B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG Cuts Stake in United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI)

B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG lessened its stake in United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) by 17.9% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 11,260 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 2,448 shares during the quarter. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG’s holdings in United Rentals were worth $7,932,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. grew its holdings in United Rentals by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. now owns 814 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $573,000 after buying an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Valmark Advisers Inc. grew its holdings in shares of United Rentals by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. Valmark Advisers Inc. now owns 788 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $555,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Erste Asset Management GmbH increased its position in United Rentals by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Erste Asset Management GmbH now owns 2,794 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $2,002,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. Klingman & Associates LLC raised its stake in United Rentals by 2.3% during the fourth quarter. Klingman & Associates LLC now owns 669 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $471,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Moody National Bank Trust Division lifted its position in United Rentals by 4.5% during the fourth quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 368 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $259,000 after purchasing an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.26% of the company’s stock.

United Rentals Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of URI opened at $625.97 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $40.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.15, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.76. United Rentals, Inc. has a 12-month low of $585.27 and a 12-month high of $896.98. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $684.08 and a 200-day moving average price of $754.67. The company has a current ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42.

United Rentals (NYSE:URI) last issued 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 return on equity of 34.21% and a net margin of 16.78%. Equities research analysts expect that United Rentals, Inc. will post 44.8 earnings per share for the current year.

United Rentals Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 26th. Shareholders 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 positive change from United Rentals’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. This represents a $7.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.14%. United Rentals’s payout ratio is 18.48%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

URI has been the topic of several recent research reports. Evercore ISI decreased their target price on shares of United Rentals from $1,004.00 to $974.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on United Rentals from $940.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Robert W. Baird raised United Rentals from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $658.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. Bank of America cut their target price on United Rentals from $850.00 to $750.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 21st. Finally, Truist Financial restated a “buy” rating and issued a $956.00 price target (down from $963.00) on shares of United Rentals in a research report on Friday, January 31st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, United Rentals presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $804.15.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO William E. Grace sold 1,100 shares of United Rentals stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $638.10, for a total value of $701,910.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 6,880 shares in the company, valued at $4,390,128. The trade was a 13.78 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.53% of the company’s stock.

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.