Flputnam Investment Management Co. Buys 180 Shares of United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI)

Flputnam Investment Management Co. raised its stake in shares of United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) by 1.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 9,682 shares of the construction company’s stock after acquiring an additional 180 shares during the quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co.’s holdings in United Rentals were worth $6,820,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of United Rentals by 4.0% in the 3rd quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC now owns 339 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $274,000 after purchasing an additional 13 shares in the last quarter. Allen Capital Group LLC boosted its position in shares of United Rentals by 4.2% in the 3rd quarter. Allen Capital Group LLC now owns 324 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $262,000 after purchasing an additional 13 shares in the last quarter. First County Bank CT boosted its position in shares of United Rentals by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter. First County Bank CT now owns 422 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $342,000 after purchasing an additional 13 shares in the last quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of United Rentals by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 453 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $367,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. boosted its position in shares of United Rentals by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. now owns 814 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $573,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.26% of the company’s stock.

United Rentals Stock Performance

NYSE URI opened at $642.49 on Friday. United Rentals, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $596.48 and a fifty-two 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. The firm has a market capitalization of $41.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.58, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.68. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $721.43 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $768.19.

United Rentals (NYSE:URI) last posted its earnings results 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 net margin of 16.78% and a return on equity of 34.21%. On average, equities analysts forecast that United Rentals, Inc. will post 44.8 earnings per share for the current year.

United Rentals Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 26th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 12th were given a dividend of $1.79 per share. The ex-dividend date was 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 1.11%. United Rentals’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 18.48%.

Insider Activity

In other news, CFO William E. Grace sold 1,100 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $638.10, for a total transaction of $701,910.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 6,880 shares in the company, valued at $4,390,128. This trade represents a 13.78 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.53% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

URI has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Evercore ISI reduced their target price on United Rentals from $1,004.00 to $974.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 19th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on United Rentals from $775.00 to $765.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Robert W. Baird upgraded United Rentals from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $658.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. Truist Financial restated a “buy” rating and issued a $956.00 target price (down previously from $963.00) on shares of United Rentals in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Argus raised their target price on United Rentals from $840.00 to $880.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $829.00.

About United Rentals

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.