URI vs. ZTO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at URI and ZTO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
URI is a standard domestic listing, while ZTO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | URI | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | United Rentals, Inc. | ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Trading Companies & Distributors | Air Freight & Logistics |
| Market Capitalization | 63.98 billion USD | 14.90 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | December 18, 1997 | October 27, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of URI and ZTO by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | URI | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.65% | -1.42% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 23.68% | 3.86% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 68.20% | -5.28% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 23.94% | 2.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 4.16% | -1.42% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 41.16% | -3.90% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.38M | 1.44M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.53M | 2.51M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 30.42% | 37.56% |
| Beta | 1.70 | 0.76 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
URI
28.97%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 32.99%
- Q3
- 19.66%
- Median
- 13.72%
- Q1
- 9.74%
- Min
- -0.34%
In the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, URI’s Return on Equity of 28.97% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
ZTO
13.99%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 35.27%
- Q3
- 18.63%
- Median
- 11.99%
- Q1
- 7.41%
- Min
- 2.11%
ZTO’s Return on Equity of 13.99% is on par with the norm for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
URI
16.11%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 16.11%
- Q3
- 9.48%
- Median
- 5.89%
- Q1
- 3.68%
- Min
- -1.09%
A Net Profit Margin of 16.11% places URI in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
ZTO
18.81%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 7.92%
- Q3
- 5.98%
- Median
- 4.11%
- Q1
- 2.45%
- Min
- 0.50%
ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 18.81% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
URI
25.50%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 26.26%
- Q3
- 14.59%
- Median
- 7.05%
- Q1
- 4.94%
- Min
- -8.06%
An Operating Profit Margin of 25.50% places URI in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
ZTO
23.34%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 11.33%
- Q3
- 8.19%
- Median
- 5.82%
- Q1
- 3.63%
- Min
- 1.06%
ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.34% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | URI | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 28.97% | 13.99% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 8.91% | 9.33% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 16.11% | 18.81% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 25.50% | 23.34% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 39.21% | 27.48% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
URI
0.86
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 3.32
- Q3
- 2.27
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.41
- Min
- 0.26
URI’s Current Ratio of 0.86 falls into the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
ZTO
1.21
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.73
- Q3
- 1.33
- Median
- 1.15
- Q1
- 0.95
- Min
- 0.61
ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.21 aligns with the median group of the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
URI
1.48
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.93
- Q3
- 1.24
- Median
- 0.79
- Q1
- 0.61
- Min
- 0.01
URI’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.48. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
ZTO
0.29
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.57
- Q3
- 1.25
- Median
- 0.77
- Q1
- 0.32
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.29 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
URI
5.90
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 15.13
- Q3
- 7.93
- Median
- 5.67
- Q1
- 2.04
- Min
- -1.67
URI’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.90 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
ZTO
--
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 49.07
- Q3
- 23.59
- Median
- 8.92
- Q1
- 6.34
- Min
- -0.60
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZTO is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | URI | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.86 | 1.21 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.71 | 1.02 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.48 | 0.29 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 5.90 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
URI
0.70%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 5.25%
- Q3
- 2.95%
- Median
- 2.06%
- Q1
- 1.11%
- Min
- 0.00%
URI’s Dividend Yield of 0.70% is in the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 6.28%
- Q3
- 3.20%
- Median
- 1.90%
- Q1
- 0.55%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
URI
17.74%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 136.12%
- Q3
- 71.34%
- Median
- 47.49%
- Q1
- 22.56%
- Min
- 0.00%
URI’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 17.74% is in the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 160.95%
- Q3
- 92.80%
- Median
- 60.17%
- Q1
- 4.60%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | URI | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.70% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 17.74% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
URI
25.34
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 42.69
- Q3
- 25.21
- Median
- 16.99
- Q1
- 13.13
- Min
- 5.35
A P/E Ratio of 25.34 places URI in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
ZTO
12.24
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 30.08
- Q3
- 23.03
- Median
- 18.40
- Q1
- 12.84
- Min
- 5.90
In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.24 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
URI
4.08
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.90
- Q3
- 2.71
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.70
- Min
- 0.30
URI’s P/S Ratio of 4.08 is in the upper echelon for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
ZTO
2.30
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 2.28
- Q3
- 1.40
- Median
- 0.63
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.19
With a P/S Ratio of 2.30, ZTO trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
URI
5.42
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.63
- Median
- 2.09
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.31
URI’s P/B Ratio of 5.42 is in the upper tier for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
ZTO
1.59
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 5.68
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 1.97
- Q1
- 1.31
- Min
- 0.80
ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.59 is within the conventional range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | URI | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 25.34 | 12.24 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.08 | 2.30 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 5.42 | 1.59 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 61.52 | 10.20 |