ALTG vs URI

For growth investors, United Rentals, Inc.

(URI) is the stronger pick with 4. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 2% for Alta Equipment Group Inc. (ALTG). United Rentals, Inc. (URI) offers the better valuation at 24. 5x trailing P/E (20. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Alta Equipment Group Inc. (ALTG) a "Buy" — based on 5 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

Over the past 5 years, United Rentals, Inc.

(URI) delivered a total return of +178. 0%, compared to -33. 1% for Alta Equipment Group Inc. (ALTG). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: URI returned +1483% versus ALTG's -8. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), United Rentals, Inc.

(URI) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 19β versus Alta Equipment Group Inc. 's 2. 30β — meaning ALTG is approximately 94% more volatile than URI relative to the S&P 500.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), United Rentals, Inc.

(URI) is pulling ahead at 4. 9% versus -2. 2% for Alta Equipment Group Inc. (ALTG). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: United Rentals, Inc. grew EPS -0. 2% year-over-year, compared to -30. 1% for Alta Equipment Group Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, URI leads at 11. 4% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

United Rentals, Inc.

(URI) is the more profitable company, earning 15. 5% net margin versus -4. 4% for Alta Equipment Group Inc. — meaning it keeps 15. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: URI leads at 24. 7% versus 1. 3% for ALTG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — URI leads at 35. 4%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for URI: 9.

9% to $1037. 13.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Alta Equipment Group Inc. (ALTG) offers the highest yield at 1. 1%, versus 0. 8% for United Rentals, Inc. (URI).

For long-horizon retirement investors, United Rentals, Inc.

(URI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 19), 0. 8% yield, +1483% 10Y return). Alta Equipment Group Inc. (ALTG) carries a higher beta of 2. 30 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (URI: +1483%, ALTG: -8. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.