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URI vs. WCC: United Rentals vs. WESCO Stock Comparison

How do United Rentals (URI) and WESCO (WCC) 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 WESCO (WCC) are both classified in the Trading Companies & Distributors sub-industry within the broader Trading Companies & Distributors industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for United Rentals (URI) and WESCO (WCC)
Profile ItemURIWCC
NameUnited Rentals Inc.WESCO International, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization65.36 billion USD14.24 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 18, 1997May 12, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

URI
WCC
GSPC
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC), 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 WESCO (WCC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for United Rentals (URI) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricURIWCC
Total Return (1Y)35.39%26.01%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)38.68%33.71%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)24.76%19.77%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

URI
WCC
GSPC
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC), 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 WESCO (WCC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for United Rentals (URI) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricURIWCC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)44.71%48.31%
Beta (5Y)1.811.56
Max Drawdown (5Y)-39.76%-37.37%
Avg. Volume (3M)496.78K592.41K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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URI and WCC 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 WESCO (WCC)
MetricURIWCC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.700.45
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.160.66

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

United Rentals (URI) at 30.56% sits in the top ROE quartile, while WESCO (WCC) at 15.44% 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%

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

15.44%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
WCC
15.44%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC): 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 WESCO (WCC) at 3.04%, 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%

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

3.04%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
WCC
3.04%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

United Rentals (URI) at 29.21% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of WESCO (WCC) at 6.61%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

6.61%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
WCC
6.61%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for United Rentals (URI) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricURIWCC
ROE (TTM)30.56%15.44%
ROA (TTM)9.14%5.43%
Net Margin (TTM)16.33%3.04%
Operating Margin (TTM)29.21%6.61%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.19%21.51%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both United Rentals (URI) at 4.91% and WESCO (WCC) at 7.76% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

Both United Rentals (URI) at -0.21% and WESCO (WCC) at 0.00% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for United Rentals (URI) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricURIWCC
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.91%7.76%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)11.41%3.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)-0.21%0.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)9.20%-5.23%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

WESCO (WCC) at 2.01 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while United Rentals (URI) at 0.80 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for URI.

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

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

2.01

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
WCC
2.01
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both United Rentals (URI) at 1.64 and WESCO (WCC) at 1.25 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

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

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

1.25

Max
2.33
WCC
1.25
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC): 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 WESCO (WCC)
MetricURIWCC
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.802.01
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.641.25
Net Debt / EBITDA3.123.46

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both United Rentals (URI) at 0.74% and WESCO (WCC) at 0.68% 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%

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

0.68%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
WCC
0.68%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC): 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 WESCO (WCC) at 12.13% 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%

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

12.13%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
WCC
12.13%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for United Rentals (URI) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricURIWCC
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.74%0.68%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)16.95%12.13%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

WESCO (WCC) at 18.17 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while United Rentals (URI) at 23.24 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for WCC, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

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

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

18.17

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
WCC
18.17
Min
3.03
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

WESCO (WCC) at 0.55 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while United Rentals (URI) at 3.74 prices around its industry’s middle — WCC costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

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

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

0.55

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
WCC
0.55
Min
0.03
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

WESCO (WCC) at 2.62 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

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

2.62

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
WCC
2.62
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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United Rentals (URI) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for United Rentals (URI) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricURIWCC
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.2418.17
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.740.55
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.752.62
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.24%2.71%