CTAS vs. ZTO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CTAS and ZTO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
CTAS is a standard domestic listing, while ZTO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | CTAS | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Cintas Corporation | ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Commercial Services & Supplies | Air Freight & Logistics |
| Market Capitalization | 74.69 billion USD | 15.01 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | August 19, 1983 | October 27, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CTAS and ZTO by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.79% | -2.08% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -13.78% | -8.77% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -13.29% | 0.48% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -16.50% | 2.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 1.88% | 2.10% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 2.20% | -3.77% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.38M | 1.15M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.95M | 2.36M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 18.57% | 30.06% |
| Beta | 0.97 | 0.75 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CTAS
40.41%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 31.86%
- Q3
- 17.95%
- Median
- 10.20%
- Q1
- 6.64%
- Min
- -9.69%
CTAS’s Return on Equity of 40.41% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
ZTO
13.99%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 18.50%
- Q3
- 17.86%
- Median
- 11.99%
- Q1
- 7.72%
- Min
- 3.03%
ZTO’s Return on Equity of 13.99% is on par with the norm for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CTAS
17.54%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 17.54%
- Q3
- 10.35%
- Median
- 5.85%
- Q1
- 3.23%
- Min
- -2.31%
A Net Profit Margin of 17.54% places CTAS in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
ZTO
18.81%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 10.55%
- Q3
- 5.92%
- Median
- 4.17%
- Q1
- 2.52%
- Min
- 0.69%
ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 18.81% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CTAS
22.89%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 25.57%
- Q3
- 15.63%
- Median
- 8.06%
- Q1
- 4.76%
- Min
- -7.48%
An Operating Profit Margin of 22.89% places CTAS in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
ZTO
23.34%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 11.33%
- Q3
- 8.95%
- Median
- 5.96%
- Q1
- 3.78%
- Min
- 1.22%
ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.34% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 40.41% | 13.99% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 19.17% | 9.33% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.54% | 18.81% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 22.89% | 23.34% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 50.10% | 27.48% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CTAS
2.24
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 3.94
- Q3
- 2.24
- Median
- 1.28
- Q1
- 0.91
- Min
- 0.58
CTAS’s Current Ratio of 2.24 aligns with the median group of the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
ZTO
1.21
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.79
- Q3
- 1.36
- Median
- 1.15
- Q1
- 0.93
- Min
- 0.71
ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.21 aligns with the median group of the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
CTAS
0.51
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 2.24
- Q3
- 1.11
- Median
- 0.73
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
CTAS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.51 is typical for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
ZTO
0.29
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.57
- Q3
- 1.22
- Median
- 0.76
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.29 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
24.70
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 24.70
- Q3
- 24.47
- Median
- 9.83
- Q1
- 3.74
- Min
- -10.97
CTAS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 24.70 is in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
ZTO
--
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 49.07
- Q3
- 23.59
- Median
- 8.92
- Q1
- 6.34
- Min
- -0.60
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZTO is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.24 | 1.21 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.88 | 1.02 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.51 | 0.29 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 24.70 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CTAS
0.85%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.46%
- Q3
- 2.38%
- Median
- 1.70%
- Q1
- 0.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
CTAS’s Dividend Yield of 0.85% is in the lower quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 7.05%
- Q3
- 3.28%
- Median
- 2.07%
- Q1
- 0.51%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
34.09%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 137.88%
- Q3
- 72.93%
- Median
- 50.54%
- Q1
- 29.39%
- Min
- 0.00%
CTAS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 34.09% is within the typical range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 160.95%
- Q3
- 98.33%
- Median
- 59.97%
- Q1
- 12.62%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.85% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 34.09% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
40.29
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 57.06
- Q3
- 35.30
- Median
- 21.86
- Q1
- 16.24
- Min
- 6.18
A P/E Ratio of 40.29 places CTAS in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
ZTO
12.03
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 35.35
- Q3
- 24.81
- Median
- 17.35
- Q1
- 14.31
- Min
- 9.29
In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.03 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
7.07
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 6.55
- Q3
- 3.15
- Median
- 1.07
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.06
With a P/S Ratio of 7.07, CTAS trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
ZTO
2.26
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 2.26
- Q3
- 1.51
- Median
- 0.65
- Q1
- 0.42
- Min
- 0.19
ZTO’s P/S Ratio of 2.26 is in the upper echelon for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
CTAS
17.80
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 6.18
- Q3
- 4.19
- Median
- 2.44
- Q1
- 1.61
- Min
- 0.40
At 17.80, CTAS’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
ZTO
1.59
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 4.47
- Q3
- 3.13
- Median
- 2.01
- Q1
- 1.52
- Min
- 0.74
ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.59 is within the conventional range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 40.29 | 12.03 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 7.07 | 2.26 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 17.80 | 1.59 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 43.98 | 10.03 |