.cintas.com/newsroom/details/news/2024/03/27/cintas-corporation-announces--fiscal-2024-third-quarter-results/">increasing its annual revenue guidance</a> from around $9.48-$9.56 billion to a new range between approximately $9.57-$9.60 billion. Moreover, EPS is expected to fall in the range of $14.80-$15.00, up from the previous estimate of $14.35-$14.65.
On January 19, PAYX announced a strategic plan to augment shareholder value by allowing the <a href="https://investor.paychex.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/735/paychex-declares-quarterly-dividend-and-authorizes-400">purchase of up to $400 million in common stock</a>, which started on February 1. The action exhibits confidence in the company's projected growth and emphasizes its dedication to optimizing capital allocation for enduring success.
Recent Financial Results
In the third quarter of fiscal 2024, which ended February 29, 2024, CTAS' total revenue increased 9.9% year-over-year to $2.41 billion. Its <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/operatingincome.asp">operating income</a> rose 16.6% from the year-ago value to $520.80 million. Moreover, net income and EPS grew 22% and 22.3% from the prior year's period to $397.58 million and $3.84, respectively.
During the second quarter of fiscal 2024, which ended November 30, 2023, PAYX's total revenue rose 5.7% year-over-year to $1.26 billion. Its adjusted EBITDA increased 6.2% from the year-ago value to $551 million. Moreover, adjusted net income and adjusted EPS both grew 9% from the previous year's quarter to $391.60 million and $1.08, respectively.
Past and Expected Financial Performance
Over the past three years, CTAS' revenue and EBITDA increased at a CAGR of 10.9% and 14.7% respectively. Moreover, the company's net income and EPS rose at respective CAGRs of 15% and 16.6% over the same time frame.
For the fiscal year ending May 2024, analysts expect the company's revenue to increase 8.8% year-over-year to $9.59 billion. Likewise, its EPS for the ongoing year is expected to grow 15.5% from the previous year to $15.00.
Over the past three years, PAYX's revenue and EBITDA rose at a CAGR of 9.1% and 11.8%, respectively. During the same period, the company's net income and EPS increased at a 15.5% and 15.4% CAGR, respectively,
The consensus revenue estimate of $5.32 billion for the fiscal year ending May 2024 reflects a 6.3% year-over-year increase. Additionally, the company's EPS for the same period is expected to grow 10.3% from the prior year to $4.71.
Profitability
CTAS' trailing-12-month revenue is 1.8 times that of what PAYX generates. Moreover, CTAS is more profitable, with a trailing-12-month return on total assets (ROTA) of 17.51% compared to PAYX's 14.09%. Similarly, CTAS' trailing-12-month asset turnover of 1.07x compares with PAYX's 0.48x.
Valuation
In terms of trailing-12-month Price/Sales, CTAS is trading at 7.01x, 16.2% lower than PAYX's 8.37x. Moreover, CTAS' trailing-12-month EV/Sales of 7.29x is 11.5% lower than PAYX's 8.24x.
Thus, CTAS is more affordable.
POWR Ratings 
CTAS has an overall rating of B, which equates to Buy in our proprietary <a href="https://stocknews.com/powr-ratings/">POWR Ratings</a> system. Conversely, PAYX has an overall rating of C, translating to Neutral. The POWR Ratings are calculated considering 118 different factors, with each factor weighted to an optimal degree.
Our proprietary rating system also evaluates each stock based on eight distinct categories. CTAS has a B grade for Momentum, consistent with the stock trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages of $620.47 and $544.26, respectively.
But for PAYX, it has a C grade or Momentum. This is in line with the fact that its stock trades below the 50-day moving average at $121.89 but above its 200-day one which stands at $119.50.
Of the 41 stocks in the B-rated  <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/outsourcing-business-services/">Outsourcing - Business Services</a> industry, CTAS is ranked #14, whereas, PAYX is ranked #26.
Beyond what we've stated above, we have also rated both stocks for Growth, Value, Stability, Sentiment, and Quality. <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/CTAS/">Click here</a> to view CTAS ratings. Get all PAYX ratings <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/PAYX/">here</a>.
The Winner
With companies increasingly turning toward outsourcing to expedite operations, both CTAS and PAYX could benefit from the current industry dynamics. However, CTAS' superior financial performance in its most recent quarter, better profitability and discounted valuation could position it as a better buy than PAYX.
Our research shows that the odds of success increase when one invests in stocks with an overall rating of Strong Buy. You can view all the top-rated stocks in the Outsourcing - Business Services industry <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/outsourcing-business-services/">here</a>.
What To Do Next?
43 year investment veteran, Steve Reitmeister, has just released his 2024 market outlook along with trading plan and top 11 picks for the year ahead.
<a href="https://report.stocknews.com/sign-up/stock-market-outlook-2024/?formplacement=artbotad_smo24_rep">2024 Stock Market Outlook &gt; </a>
 

<hr />
CTAS shares rose $4.26 (+0.62%) in premarket trading Thursday. Year-to-date, CTAS has gained 14.02%, versus a 10.41% rise in the benchmark S&amp;P 500 index during the same period.
<hr><div style="clear:both;"></div> <h2>About the Author: Aanchal Sugandh</h2> <img src='https:/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Aanchal-Sugandh_Headshot.jpg' style="float:left; padding:5px;width:125px;">Aanchal's passion for financial markets drives her work as an investment analyst and journalist. She earned her bachelor's degree in finance and is pursuing the CFA program.

She is proficient at assessing the long-term prospects of stocks with her fundamental analysis skills. Her goal is to help investors build portfolios with sustainable returns.<a href="https://stocknews.com/authors/?author=aanchal-sugandh">More...</a>The post <a href=https://stocknews.com/news/ctas-payx-paychex-payx-vs-cintas-ctas-which-stock-is-a-better/>Paychex (PAYX) vs. Cintas (CTAS): Which Stock Is a Better Investment?</a> appeared first on <a href=https://stocknews.com/>StockNews.com</a>

Paychex (PAYX) vs. Cintas (CTAS): Which Stock Is a Better Investment?

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Investing in stocks and other assets can lead to a better retirement. Investments compound over time and have the potential to deliver exceptional long-term returns. Some investors focus on <a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-types/growth-stocks/">growth stocks</a> while others are getting closer to retirement. This has led to this list of the best retirement stocks to buy in April.



Retirement stocks still have the potential to generate positive returns. However, these corporations often give out lofty dividends or have enticing dividend growth rates. A few retirement stocks don&rsquo;t offer dividends quite yet but have delivered good gains and look prime for dividends in the future.&nbsp;



Investors looking to build retirement portfolios may want to consider these best retirement stocks to buy in April.



<h2>Visa (V)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/creditcards1600-300x169.jpg" alt="a pile of credit cards, credit card interest rates"><div>Source: Teerasak Ladnongkhun/Shutterstock.com</div></div>Visa&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/v-stock-quote/">V</a>) is on its way to a $1 trillion market cap. The credit and debit card issuer makes a percentage of each transaction and is a barometer for consumer spending. The stock can rally during good economic conditions and doesn&rsquo;t experience sharp downturns during slower economic cycles.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Visa stock only lost 4% of its value in 2022. During this down year for the stock market, many growth stocks shed 20% to 50% of their value. Even when consumers slow down their spending, they still use their credit and debit cards to make purchases.



The fintech company reported another solid quarter to start fiscal 2024. During the&nbsp;<a href="https://s1.q4cdn.com/050606653/files/doc_financials/2024/q1/Q1-2024-Earnings-Release.pdf">first quarter</a>, the company reported 9% year-over-year revenue growth and 17% year-over-year net income growth. Visa regularly maintains profit margins above 50% and continues to expand them. The stock is up by 76% over the past five years and offers a 0.75% dividend yield. Visa tends to hike its dividend by at least 10% each year. This makes it one of to



<h2>Procter &amp; Gamble (PG)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/hand-purple-growth-stocks-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="Hand pointing upward next to upward trend stock chart in purple and blackish blue lighting, symbolizes growth stocks"><div>Source: shutterstock.com/Lemonsoup14</div></div>Procter &amp; Gamble&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/pg-stock-quote/">PG</a>) is a leading consumer staples stock that offers many home care products and other essentials. The stock isn&rsquo;t likely to beat the market, but it offers stability during volatile times.&nbsp;



The company continues to grow, albeit at a slower pace. Procter &amp; Gamble reported 3% year-over-year revenue growth in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pginvestor.com/financial-reporting/press-releases/news-details/2024/PG-Announces-Fiscal-Year-2024-Second-Quarter-Results/default.aspx">second quarter of fiscal 2024</a>&nbsp;and a non-GAAP core EPS growth of 16% year-over-year. The company maintained its fiscal year sales and cash return guidance while raising its core EPS growth guidance.



Procter &amp; Gamble has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pginvestor.com/about-p-g/p-g-at-a-glance/default.aspx">many brands</a>&nbsp;under its umbrella like Gilette, Tide, and Herbal Essences. The company&rsquo;s top three segments are Fabric &amp; Home Care, Baby, Feminine, &amp; Family Care, and Beauty. Health Care and Grooming are the company&rsquo;s two other segments. All in all, it&rsquo;s one of those best retirement stocks to buy in April.



Retirees will be happy to see that Procter &amp; Gamble has been&nbsp;<a href="https://pginvestor.com/financial-reporting/press-releases/news-details/2024/PG-Declares-Quarterly-Dividend/default.aspx#:~:text=P&amp;G%20has%20been%20paying%20a,with%20their%20investment%20in%20P&amp;G.">distributing dividends for 133 consecutive years</a>. That includes 67 consecutive years of dividend hikes. Dividend growth has slowed down in recent years, but the stock offers a 2.41% yield just for buying shares.



<h2>Amazon (AMZN)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/amzn_amazon_2_1600-300x169.png" alt="Closeup of the Amazon logo at Amazon campus in Palo Alto, California. The Palo Alto location hosts A9 Search, Amazon Web Services, and Amazon Game Studios teams. AMZN stock"><div>Source: Tada Images / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Amazon&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/amzn-stock-quote/">AMZN</a>) doesn&rsquo;t offer a dividend but seems like a prime candidate for a future program. The company&rsquo;s profit margins expanded in 2023 as it continues to tap into compelling opportunities like its online marketplace, cloud computing, advertising, and video streaming.



Most people do their online shopping with Amazon, and the company also has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/18819/worldwide-market-share-of-leading-cloud-infrastructure-service-providers/">a big lead in the cloud computing industry</a>. The stock has been doing well and is up by 78% over the past year.



Amazon is a staple in many index and mutual funds. It&rsquo;s a key component of the&nbsp;S&amp;P 500&nbsp;and the&nbsp;Nasdaq 100&nbsp;that has significantly impacted each of these indices&rsquo; performances. The c company recently reported record sales in the&nbsp;<a href="https://ir.aboutamazon.com/news-release/news-release-details/2024/Amazon.com-Announces-Fourth-Quarter-Results/">fourth quarter of 2023</a>. Overall sales increased by 14% year-over-year while Amazon Web Services saw a 13% year-over-year jump in revenue. The stock has rewarded many long-term investors and looks poised to consider that trend.



<h2>Watsco (WSO)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/retire-couple-planner-300x169.jpg" alt="a financial planner showing a couple a piece of paper"><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div>Watsco&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/wso-stock-quote/">WSO</a>) is an HVAC company that offers consistent growth and rising earnings. The company has a&nbsp;<a href="http://investors.watsco.com/snapshot">5-year annual revenue growth rate</a>&nbsp;of 9.88%. During that same stretch, the company has raised its dividend by an average of 11.84% per year.&nbsp;



The company&nbsp;<a href="http://investors.watsco.com/dividend-history">has been distributing dividends for decades</a>&nbsp;while rewarding shareholders with long-term returns. The stock is up by 187% over the past five years and offers a 2.51% dividend yield. Shares also trade at a 31 P/E ratio.&nbsp;



Watsco&nbsp;<a href="http://investors.watsco.com/news-releases/news-release-details/watsco-reports-strong-2023-performance-gaining-share-soft-market">continued to grow its business</a>&nbsp;year-over-year and gain market share during a soft market. The firm also hiked its dividend by 10% to reach an annualized $10.80 per share. The company took a breather after posting record results in 2021 and 2022. The company is exploring acquisitions to tap into additional growth and has acquired 69 successful companies since 1989. Watsco&rsquo;s &ldquo;buy and build&rdquo; strategy has been working and can lead to higher portfolio values.



<h2>Main Street Capital (MAIN)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/growthstocks1600-300x169.png" alt="Coins stack of money on saving, the step of the financial stock market, graph and rows of coins, business investment on a green background, Economy stock market growth of financial recovery. Growth stocks"><div>Source: C H A L N / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Main Street Capital&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/main-stock-quote/">MAIN</a>) offers monthly dividend distributions for its investors. Retirees can use their income to cover various expenses without having to sell their shares. The stock also offers an enticing 6% dividend yield and is up by 8% year-to-date. Shares trade at a 9 P/E ratio.



The principal investment firm gives out debt to lower middle market companies and has&nbsp;<a href="https://d1io3yog0oux5.cloudfront.net/_011a4422fa6ef33833a067e4c7f3d324/mainstcapital/db/396/10724/pdf/Q4+2023+MAIN+Executive+Summary+Fact+Sheet+(v.F).pdf">several parameters in place</a>. This market is relatively underserved, and Main Street Capital will only work with companies that have revenue between $10 million and $150 million. The company must also have EBITDA that ranges from $3 million to $20 million.



Main Street Capital&rsquo;s portfolio consists of 190 companies with an average investment size of $18.7 million. The company&rsquo;s assets are diversified into numerous industries and are spread evenly throughout the United States. The firm has allocated 26% of its assets to companies in the West Coast and 14% of its assets to companies in the Southeast United States. The Northeast, Midwest, and middle Southern States have percentages that fall in between those numbers.



Investors who want diversified portfolios and steady dividend payments may want to give Main Street Capital a closer look.



<h2>Cintas (CTAS)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/retirement-1600-300x169.png" alt='Coins stacked next to a calculator that says "retirement plan." Retirement stocks. Retirement Stocks to Buy'><div>Source: kenary820 / Shutterstock</div></div>Cintas&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ctas-stock-quote/">CTAS</a>) offers business supplies and safety equipment. Those products will always remain in demand and have helped the company command respectable profit margins. The company continued this trend in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cintas.com/newsroom/details/news/2024/03/27/cintas-corporation-announces--fiscal-2024-third-quarter-results/">third quarter of fiscal 2024</a>&nbsp;by posting a 15.8% net profit margin. Revenue increased by 9.9% year-over-year while net income jumped by 15.5% year-over-year.



The company only has a 0.80% dividend yield but makes up for it with an impressive growth rate. Cintas hiked its dividend by 17.1% year-over-year, and that type of growth rate has been normal for the company.



Cintas raised its full-year guidance from the range of $9.48 billion to $9.56 billion to the range of $9.57 billion to $9.60 billion. The company also hiked its EPS guidance. The midpoint of the old guidance was $14.50 per share while the new guidance suggests a midpoint of $14.90 per share. It&rsquo;s a good sign when a company with healthy profit margins decides to raise guidance. The stock has steadily outperformed the market and is up by 229% over the past five years.



<h2>Walmart (WMT)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/retirement-nest-egg-1600-300x169.png" alt="Detailed shot of shiny golden eggs with retirement paper in animal nest against white background. Nest egg. Retirement."><div>Source: Dan Kosmayer / Shutterstock</div></div>Walmart&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/wmt-stock-quote/">WMT</a>) offers a combination of steady business fundamentals and growth opportunities. Many people go to the retailer to save money, and inflation has been attracting people who would normally skip Walmart. The company has been attracting wealthier consumers and is offering some higher-end products to attract more people from this customer segment.



The stock offers a 1.40% dividend yield and is up by 80% over the past five years. Walmart also has a 31 P/E ratio. The corporation&nbsp;<a href="https://s201.q4cdn.com/262069030/files/doc_earnings/2024/q4/earnings-result/Earnings-Release-2024-Q4.pdf">raised its dividend by 9%</a>&nbsp;in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. Revenue increased by 5.7% year-over-year during that quarter.&nbsp;



Advertising and e-commerce are promising growth drivers for the company. Global e-commerce sales increased by 23% year-over-year while advertising jumped by 33% year-over-year. Advertising has higher profit margins which can help Walmart maintain a high dividend growth rate for future quarters. The retail giant acquired Vizio to accelerate its growth in the advertising industry.&nbsp;This makes it one of those best retirement stocks to buy in April.



On this date of publication, Marc Guberti held a long position in AMZN. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/">InvestorPlace.com</a><a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines.</a>
<div>Marc Guberti is a finance freelance writer at InvestorPlace.com who hosts the Breakthrough Success Podcast. He has contributed to several publications, including the U.S. News &amp; World Report, Benzinga, and Joy Wallet.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/04/the-7-best-retirement-stocks-to-buy-in-april-2024/">The 7 Best Retirement Stocks to Buy in April 2024</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

The 7 Best Retirement Stocks to Buy in April 2024

Cintas declares $1.35 dividend

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
The&nbsp;Nasdaq 100&nbsp;has steadily outperformed the&nbsp;S&amp;P 500. The Nasdaq has more than doubled over the past five years while the S&amp;P 500 is only up by 78% during the same stretch. There is overlap between the stocks in both indices, but the Nasdaq 100 has been the clear winner.



Top-performing index funds and ETFs can offer clues for future opportunities. Diving into these funds and discovering which stocks drove the gains can help investors beat the market. If you&rsquo;re looking for stocks to buy on the Nasdaq, you may want to consider these three picks.



<h2>Cintas (CTAS)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ctas-stock-300x169.jpg" alt="Image of the Cintas (CTAS) logo on the side of a white van."><div>Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Cintas&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ctas-stock-quote/">CTAS</a>) offers business safety equipment and supplies to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cintas.com/investors/">more than one million companies</a>. That&rsquo;s been a winning formula so far, but that&rsquo;s only 6.25% of North American businesses. Cintas still has more room to expand and demonstrated that it&rsquo;s still growing.



The company grew its revenue by 9.9% year-over-year in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cintas.com/newsroom/details/news/2024/03/27/cintas-corporation-announces--fiscal-2024-third-quarter-results/">third quarter of fiscal 2024</a>. Net income jumped by 22.0% year-over-year. Profit margins are expanding and currently sit in the mid-double-digits. Cintas also hiked its dividend by 17.1% in 2024.&nbsp;



The yield is low at 0.81%, but dividend growth investors can easily overlook that. The stock has gained 47% over the past year and has soared by 222% over the past five years. Shares currently trade at a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/CTAS/key-statistics">42-forward P/E ratio</a>.&nbsp;



Cintas is currently rated as a &ldquo;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.tipranks.com/stocks/ctas/forecast">Moderate Buy</a>&rdquo; among 12 analysts. The highest price target of $790 per share suggests the stock can rally by an additional 19%.



<h2>Intuit (INTU)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/intu1600-300x169.png" alt="Person holding cellphone with logo of US financial software company Intuit Inc. (INTU) on screen in front of business webpage. Focus on phone display. Unmodified photo."><div>Source: T. Schneider / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Intuit&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/intu-stock-quote/">INTU</a>) offers financial software products like Quickbooks and Turbotax. The company has been outperforming the Nasdaq and is up by 148% over the past five years. The stock has a 0.58% dividend yield but has achieved a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.koyfin.com/company/intu/dividends/#:~:text=Dividend%20Data,are%20paid%20out%20as%20dividends.">compounded annual growth rate of 16.65%</a>&nbsp;over the past 10 years.



The company has raised its dividend for 11 consecutive quarters, and a 34.62% dividend payout ratio gives the company plenty of space for further hikes. Intuit&rsquo;s financials are also pretty good. Revenue increased by 11% year-over-year in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investors.intuit.com/news/news-details/2024/Intuit-Reports-Strong-Second-Quarter-Results-and-Reiterates-Full-Year-Guidance/default.aspx">second quarter of fiscal 2024</a>. The company also grew its net income by 110% year-over-year.



Intuit&rsquo;s largest segment is also growing at the fastest rate. The company&rsquo;s Small Business and Self-Employed Group Revenue grew by 18% year-over-year. Intuit recently repurchased $536 million of shares to reward long-term shareholders. The fintech firm has an additional $2.7 billion that has been authorized for stock buybacks.



<h2>Meta Platforms (META)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/meta1600-1-300x169.png" alt="In this photo illustration the Meta logo seen displayed on a smartphone and in the background the Facebook logo"><div>Source: rafapress / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Meta Platforms&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/meta-stock-quote/">META</a>) combines high profits with rising revenue. The company reported 25% year-over-year revenue growth in&nbsp;<a href="https://s21.q4cdn.com/399680738/files/doc_financials/2023/q4/Meta-12-31-2023-Exhibit-99-1-FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">Q4 2023</a>&nbsp;while more than tripling its net income year-over-year. Investments in artificial intelligence and a focus on the bottom line have helped the company tremendously.



The company&rsquo;s social networks also exhibited growth acceleration. The number of daily active people across all of the company&rsquo;s social networks grew by 8% year-over-year. The company is also sitting on $65.40 billion in cash, which prompted its first-ever dividend. Meta Platforms has a low dividend yield, but the company&rsquo;s dividend growth rate should be exceptional for several years. It&rsquo;s reasonable to anticipate the dividend increasing by at least 10% per year for more than a decade.&nbsp;



Meta Platforms isn&rsquo;t only committed to its dividend. The company initiated $20.03 billion worth of stock buybacks in full-year 2023. Meta Platforms reached that milestone by repurchasing $6.32 billion worth of shares in the fourth quarter. The social media giant is rewarding long-term investors with dividends and buybacks while delivering financial growth.



On the date of publication, Marc Guberti did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the&nbsp;InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Marc Guberti is a finance freelance writer at InvestorPlace.com who hosts the Breakthrough Success Podcast. He has contributed to several publications, including the U.S. News &amp; World Report, Benzinga, and Joy Wallet.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/04/if-you-can-only-buy-one-nasdaq-stock-in-april-it-better-be-one-of-these-3-names/">If You Can Only Buy One Nasdaq Stock in April, It Better Be One of These 3 Names</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

If You Can Only Buy One Nasdaq Stock in April, It Better Be One of These 3 Names

Dividend Roundup: Procter & Gamble, Caterpillar, CVS Health, Cintas, and more

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Investing in <a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-types/growth-stocks/">growth stocks</a> can deliver outsized gains, but investors have to stick with these stocks during volatile stretches. These stocks are more vulnerable to price swings due to macroeconomic factors. These growth stocks to buy now are also held under the microscope each time they report earnings.



Investors pay more attention to these types of stocks because of the potential payoff. Some growth stocks have become giants within their respective industries while others have the potential to become giants.



It&rsquo;s clear why investors buy growth stocks. They want to outperform the stock market. These seven growth stocks to buy now can give you a chance at achieving that objective.&nbsp;



<h2>Amazon (AMZN)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/amzn_amazon_2_1600-300x169.png" alt="Closeup of the Amazon logo at Amazon campus in Palo Alto, California. The Palo Alto location hosts A9 Search, Amazon Web Services, and Amazon Game Studios teams. AMZN stock"><div>Source: Tada Images / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Amazon&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/amzn-stock-quote/">AMZN</a>) offers the world&rsquo;s most recognizable online marketplace that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mobiloud.com/blog/amazon-statistics#:~:text=The%20total%20number%20of%20products,brands%20such%20as%20Amazon%20Basics.">lists millions of products on its platform</a>. The company processes more than 4,000 product sales every minute.&nbsp;



The e-commerce segment is Amazon&rsquo;s main revenue driver, but the company is also seeing plenty of success with its leading cloud computing division. Amazon Web Services has the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/18819/worldwide-market-share-of-leading-cloud-infrastructure-service-providers/">lion&rsquo;s share of the cloud computing industry</a>. It has roughly one-third of the total market share and has a big lead over the competition. It&rsquo;s mostly a duopoly between Amazon and&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/msft-stock-quote/">MSFT</a>) with&nbsp;Alphabet&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>, NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) as an honorable mention.



The tech giant is also expanding its advertising, video streaming, and grocery segments. Amazon recently got accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supermarketnews.com/news/amazon-aims-steal-trader-joe-s-trade-secrets-former-employees-allege">attempting to steal Trader Joe&rsquo;s trade secrets</a>. This isn&rsquo;t the best look for Amazon, but investors should take note that the company is looking to expand its grocery store footprint through Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh. Advertising and streaming are the bigger segments to monitor, but Amazon seems to be putting more effort into its grocery segment. This makes it one of those growth stocks to buy now.



<h2>Sofi (SOFI)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/sofi1600-1-300x169.png" alt="SoFi Technologies, Inc logo with stock market chart background. is an American online personal finance company and online bank."><div>Source: Poetra.RH / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Traditional <a href="https://investorplace.com/industries/financial/bank/">bank stocks</a> aren&rsquo;t considered growth stocks. Those corporations have matured and offer dividend payouts to keep shareholders invested. However,&nbsp;SoFi&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sofi-stock-quote/">SOFI</a>) isn&rsquo;t your traditional bank.



The fintech company operates entirely online, so you can&rsquo;t drive to a local branch. The company also has many of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sofi.com/">financial products</a>&nbsp;you would expect from a big institution. Consumers can get personal loans, mortgages, credit cards, checking and savings accounts, investment accounts, and other products. SoFi has also made great strides in getting mainstream appeal through SoFi Stadium and by becoming the official bank of the NBA.



SoFi reported its first profitable quarter in&nbsp;<a href="https://s27.q4cdn.com/749715820/files/doc_financials/2023/q4/SoFi-Q4-2023-Earnings-Release.pdf">Q4 2023</a>. Net income came to $47.9 million while revenue was $615.4 million. Revenue grew by 35% year-over-year and the company ended up with a 7.9% net profit margin. This helps make it one of those growth stocks to buy now.



SoFi&rsquo;s P/E ratio can drop quickly and present value to patient investors. However, you will have to contend with a stock that has dropped by 31% over the past five years and is also down by 25% year-to-date. Rising profits can catch a lot of investors by surprise and potentially result in a surge.



<h2>Elf Beauty (ELF)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cosmetics-beauty-products-300x169.jpg" alt="a collection of various cosmetic products on a black table"><div>Source: Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com</div></div>Elf Beauty&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/elf-stock-quote/">ELF</a>) is gaining market share in the beauty industry and has generated significant returns for investors. The stock is up by 83% over the past year and has surged by 1,200% over the past five years.



The stock trades at a 73 P/E ratio and has impressive financial growth. Revenue increased by 85% year-over-year in&nbsp;<a href="https://investor.elfbeauty.com/news-and-events/press-releases/landing-news/2024/02-06-2024-210530133">Q3 FY24</a>&nbsp;while net income jumped by 41% year-over-year to reach $26.9 million. The company has double-digit net profit margins.



ELF investors got spooked after&nbsp;Ulta Beauty&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ulta-stock-quote/">ULTA</a>) warned investors of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/ulta-beauty-tanks-ceo-warns-sluggish-first-quarter-demand-drags-peers-2024-04-03/">slower quarter</a>. However, that may not be bad news for Elf Beauty. The company can be using this opportunity to gain market share while another competitor isn&rsquo;t doing as well. It&rsquo;s possible that Elf Beauty is still performing well despite Ulta Beauty&rsquo;s warning. This is a case of Schr&ouml;dinger&rsquo;s cat leading up to Elf Beauty&rsquo;s earnings report. We&rsquo;ll learn more about the company&rsquo;s performance when that report comes out. However, the stock looks like a long-term winner that can reward patient investors.



<h2>Intuit (INTU)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/intu1600-300x169.png" alt="Person holding cellphone with logo of US financial software company Intuit Inc. (INTU) on screen in front of business webpage. Focus on phone display. Unmodified photo."><div>Source: T. Schneider / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Intuit&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/intu-stock-quote/">INTU</a>) offers financial software like QuickBooks and TurboTax. The stock has generated an impressive 141% gain over the past five years and is rated as a &ldquo;<a href="https://www.tipranks.com/stocks/intu/forecast">Strong Buy</a>.&rdquo; The stock has a projected 16% upside from current levels. The highest price target of $775 per share implies a 27% gain.



Although the stock has been a steady outperformer, shares have been down by roughly 8% since the start of March. It&rsquo;s entering correction territory and can become more attractive for long-term investors. The stock currently has a 62.5 P/E ratio and a 0.59% dividend yield. The company has an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.koyfin.com/company/intu/dividends/#:~:text=Dividend%20History%20and%20Growth&amp;text=(%20INTU%20)%20dividend%20payments%20per%20share,over%20the%20past%20120%20months.">annualized 16.65% dividend growth rate</a>&nbsp;over the past decade.&nbsp;



The fintech firm continues to grow and reported 11% year-over-year revenue growth in Q2 FY24. The company reiterated its full-year guidance in the press release. Its largest segment, &ldquo;Small Business and Self-Employed Group Revenue,&rdquo; grew by 18% compared to the same period last year.



<h2>ServiceNow (NOW)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/servicenow-now-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="ServiceNow office building in Silicon Valley;"><div>Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com</div></div>ServiceNow&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/now-stock-quote/">NOW</a>) is a software company that helps businesses work more efficiently. The company&rsquo;s Work Flow technology helps companies stay on top of tasks and create chatbots. ServiceNow generates steady recurring revenue from more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.servicenow.com/content/dam/servicenow-assets/public/en-us/doc-type/other-document/servicenow-fact-sheet.pdf">8,100 enterprise customers</a>&nbsp;with a 99% renewal rate. That customer base includes approximately 85% of the Fortune 500.



The firm generates high cash flow and is expanding its profit margins. The company exceeded guidance in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.servicenow.com/company/media/press-room/fourth-quarter-full-year-2023-financial-results.html">Q4 2023</a>&nbsp;with 26% year-over-year revenue growth and 97% year-over-year net income growth. The company has 1,897 customers with annual contract values above $1 million. ServiceNow added 168 customers to that category in Q4 2023 which is a 33% year-over-year improvement in the number of added $1M+ customers.



The stock currently trades at a&nbsp;<a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/NOW/key-statistics">56-forward P/E ratio</a>&nbsp;and has outperformed the stock market over several years. Shares have gained 179% over the past five years. The stock is rated as a &ldquo;<a href="https://www.tipranks.com/stocks/now/forecast">Strong Buy</a>&rdquo; with a projected 15% upside.



<h2>Cintas (CTAS)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ctas-stock-300x169.jpg" alt="Image of the Cintas (CTAS) logo on the side of a white van."><div>Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Cintas&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ctas-stock-quote/">CTAS</a>) has been beating the stock market for a while. The stock is up by 13% year-to-date and has a 208% gain over the past five years. Investors accumulated more shares after the company&rsquo;s solid&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cintas.com/newsroom/details/news/2024/03/27/cintas-corporation-announces--fiscal-2024-third-quarter-results/">Q3 FY24 earnings report</a>.



The company increased its revenue by 9.9% year-over-year. Meanwhile, net income came in at $397.6 million which was a 22.0% year-over-year increase. Cintas&rsquo; profit margins are expanding, and the company still has growth opportunities.



Cintas provides business supplies and safety equipment for more than one million businesses in North America. The company&rsquo;s revenue is well-diversified due to the large customer base, but Cintas can continue to reach additional businesses in North America.&nbsp;



The company hiked its annual revenue exceptions from a range of $9.48 to $9.56 billion to $9.57 billion to $9.60 billion after the latest earnings report. Higher revenue and diluted EPS expectations have investors excited and spell out a promising long-term opportunity.&nbsp;



<h2>Meta Platforms (META)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/meta1600-1-300x169.png" alt="In this photo illustration the Meta logo seen displayed on a smartphone and in the background the Facebook logo"><div>Source: rafapress / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Meta Platforms&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/meta-stock-quote/">META</a>) is up by 44% year-to-date and many analysts believe that the stock can march higher. The social media giant has a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tipranks.com/stocks/meta/forecast">projected 9% upside</a>&nbsp;from its current price. Meta Platforms is rated as a &ldquo;Strong Buy&rdquo; among 43 analysts. The highest price target of $600 per share suggests a potential 20% gain.



The company continues to achieve impressive revenue growth while delivering substantial profit margin expansion. Revenue jumped by 25% year-over-year in&nbsp;<a href="https://s21.q4cdn.com/399680738/files/doc_financials/2023/q4/Meta-12-31-2023-Exhibit-99-1-FINAL.pdf">Q4 2023</a>&nbsp;while net income more than tripled compared to the same period last year.&nbsp;



More people continue to create accounts for Meta Platforms&rsquo; family of apps. Family daily active users increased by 8% year-over-year while monthly active users jumped by 6% year-over-year. Instagram and WhatsApp are delivering higher growth rates than Facebook.&nbsp;



The corporation is committed to increasing shareholder value based on its $20.03 billion stock buyback in full-year 2023. The recently issued dividend can also attract dividend growth investors who want to get paid for holding onto their favorite stocks. This also makes it one of those growth stocks to buy now.



On this date of publication, Marc Guberti held long positions in AMZN, ELF, and NOW. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/">InvestorPlace.com</a><a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines.</a>
<div>Marc Guberti is a finance freelance writer at InvestorPlace.com who hosts the Breakthrough Success Podcast. He has contributed to several publications, including the U.S. News &amp; World Report, Benzinga, and Joy Wallet.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/04/7-growth-stocks-to-buy-now-q2-edition/">7 Growth Stocks to Buy Now: Q2 Edition</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

7 Growth Stocks to Buy Now: Q2 Edition

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Everyone should save up for retirement. Even saving a few extra dollars each month can go a long way since it builds a habit and makes you more conscious about long-term goals. This reality has led to my list of retirement stocks to buy now.



Buying retirement stocks can result in less volatility and steady cash flow. Some corporations have been paying dividends for decades, and a few companies have been around for more than 100 years. Some retirement stocks are poised to check off both of those boxes for long-term investors.&nbsp;



If you want to build up your retirement portfolio, these three retirement stocks to buy now are worth considering.



<h2>Walmart (WMT)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/wm-stock-10-300x169.jpg" alt="Image of Walmart (WMT) logo on Walmart store with clear blue sky in the background"><div>Source: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Walmart&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/wmt-stock-quote/">WMT</a>) offers a respectable dividend yield, growth prospects, and a significant competitive advantage. The retailer is the top place for buying affordable products. Walmart has carved itself as a leader since its founding more than 60 years ago.&nbsp;



The retailer has achieved steady revenue and earnings growth over the years. Revenue came in 5.7% higher in&nbsp;<a href="https://s201.q4cdn.com/262069030/files/doc_earnings/2024/q4/earnings-result/Earnings-Release-2024-Q4.pdf">Q4 FY24</a>. Success with global e-commerce sales and advertising is exciting for the company and can result in higher profit margins. Leadership felt optimistic enough to hike the dividend by 9% this year. That&rsquo;s the highest dividend increase in more than a decade. The dividend hike also comes amid a recent stock split. It seems like the company is focused on providing value for shareholders.



Analysts have noticed Walmart&rsquo;s successes and have rated the stock as a &ldquo;<a href="https://www.tipranks.com/stocks/wmt/forecast">Strong Buy</a>.&rdquo; The stock has a projected 9% upside. The highest price target of $75.99 per share suggests a 27% rally. The company&rsquo;s recent acquisition of Vizio Holdings can help with that price target. Vizio will expand Walmart&rsquo;s advertising segment, which will generate higher profit margins than retail sales. It&rsquo;s one of those retirement stocks to buy now.



<h2>Caterpillar (CAT)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/construction-1-300x169.jpg" alt="two construction workers on a worksite"><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div>Caterpillar&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/cat-stock-quote/">CAT</a>) is a top-notch construction equipment company that has been in business for almost 100 years. The stock has a reasonable 18 P/E ratio and a 1.42% dividend yield. Dividend growth investors will love the fact that Caterpillar has raised its dividend by an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.koyfin.com/company/cat/dividends/#:~:text=CAT%20's%20annual%20dividend%20is,receive%20the%20next%20dividend%20payment.">annualized 8.70% over the past five years</a>.&nbsp;



Construction is an essential service and will remain in demand regardless of the economic cycle. The prospect of lower interest rates can drum up more demand for the sector and accelerate Caterpillar&rsquo;s revenue. The Federal Reserve&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/inflation-still-too-high-fed-cut-interest-rates-schmid-says-2024-04-12/">isn&rsquo;t in a rush to reduce rates</a>, but it can happen by the end of the year. That development should help Caterpillar, but it&rsquo;s already doing fine as it is.



<a href="https://investors.caterpillar.com/news/news-details/2024/Caterpillar-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2023-Results/default.aspx">Full-year revenue</a>&nbsp;increased by 13% year-over-year. Full-year profits rose from $12.64 per share in 2022 to $20.12 per share in 2023. Caterpillar also returned $7.5 billion to shareholders through stock buybacks and dividend distributions. The stock has outperformed the market with a 25% year-to-date gain and a 163% gain over the past five years.



<h2>Cintas (CTAS)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ctas-stock-300x169.jpg" alt="Image of the Cintas (CTAS) logo on the side of a white van."><div>Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Cintas&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ctas-stock-quote/">CTAS</a>) provides business supplies and safety equipment for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cintas.com/newsroom/details/news/2024/03/19/cintas-named-one-of-forbes--america-s-best-large-employers/#:~:text=Cintas%20Corporation%20helps%20more%20than,safe,%20and%20looking%20their%20best.">more than one million businesses</a>&nbsp;in North America. The company&rsquo;s stock has exceeded market returns. It&rsquo;s up by 13% year-to-date and has gained 208% over the past five years.&nbsp;



Cintas has a 0.81% dividend yield and has commanded an impressive growth rate. The firm has an annualized&nbsp;<a href="https://www.koyfin.com/company/ctas/dividends/#:~:text=CTAS%20's%20annual%20dividend%20is,receive%20the%20next%20dividend%20payment.">21.05% dividend growth rate</a>&nbsp;over the past decade. The company recently hiked its dividend by 17.1%.



Investors cheered on the company&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cintas.com/newsroom/details/news/2024/03/27/cintas-corporation-announces--fiscal-2024-third-quarter-results/">recent earnings report</a>&nbsp;which showed big increases in revenue and net income. Net sales increased by 9.9% year-over-year while net income was up by 22.0% year-over-year. Cintas is gaining market share but still has plenty of opportunities left to explore.&nbsp;



Data from the U.S. Small Business Administration reveals there are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.certifiedeo.com/blog-posts/how-many-businesses-are-there-in-america-and-what-does-it-mean-for-employee-ownership#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20U.S.%20Small,solely%20to%20hold%20an%20asset.">33.2 million businesses</a>&nbsp;in the United States alone. Not all of these businesses are good fits for Cintas since this data includes independent contractors with LLCs. However, it shows that the company can tap into more opportunities and reward long-term investors.



On the date of publication, Marc Guberti did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/">InvestorPlace.com</a><a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines.</a>
<div>Marc Guberti is a finance freelance writer at InvestorPlace.com who hosts the Breakthrough Success Podcast. He has contributed to several publications, including the U.S. News &amp; World Report, Benzinga, and Joy Wallet.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/04/3-retirement-stocks-to-buy-now-q2-edition/">3 Retirement Stocks to Buy Now: Q2 Edition</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

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Press Releases

Cintas Corporation Announces Webcast for Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2024 Results

Cintas Reveals This Year's Top 10 Finalists in its Custodian of the Year Contest

Cintas Named One of Forbes' America's Best Large Employers

Cintas Corporation Announces Fiscal 2024 Third Quarter Results

Cintas is Recognized as One of Newsweek's America's Greatest Workplaces for Diversity 2024

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Cintas Stock (NASDAQ:CTAS), Short Interest Report

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