XML 61 R50.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.6.0.2

Discontinued Operations - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Nov. 30, 2016 | Nov. 30, 2015 | Nov. 30, 2016 | Nov. 30, 2015
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Proceeds from sale of investment in Shred-it |  |  | $ 25,876 | $ 578,257
Gain on disposal of business |  |  | 0 | 15,786
Proceeds from sale of Storage assets |  |  | 0 | 35,338
Discontinued Operations |  |  |  |
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Gain on disposal of business | $ 0 | $ 10,943 | $ 0 | 15,786
Discontinued Operations | Document Imaging and Document Retention Services |  |  |  |
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Gain on disposal of business |  | 10,900 |  |
Discontinued Operations | Shred-it |  |  |  |
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Gain on sale of business |  | 349,700 |  |
Proceeds from sale of investment in Shred-it |  | 578,300 |  |
Gain on disposal of business | $ 25,900 |  |  |
Discontinued Operations | Storage Real Estate Assets |  |  |  |
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Gain on disposal of business |  |  |  | 4,800
Proceeds from sale of Storage assets |  |  |  | 24,400
Shred-it Partnership |  |  |  |
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Loss on investment in Shred-it, net of tax |  | $ 9,300 |  | $ 24,300

X
- Definition Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments, Net of Tax + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ctas_IncomeLossfromEquityMethodInvestmentsNetofTax
Namespace Prefix: | ctas_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount before tax of gain (loss) not previously recognized resulting from the disposal of a discontinued operation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 3B -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65878427&loc=SL51721525-107759 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64827811&loc=d3e1361-107760 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65878427&loc=d3e957-107759 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossFromDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Gain (loss) from sale or disposal of an organization or integrated set of activities (for example, but not limited to, a partnership or corporation) engaged in providing a product or service in a commercial, industrial, or professional environment. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfBusiness
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a portion of the company's business, for example a segment, division, branch or other business, during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3179-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This element represents the cash inflow during the period from the sale of a component of the entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3179-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinessesNetOfCashDivested
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DisposalGroupClassificationAxis=us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=ctas_DocumentImagingandDocumentRetentionServicesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=ctas_ShreditMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=ctas_StorageRealEstateAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=ctas_ShreditPartnershipMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |