CXW vs IRM vs CTAS Stock Comparison

CoreCivic, Iron Mountain and Cintas Prices as of Oct 27, 2026 Peers: Industry group
CXW CoreCivic, Inc.
$30.79 -4.2% 1M +65.9% 1Y
Market cap
$3.03B
P/E
23.7x
Revenue (TTM)
$2.48B
Div. yield
–
Facility Services Industrials
5 wins
IRM Iron Mountain Inc
$115.26 +3.5% 1M +8.3% 1Y
Market cap
$34.03B
P/E
81.3x
Revenue (TTM)
$7.56B
Div. yield
0.03%
Facility Services Industrials
1 win
CTAS Cintas Corp
$214.80 +7.4% 1M +13.8% 1Y
Market cap
$85.35B
P/E
41.4x
Revenue (TTM)
$11.56B
Div. yield
0.01%
Facility Services Industrials
6 wins

Head to Head

12 decided of 12

Cintas leads on 6 of the 12 questions below (Cintas 6, CoreCivic 5, Iron Mountain 1). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionCXWIRMCTASLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $3.03B $34.03B $85.35B CTAS
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 23.7x 81.3x 41.4x CXW
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 1.8x 49.7x 36.7x CXW
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +24.3% +17.4% +9.5% CXW
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 5.1% 5.5% 17.8% CTAS
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 6.6% 7.6% 28.2% CTAS
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 3.2x 6.7x 0.7x CTAS
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.00% 0.03% 0.01% IRM
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months +65.9% +8.3% +13.8% CXW
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years +29.2%/yr +20.0%/yr +15.1%/yr CXW
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 42.0% 33.3% 23.8% CTAS
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 53/100 47/100 60/100 CTAS

Percentile Scorecard

CXWIRMCTAS

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisCXWIRMCTAS
Valuation 48 #59 of 112 21 #89 of 112 20 #90 of 112
Growth 45 #53 of 96 90 #11 of 96 71 #29 of 96
Profitability 51 #45 of 91 64 #33 of 91 98 #3 of 91
Financial Health 40 #76 of 125 8 #115 of 125 70 #38 of 125
Shareholder Returns 82 #13 of 67 50 #34 of 67 39 #41 of 67
Overall 53 47 60
  • CXW ranked among 130 companies in Business Services
  • IRM ranked among 130 companies in Business Services
  • CTAS ranked among 130 companies in Business Services

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodCXWIRMCTASSPY
1 month -4.2%+3.5%+7.4% -0.2%
3 months +0.6%-8.3%0.0% +3.9%
6 months +49.7%+2.3%+23.3% +8.2%
Year to date +61.1%+39.0%+14.2% +12.9%
1 year +65.9%+8.3%+13.8% +12.3%
3 years +149.1%+98.0%+73.1% +87.4%
3 years, per year +35.6%+25.6%+20.1% +23.3%
5 years +259.7%+148.3%+101.7% +67.9%
5 years, per year +29.2%+20.0%+15.1% +10.9%
10 years +130.6%+251.8%+713.1% +261.1%
10 years, per year +8.7%+13.4%+23.3% +13.7%

Risk

MeasureCXWIRMCTASSPY
Volatility, 1Y 42.0%33.3%23.8% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 43.8%34.4%24.3% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 0.371.170.11 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y 1.570.250.58 0.97
Max drawdown, 5Y -39.7%-40.0%-28.2% -25.4%
From 52-week high -13.3%-13.4%-4.9% -1.2%
52-week high $35.53$133.06$225.93 $779.14
52-week low $16.13$78.86$163.55 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleCXWIRMCTAS
P/E now vs peer median 23.8xmedian 21.2x 82.0xmedian 21.2x 41.7xmedian 21.2x
P/S now vs peer median 1.2xmedian 0.9x 4.5xmedian 0.9x 7.4xmedian 0.9x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 11.0xmedian 11.9x 20.3xmedian 11.9x 27.4xmedian 11.9x
P/FCF now vs peer median 53.1xmedian 13.7x -69.9xmedian 13.7x 42.2xmedian 13.7x
P/B now vs peer median 2.1xmedian 2.4x -26.8xmedian 2.4x 16.5xmedian 2.4x
PEG now vs peer median 3.36median 1.00 31.37median 1.00 2.75median 1.00

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsCXWIRMCTAS
Revenue $2.48B $7.56B $11.56B
Gross profit – $4.10B $5.89B
Operating income – $1.42B $2.70B
Net income $127.90M $434.46M $2.06B
Free cash flow $57.32M -$490.92M $2.03B
EPS (diluted) $1.29 $1.40 $5.10
Cash & equivalents $108.93M $204.79M $243.60M
Total debt $5.01B $17.35B $2.43B
Shares (diluted) 98.89M 299.85M 404.29M
Enterprise value $2.55B $33.22B $84.43B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricCXWIRMCTAS
P/E 23.8x 82.0x 41.7x
P/FCF 53.1x -69.9x 42.2x
P/Operating cash flow 15.2x 20.7x 35.3x
P/S 1.2x 4.5x 7.4x
P/B 2.1x -26.8x 16.5x
P/Tangible book 2.1x -13.6x 17.4x
EV/EBITDA 11.0x 20.3x 27.4x
EV/EBIT 17.3x 36.3x 32.6x
EV/Revenue 1.7x 6.8x 7.6x
EV/FCF 74.7x -104.8x 43.3x
EV/Operating cash flow 21.4x 31.1x 36.2x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 3.36 31.37 2.75

Growth

14 metrics
MetricCXWIRMCTAS
Revenue growth (1Y) 24.3% 17.4% 9.5%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) 10.2% 13.0% 8.7%
Gross profit growth (1Y) – 13.5% 11.5%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) – 11.1% 11.2%
Operating income growth (1Y) – 35.4% 11.8%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) – 12.8% 13.2%
Net income growth (1Y) 22.9% 867.3% 11.3%
Net income CAGR (3Y) 2.2% 4.1% 14.3%
EPS growth (1Y) 35.1% 897.5% 12.7%
EPS CAGR (3Y) 7.1% 2.6% 15.2%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) -26.4% 31.7% 14.8%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 2.6% 17.2% 14.4%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) -66.4% 50.3% 19.5%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) -19.8% -60.8% 17.4%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricCXWIRMCTAS
Gross margin – 54.2% 51.0%
EBITDA margin 15.6% 33.6% 27.8%
Operating margin – 18.8% 23.4%
Pretax margin 7.0% 6.7% 22.5%
Net margin 5.1% 5.5% 17.8%
FCF margin 2.3% -6.5% 17.6%
Operating cash flow margin 8.1% 21.9% 21.1%
Return on equity 9.0% – 39.8%
Return on assets 3.7% 2.0% 19.5%
Return on invested capital 6.6% 7.6% 28.2%
Return on capital employed 8.5% 7.5% 34.2%
Asset turnover 0.7x 0.3x 1.1x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 1.6x 3.8x 1.2x
Stock comp / revenue 1.1% 1.8% 1.1%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricCXWIRMCTAS
Debt / assets 39.0% 79.0% 22.8%
Debt / equity 0.9x -13.5x 0.5x
Net debt / EBITDA 3.2x 6.7x 0.7x
Debt / FCF 23.5x -35.3x 1.2x
Liabilities / assets 58.4% 105.8% 51.1%
Equity / assets 41.6% -5.8% 48.9%
Interest coverage 3.3x – 25.3x
Current ratio 1.3x 0.7x 1.5x
Quick ratio 1.1x 0.6x 0.7x
Cash ratio 0.2x 0.1x 0.1x
Altman Z-score 1.90 1.76 13.27

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricCXWIRMCTAS
Dividend yield – 3.0% 0.9%
Net buyback yield 6.2% – 1.2%
Shareholder yield 6.2% 3.0% 2.0%
Payout ratio (earnings) – 229.5% 35.2%
Payout ratio (FCF) – -203.1% 35.6%
Dividend growth (1Y) – 16.5% 14.8%
Dividend CAGR (3Y) – 11.1% 15.5%

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusCXWIRMCTAS
Forward P/E 1.8xFY2026 49.7xFY2026 36.7xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $16.94FY2026 $2.32FY2026 $5.85FY2026
EPS growth, next FY +1,468.5%FY2026 +9.4%FY2026 +18.4%FY2026
EPS growth, the year after -85.4% +28.0% +10.4%
Revenue, next fiscal year $2.85BFY2026 $8.36BFY2026 $12.98BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY +29.1%FY2026 +21.1%FY2026 +15.3%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after -0.2% +2.2% +6.8%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersCXWIRMCTAS
Held by institutions 87.5% 86.2% 67.6%
Institutions holding 278 1,161 1,430
Change in shares held, QoQ +0.2% +1.9% +6.4%
Institutions buying 155 598 657
Institutions selling 86 377 576
Buyers to sellers 1.80 1.59 1.14

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

CXWIRMCTAS
CXW 1.00 0.05 0.02
IRM 0.05 1.00 0.00
CTAS 0.02 0.00 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, CXW, IRM and CTAS?

Cintas (CTAS) is the largest by market capitalisation: CoreCivic (CXW) $3.03B, Iron Mountain (IRM) $34.03B, Cintas (CTAS) $85.35B.

Which stock is cheaper, CXW, IRM and CTAS?

CoreCivic (CXW) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (CoreCivic (CXW) 23.7x, Iron Mountain (IRM) 81.3x, Cintas (CTAS) 41.4x). On next year's consensus earnings, CoreCivic (CXW) is cheapest (CoreCivic (CXW) 1.8x, Iron Mountain (IRM) 49.7x, Cintas (CTAS) 36.7x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

CoreCivic (CXW) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: CoreCivic (CXW) +24.3%, Iron Mountain (IRM) +17.4%, Cintas (CTAS) +9.5%.

Which company is more profitable?

Cintas (CTAS) has the highest net margin (CoreCivic (CXW) 5.1%, Iron Mountain (IRM) 5.5%, Cintas (CTAS) 17.8%). On return on invested capital, Cintas (CTAS) leads (CoreCivic (CXW) 6.6%, Iron Mountain (IRM) 7.6%, Cintas (CTAS) 28.2%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year CoreCivic (CXW) returned the most: CoreCivic (CXW) +65.9%, Iron Mountain (IRM) +8.3%, Cintas (CTAS) +13.8%. Over five years, CoreCivic (CXW) compounded fastest (CoreCivic (CXW) +29.2%/yr, Iron Mountain (IRM) +20.0%/yr, Cintas (CTAS) +15.1%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Iron Mountain (IRM) has the highest dividend yield: CoreCivic (CXW) 0.00%, Iron Mountain (IRM) 0.03%, Cintas (CTAS) 0.01%. CoreCivic (CXW) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Cintas (CTAS) has been the steadiest (CoreCivic (CXW) 42.0%, Iron Mountain (IRM) 33.3%, Cintas (CTAS) 23.8%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, CXW, IRM and CTAS?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Cintas (CTAS) leads on 6. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.