Seek Returns

URI vs. WTS: United Rentals vs. Watts Water Stock Comparison

How do United Rentals (URI) and Watts Water (WTS) 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 Watts Water (WTS) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but URI is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while WTS is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for United Rentals (URI) and Watts Water (WTS)
Profile ItemURIWTS
NameUnited Rentals Inc.Watts Water Technologies, Inc. Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization65.36 billion USD11.55 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 18, 1997August 21, 1986
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

URI
WTS
GSPC
Loading price history…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for United Rentals (URI) and Watts Water (WTS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for United Rentals (URI) and Watts Water (WTS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricURIWTS
Total Return (1Y)35.39%33.85%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)38.68%25.59%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)24.76%12.56%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

URI
WTS
GSPC
Loading price history…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for United Rentals (URI) and Watts Water (WTS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricURIWTS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)44.71%27.38%
Beta (5Y)1.811.11
Max Drawdown (5Y)-39.76%-44.08%
Avg. Volume (3M)496.78K225.08K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
URI and WTS 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 Watts Water (WTS)
MetricURIWTS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.701.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.161.78

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both United Rentals (URI) at 30.56% and Watts Water (WTS) at 20.91% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

20.91%

Max
40.55%
WTS
20.91%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both United Rentals (URI) at 16.33% and Watts Water (WTS) at 16.00% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

16.00%

Max
27.47%
WTS
16.00%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both United Rentals (URI) at 29.21% and Watts Water (WTS) at 20.85% 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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

20.85%

Max
36.60%
WTS
20.85%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricURIWTS
ROE (TTM)30.56%20.91%
ROA (TTM)9.14%12.05%
Net Margin (TTM)16.33%16.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)29.21%20.85%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.19%49.09%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both United Rentals (URI) at 4.91% and Watts Water (WTS) at 8.27% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both United Rentals (URI) at -0.21% and Watts Water (WTS) at 17.03% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricURIWTS
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.91%8.27%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)11.41%7.20%
EPS Growth (YoY)-0.21%17.03%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)9.20%10.78%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Watts Water (WTS) at 2.80 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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

2.80

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
WTS
2.80
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Watts Water (WTS) at 0.08 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while United Rentals (URI) at 1.64 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.

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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

0.08

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
WTS
0.08
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): 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 Watts Water (WTS)
MetricURIWTS
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.802.80
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.640.08
Net Debt / EBITDA3.12-0.40

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both United Rentals (URI) at 0.74% and Watts Water (WTS) at 0.66% 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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

0.66%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
WTS
0.66%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): 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 Watts Water (WTS) at 17.24% 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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

17.24%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
WTS
17.24%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricURIWTS
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.74%0.66%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)16.95%17.24%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both United Rentals (URI) at 23.24 and Watts Water (WTS) at 25.95 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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

25.95

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
WTS
25.95
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): 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 Watts Water (WTS) at 4.14 sits in the pricier quartile — WTS 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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

4.14

Max
7.54
WTS
4.14
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Watts Water (WTS) at 4.98 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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

4.98

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
WTS
4.98
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
Loading chart…
United Rentals (URI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for United Rentals (URI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricURIWTS
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.2425.95
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.744.14
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.754.98
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.24%2.21%