United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) Stock Position Lowered by Marietta Investment Partners LLC

Marietta Investment Partners LLC lessened its position in United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) by 5.1% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 9,461 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 511 shares during the quarter. United Rentals makes up approximately 1.5% of Marietta Investment Partners LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest position. Marietta Investment Partners LLC’s holdings in United Rentals were worth $6,665,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of URI. Sei Investments Co. raised its position in shares of United Rentals by 16.2% during the fourth quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 21,629 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $15,236,000 after purchasing an additional 3,021 shares during the period. Mizuho Securities USA LLC raised its position in shares of United Rentals by 44.0% during the fourth quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC now owns 6,219 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $4,381,000 after purchasing an additional 1,901 shares during the period. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of United Rentals during the fourth quarter worth $2,590,000. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new stake in shares of United Rentals during the fourth quarter worth $10,290,000. Finally, Independent Solutions Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of United Rentals by 4.8% during the fourth quarter. Independent Solutions Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,754 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,940,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 96.26% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO William E. Grace sold 1,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $638.10, for a total transaction of $701,910.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 6,880 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,390,128. The trade was a 13.78 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.53% of the company’s stock.

United Rentals Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:URI opened at $628.63 on Friday. United Rentals, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $585.27 and a fifty-two week high of $896.98. The business has a 50-day moving average of $696.39 and a two-hundred day moving average of $756.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.22, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42, a current ratio of 0.98 and a quick ratio of 0.92.

United Rentals (NYSE:URI) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The construction company reported $11.59 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $11.65 by ($0.06). United Rentals had a return on equity of 34.21% and a net margin of 16.78%. On average, equities research analysts predict that United Rentals, Inc. will post 44.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Rentals Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 26th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 12th were given a $1.79 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 12th. This represents a $7.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.14%. This is a boost from United Rentals’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. United Rentals’s payout ratio is currently 18.48%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on URI. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on United Rentals from $940.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Evercore ISI lowered their price target on United Rentals from $1,004.00 to $974.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. Baird R W upgraded United Rentals from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on United Rentals from $775.00 to $765.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Citigroup lowered their price target on United Rentals from $985.00 to $835.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, United Rentals has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $815.67.

About United Rentals

United Rentals, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as an equipment rental company. It operates in two segments, General Rentals and Specialty. The General Rentals segment rents general construction and industrial equipment includes backhoes, skid-steer loaders, forklifts, earthmoving equipment, and material handling equipment; aerial work platforms, such as boom and scissor lifts; and general tools and light equipment comprising pressure washers, water pumps, and power tools for construction and industrial companies, manufacturers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners, and government entities.