STN vs WSC vs URI vs CAT

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 Caterpillar Inc. at 47. 6x. On forward P/E, United Rentals, Inc. is actually cheaper at 20. 1x. 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 Stantec Inc. 's 1. 59x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Caterpillar Inc.

(CAT) delivered a total return of +282. 5%, compared to -19. 5% for WillScot Holdings Corporation (WSC). 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), Stantec Inc.

(STN) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 04β versus WillScot Holdings Corporation's 2. 06β — meaning WSC is approximately 98% more volatile than STN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Stantec Inc. (STN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 69% 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, STN leads at 17. 9% 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 -2. 3% for WillScot Holdings Corporation — 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 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 Stantec Inc. 's 1. 59x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, United Rentals, Inc. (URI) trades at 20. 1x forward P/E versus 38. 8x for Caterpillar Inc. — 18. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for URI: 9. 9% to $1037. 13.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

WillScot Holdings Corporation (WSC) offers the highest yield at 1. 2%, versus 0. 7% for Caterpillar Inc. (CAT).

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; WSC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; URI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CAT is a large-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.