Business description. Cintas Corporation (Cintas) provides highly specialized products and services to businesses of all types primarily throughout North America, as well as Latin America, Europe and Asia. Cintas is North America's leading provider of corporate identity uniforms through rental and sales programs, as well as a significant provider of related business services, including entrance mats, restroom cleaning services and supplies, carpet and tile cleaning services, first aid, safety and fire protection products and services, document management services and branded promotional products. Cintas' products and services are designed to enhance its customers' images and to provide additional safety and protection in the workplace.

Cintas classifies its businesses into four operating segments based on the types of products and services provided. The Rental Uniforms and Ancillary Products operating segment consists of the rental and servicing of uniforms and other garments including flame resistant clothing, mats, mops and shop towels and other ancillary items. In addition to these rental items, restroom cleaning services and supplies and carpet and tile cleaning services are also provided within this operating segment. The Uniform Direct Sales operating segment consists of the direct sale of uniforms and related items and branded promotional products. The First Aid, Safety and Fire Protection Services operating segment consists of first aid, safety and fire protection products and services. The Document Management Services operating segment consists of document destruction, document imaging and document retention services.

Principles of consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Cintas controlled majority-owned subsidiaries and any entities over which Cintas has control (collectively, Cintas). Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated as appropriate.

Use of estimates. The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Revenue recognition. Rental revenue, which is recorded in the Rental Uniforms and Ancillary Products operating segment, is recognized when services are performed. Other Services revenue, which is recorded in the Uniform Direct Sales, First Aid, Safety and Fire Protection Services and Document Management Services operating segments, is recognized when either services are performed or when products are shipped and the title and risks of ownership pass to the customer.

Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products. Cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products consists primarily of production expenses, delivery expenses and the amortization of in service inventory, including uniforms, mats, mops, shop towels and other ancillary items. The Rental Uniforms and Ancillary Products operating segment inbound freight charges, purchasing and receiving costs, inspection costs, warehousing costs and other costs of distribution are included in the cost of rental uniforms and ancillary products.

Cost of other services. Cost of other services consists primarily of cost of goods sold (predominantly uniforms and first aid products), delivery expenses and distribution expenses. Cost of other services includes inbound freight charges, purchasing and receiving costs, inspection costs, warehousing costs and other costs of distribution.

Selling and administrative expenses. Selling and administrative expenses consist primarily of sales labor and commissions, management and administrative labor, payroll taxes, medical expense, insurance expense, legal and professional costs and amortization of finite-lived intangible assets.

Restructuring charges. During fiscal 2009, Cintas management initiated certain restructuring activities to eliminate excess capacity and reduce its cost structure. Cintas recorded restructuring charges of $7.9 million in employee termination costs and $2.3 million in other exit costs for a total of $10.2 million. In fiscal 2010, Cintas recorded a change in estimate of ($1.4) million in employee termination costs and ($1.5) million in other exit costs for a total restructuring credit of ($2.9) million.

Cash and cash equivalents. Cintas considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less, at date of purchase, to be cash equivalents.

Marketable securities. Marketable securities are comprised of fixed income securities and are classified as available-for-sale.

Accounts receivable. Accounts receivable is comprised of amounts owed through product shipments and services provided and is presented net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance is an estimate based on historical rates of collectability and allowances for specific accounts identified as uncollectible. The allowance that is an estimate based on historical rates of collectability is recorded for overdue amounts, beginning with a nominal percentage and increasing substantially as the account ages. The amount provided as the account ages will differ slightly between the Rental Uniforms and Ancillary Products operating segment and the three other operating segments because of differences in customers served and the nature of each operating segment. When an account is considered uncollectible, it is written off against the allowance.

Inventories. Inventories are valued at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) or market. Inventory is comprised of the following amounts:



(In thousands)		2011		2010
Raw materials	$	16,900	$	13,058
Work in process		18,907		11,522
Finished goods		213,851		144,904

	$	249,658	$	169,484

Inventories are recorded net of reserves for obsolete inventory of $30.7 million and $32.5 million as of May 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Uniforms and other rental items in service. These items are valued at cost less amortization, calculated using the straight-line method. Uniforms in service (other than cleanroom and flame resistant clothing) are amortized over their useful life of 18 months. Other rental items, including shop towels, mats, mops, cleanroom garments, flame resistant clothing, linens and restroom dispensers, are amortized over their useful lives which range from 8 to 48 months.

Property and equipment. Property and equipment is stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method primarily over the following estimated useful lives, in years:


	Buildings			30 to 40
	Building improvements			5 to 20
	Equipment			3 to 10
	Leasehold improvements			2 to 15

Long-lived assets. When events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of long-lived assets may not be recoverable, the estimated undiscounted future cash flows are compared to the carrying amount of the assets. If the estimated undiscounted future cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the assets, an impairment loss is recorded based on the excess of the carrying amount of the assets over their respective fair values. Fair value is generally determined by discounted cash flows or based on prices of similar assets, as appropriate. Long-lived assets that are held for sale are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or the estimated fair value, less estimated costs to sell.

The fiscal 2009 charge of $48.9 million in long-lived asset impairment costs included $25.8 million in land and buildings of which $10.9 million related to assets held for sale, $18.2 million in equipment and $4.8 million in long-lived other assets. The fair value was determined primarily by using market quoted prices and other prices quoted for similar assets and discounted cash flow models.

Goodwill. Goodwill is separately disclosed from other intangible assets on the consolidated balance sheet and not amortized. Cintas completes an annual goodwill impairment test which includes the determination of the estimated fair value of its reporting units. The methodology used is consistent with prior years. Based on the results of the annual impairment test, Cintas was not required to recognize an impairment of goodwill for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2011, 2010 or 2009. Cintas will continue to perform future impairment tests as of March 1 in future years and when indicators of impairment are noted.

Service contracts and other assets. Service contracts and other assets, which consist primarily of noncompete and consulting agreements obtained through acquisitions of businesses, are amortized by use of the straight-line method over the estimated lives of the agreements, which are generally 5 to 10 years.

Accrued liabilities. Current accrued liabilities are recorded when it is probable that a liability has occurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated. Current accrued liabilities include the following amounts:



(In thousands)		2011		2010
General insurance liabilities	$	58,892	$	50,480
Employee benefit related liabilities		48,827		47,754
Legal settlements		1,195		30,448
Taxes and related liabilities		18,886		22,403
Accrued interest		21,224		20,762
Other		93,667		72,555

	$	242,691	$	244,402

Long-term accrued liabilities consists primarily of reserves associated with unrecognized tax benefits, which are described in more detail in Note 7 entitled Income Taxes, and retirement obligations.

Stock-based compensation. Compensation expense is recognized for all share-based payments to employees, including stock options, in the consolidated statements of income based on the fair value of the awards that are granted. The fair value of stock options is estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Measured compensation cost, net of estimated forfeitures, is recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period of the related share-based compensation award.

Derivatives and hedging activities. Cintas formally documents all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as its risk management objective and strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions. Derivatives are recorded at fair value on the consolidated balance sheet, and gains and losses are recorded as adjustments to earnings or other comprehensive income, as appropriate.