MWA Asset Management Sells 96 Shares of United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI)

MWA Asset Management trimmed its holdings in United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) by 2.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,455 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 96 shares during the quarter. United Rentals accounts for 1.6% of MWA Asset Management’s portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest holding. MWA Asset Management’s holdings in United Rentals were worth $2,434,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of United Rentals by 82,462.2% in the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 1,606,661 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,300,962,000 after acquiring an additional 1,604,715 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in United Rentals by 15.4% in the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 787,877 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $637,968,000 after purchasing an additional 105,287 shares during the period. FMR LLC lifted its position in United Rentals by 3.7% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 2,416,568 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,956,768,000 after purchasing an additional 85,325 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its stake in United Rentals by 10.5% during the third quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 704,145 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $570,167,000 after buying an additional 66,957 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. increased its holdings in United Rentals by 6.1% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 996,014 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $862,110,000 after buying an additional 57,002 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.26% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on URI. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of United Rentals from $775.00 to $765.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Citigroup decreased their price objective on United Rentals from $985.00 to $835.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Bank of America increased their target price on United Rentals from $800.00 to $910.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Baird R W raised United Rentals from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, Barclays upped their price target on United Rentals from $400.00 to $565.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, United Rentals currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $814.08.

United Rentals Price Performance

Shares of URI stock opened at $740.69 on Friday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $752.83 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $769.57. The stock has a market cap of $48.37 billion, a PE ratio of 19.11, a PEG ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 1.68. United Rentals, Inc. has a 52-week low of $596.48 and a 52-week high of $896.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a current ratio of 0.98.

United Rentals (NYSE:URI) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The construction company reported $11.59 EPS 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%. As a group, analysts forecast that United Rentals, Inc. will post 44.93 EPS for the current year.

United Rentals Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 26th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 12th will be paid a $1.79 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 12th. This is a boost from United Rentals’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. This represents a $7.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.97%. United Rentals’s dividend payout ratio is 16.83%.

United Rentals Company Profile

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.