Cintas Corporation (CTAS) vs Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL)
DAL leads on 9 of 17 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Cintas Corporation and Delta Air Lines, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 17, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — CTAS vs DAL
growth of $100 · last 19yCTAS +1747.1%DAL +264.8%CTAS compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CTAS DAL
CTAS vs DAL: by the numbers
- •CTAS is the larger company ($67.88B vs $54.62B market cap).
- •DAL trades at the lower earnings multiple (12.14 vs 35.79 P/E).
- •CTAS converts more revenue to profit (17.57% vs 6.87% net margin).
- •DAL grew revenue faster over the past five years (38.80% vs 9.83% CAGR).
- •CTAS pays the higher dividend yield (1.06% vs 0.90%).
Which is better, CTAS or DAL?
Metric tally: CTAS 8 · DAL 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueDAL(lower P/E)
GrowthDAL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeCTAS(higher dividend yield)
QualityCTAS(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CTAS | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 35.79 | 12.14● |
| Forward P/E | 31.20 | 15.19● |
| P/S ratio | 6.26 | 0.83● |
| P/B ratio | 14.41 | 2.66● |
| PEG ratio | 3.08 | 0.21● |
| EV / EBITDA | 23.60 | 6.96● |
| FCF yield | 2.59% | 7.23%● |
Profitability
| Metric | CTAS | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 50.36%● | 26.19% |
| Operating margin | 22.95%● | 8.83% |
| Net margin | 17.57%● | 6.87% |
| ROE | 40.46%● | 21.97% |
| ROIC | 22.95%● | 8.30% |
Dividends
| Metric | CTAS | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.06%● | 0.90% |
| Payout ratio | 40.18% | 9.72% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CTAS | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 9.83% | 38.80%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 16.48%● | 0.89% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 9.81% | 115.85%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 14.47%● | 13.55% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CTAS or DAL?
- It depends on your goal. value: DAL (lower P/E); growth: DAL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: CTAS (higher dividend yield); quality: CTAS (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, DAL leads 9 to 8.
- Is CTAS or DAL cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, DAL is cheaper: CTAS trades at a 35.79 P/E and DAL at 12.14.
- Which has grown faster, CTAS or DAL?
- Over the past five years, DAL grew revenue faster — CTAS at a 9.83% CAGR versus DAL at 38.80%.
- Does CTAS or DAL pay a bigger dividend?
- CTAS yields 1.06% and DAL yields 0.90% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CTAS or DAL more profitable?
- CTAS runs the higher net margin — CTAS at 17.57% versus DAL at 6.87%.
- Which has been the better investment, CTAS or DAL?
- Over the past 10-year, CTAS delivered the higher annualized total return — CTAS at 23.15% versus DAL at 9.47%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Cintas P/E ratioDelta Air Lines P/E ratioCintas dividend yieldDelta Air Lines dividend yieldCintas ROEDelta Air Lines ROECintas operating marginDelta Air Lines operating marginCintas revenue growthDelta Air Lines revenue growthCintas free cash flowDelta Air Lines free cash flow
Cintas & Delta Air Lines appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 17, 2026.