STN vs TTEK vs WSC vs URI vs EXPO

For growth investors, Stantec Inc.

(STN) is the stronger pick with 15. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -4. 8% for WillScot Holdings Corporation (WSC). 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 WillScot Holdings Corporation (WSC) a "Buy" — based on 13 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.

On trailing P/E, United Rentals, Inc.

(URI) is the cheapest at 24. 5x versus Stantec Inc. at 39. 2x. On forward P/E, Tetra Tech, Inc. is actually cheaper at 20. 0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: United Rentals, Inc. wins at 0. 78x versus Exponent, Inc. 's 5. 18x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, United Rentals, Inc.

(URI) delivered a total return of +178. 0%, compared to -28. 5% for Exponent, Inc. (EXPO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: URI returned +1483% versus WSC's +144. 8%. 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), Tetra Tech, Inc.

(TTEK) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 53β versus WillScot Holdings Corporation's 2. 06β — meaning WSC is approximately 286% more volatile than TTEK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Exponent, Inc. (EXPO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 21% versus 5% for WillScot Holdings Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Stantec Inc.

(STN) is pulling ahead at 15. 7% versus -4. 8% for WillScot Holdings Corporation (WSC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Stantec Inc. grew EPS 6. 4% year-over-year, compared to -293. 3% for WillScot Holdings Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, TTEK leads at 24. 3% 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.

Exponent, Inc.

(EXPO) is the more profitable company, earning 18. 2% net margin versus -2. 3% for WillScot Holdings Corporation — meaning it keeps 18. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: URI leads at 24. 7% versus 7. 9% for STN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WSC leads at 46. 8%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, United Rentals, Inc. (URI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 78x versus Exponent, Inc. 's 5. 18x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Tetra Tech, Inc. (TTEK) trades at 20. 0x forward P/E versus 30. 9x for Exponent, Inc. — 10. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TTEK: 35. 2% to $41. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Exponent, Inc. (EXPO) offers the highest yield at 1. 9%, versus 0. 7% for Stantec Inc. (STN).

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). WillScot Holdings Corporation (WSC) carries a higher beta of 2. 06 — 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%, WSC: +144. 8%), 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.

In terms of investment character: STN is a mid-cap high-growth stock; TTEK is a small-cap quality compounder stock; WSC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; URI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; EXPO is a small-cap quality compounder stock. 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.