For the quarter ended December 2024, United Rentals (URI) reported revenue of $4.1 billion, up 9.8% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $11.59, compared to $11.26 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.94 billion, representing a surprise of +3.89%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -1.53%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $11.77.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how United Rentals performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Revenues- Equipment rentals: $3.42 billion versus the six-analyst average estimate of $3.34 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +9.7%.
• Revenues- Service and other revenues: $86 million compared to the $84.13 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +3.6% year over year.
• Revenues- Contractor supplies sales: $39 million compared to the $37.72 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +8.3% year over year.
• Revenues- Sales of new equipment: $96 million compared to the $56.41 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +84.6% year over year.
• Revenues- Sales of rental equipment: $452 million compared to the $422.76 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +3.2% year over year.
• Revenues- Specialty- Contractor supplies sales: $17 million versus $15.49 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +21.4% change.
• Revenues- Specialty- Equipment rentals: $1.08 billion versus $1.01 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +30.5% change.
• Revenues- Specialty- Sales of new equipment: $29 million compared to the $26.34 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +26.1% year over year.
• Revenues- Specialty- Sales of rental equipment: $57 million compared to the $45.20 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +46.2% year over year.
• Revenues- Specialty- Service and other revenues: $8 million versus $7.48 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -11.1% change.
• Total Revenues- General rentals: $2.90 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2.81 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +3.1%.
• Revenues- General Rentals- Service and other revenues: $78 million compared to the $65.25 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5.4% year over year.

View all Key Company Metrics for United Rentals here>>>

Shares of United Rentals have returned +8.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.

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