URI vs. WAB: United Rentals vs. Wabtec Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but URI is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while WAB is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB)
Profile Item	URI	WAB
Name	United Rentals Inc.	Wabtec Corporation
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment
Market Capitalization	65.36 billion USD	47.59 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	December 18, 1997	June 16, 1995
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

URI

WAB

GSPC

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	URI	WAB
Total Return (1Y)	35.39%	44.64%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	38.68%	39.37%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	24.76%	25.90%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

URI

WAB

GSPC

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	URI	WAB
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	44.71%	27.53%
Beta (5Y)	1.81	0.91
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-39.76%	-23.55%
Avg. Volume (3M)	496.78K	890.96K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

URI and WAB are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	URI	WAB
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.70	1.47
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.16	2.34

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

United Rentals (URI) at 30.56% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Wabtec (WAB) at 12.24% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for URI.

URI

Capital Goods industry group

30.56%

Max: 40.55%
URI: 30.56%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

12.24%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
WAB: 12.24%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

United Rentals (URI) at 16.33% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Wabtec (WAB) at 11.20%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

URI

Capital Goods industry group

16.33%

Max: 27.47%
URI: 16.33%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

11.20%

Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
WAB: 11.20%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both United Rentals (URI) at 29.21% and Wabtec (WAB) at 20.22% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

URI

Capital Goods industry group

29.21%

Max: 36.60%
URI: 29.21%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

20.22%

Max: 36.60%
WAB: 20.22%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	URI	WAB
ROE (TTM)	30.56%	12.24%
ROA (TTM)	9.14%	6.28%
Net Margin (TTM)	16.33%	11.20%
Operating Margin (TTM)	29.21%	20.22%
Gross Margin (TTM)	39.19%	36.17%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both United Rentals (URI) at 4.91% and Wabtec (WAB) at 7.51% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both United Rentals (URI) at -0.21% and Wabtec (WAB) at 13.08% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	URI	WAB
Revenue Growth (YoY)	4.91%	7.51%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	11.41%	10.12%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-0.21%	13.08%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	9.20%	25.44%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both United Rentals (URI) at 0.80 and Wabtec (WAB) at 1.10 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

URI

Capital Goods industry group

0.80

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
URI: 0.80
Min: 0.36

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

1.10

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
WAB: 1.10
Min: 0.36

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Wabtec (WAB) at 0.60 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while United Rentals (URI) at 1.64 uses more debt funding than most peers.

URI

Capital Goods industry group

1.64

Max: 2.33
URI: 1.64
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

0.60

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
WAB: 0.60
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	URI	WAB
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.80	1.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.64	0.60
Net Debt / EBITDA	3.12	2.28

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both United Rentals (URI) at 0.74% and Wabtec (WAB) at 0.42% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

URI

Capital Goods industry group

0.74%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
URI: 0.74%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

0.42%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
WAB: 0.42%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both United Rentals (URI) at 16.95% and Wabtec (WAB) at 14.66% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

URI

Capital Goods industry group

16.95%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
URI: 16.95%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

14.66%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
WAB: 14.66%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	URI	WAB
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.74%	0.42%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	16.95%	14.66%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both United Rentals (URI) at 23.24 and Wabtec (WAB) at 35.23 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

URI

Capital Goods industry group

23.24

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
URI: 23.24
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

35.23

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
WAB: 35.23
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

United Rentals (URI) at 3.74 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Wabtec (WAB) at 3.90 sits in the pricier quartile — WAB costs more per dollar of sales.

URI

Capital Goods industry group

3.74

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
URI: 3.74
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

3.90

Max: 7.54
WAB: 3.90
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Wabtec (WAB) at 4.20 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while United Rentals (URI) at 6.75 carries an above-peer premium to book — URI is pricier on assets.

URI

Capital Goods industry group

6.75

Max: 9.66
URI: 6.75
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

4.20

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
WAB: 4.20
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

United Rentals (URI) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	URI	WAB
P/E Ratio (TTM)	23.24	35.23
P/S Ratio (TTM)	3.74	3.90
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	6.75	4.20
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	3.24%	2.60%