United Rentals Q4 Results Miss Expectations, Shares Drop
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1d ago
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Earnings Decline: United Rentals (URI) reported Q4 revenue of $4.21 billion, missing analyst expectations of $4.24 billion, with adjusted earnings per share at $11.09, falling short of the $11.80 consensus, resulting in a 5.2% drop in after-hours trading.
- Rental Revenue Growth: Despite a 4.6% year-over-year increase in rental revenue to a record $3.58 billion, overall profit margins were pressured by rising inflation and delivery costs, leading to a net income decline from $689 million last year to $653 million this quarter.
- Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns: United Rentals generated $5.19 billion in operating cash flow and $2.18 billion in free cash flow for the year, returning $2.36 billion to shareholders through buybacks and dividends, reflecting a solid capital management strategy.
- Future Outlook: The company forecasts 2026 revenue between $16.8 billion and $17.3 billion, with adjusted EBITDA of $7.58 billion to $7.83 billion, indicating continued profitable growth driven by large projects and geographic demand.
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Analyst Views on URI
Wall Street analysts forecast URI stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for URI is 1004 USD with a low forecast of 600.00 USD and a high forecast of 1150 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
14 Analyst Rating
12 Buy
1 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 903.190
Low
600.00
Averages
1004
High
1150
Current: 903.190
Low
600.00
Averages
1004
High
1150
About URI
United Rentals, Inc. is an equipment rental company. The Company's segments include General Rentals and Specialty. General Rentals segment includes the rental of construction, aerial and industrial equipment, general tools and light equipment, and related services and activities. General Rentals segment has four geographic divisions - Central, Northeast, Southeast and West - and operates throughout the United States and Canada. Specialty segment rents products (and provides setup and other services on such rented equipment), including trench safety equipment, such as trench shields, aluminum hydraulic shoring systems, slide rails, crossing plates, construction lasers and line testing equipment for underground work; fluid solutions equipment primarily used for fluid containment, transfer and treatment, and mobile storage equipment and modular office space. It has an integrated network of around 1,591 rental locations in North America, 39 in Europe, 37 in Australia and 19 in New Zealand.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
UNITED RENTALS STOCK FALLS 4.7% IN PREMARKET TRADING FOLLOWING Q4 REVENUE SHORTFALL
Revenue Decline: United Rentals reported a 4.7% decrease in revenue for the fourth quarter, indicating a downturn in their financial performance.
Market Impact: The decline in revenue may reflect broader market challenges affecting the rental industry, potentially influencing future business strategies.
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