VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

United Rentals, Inc. vs Watsco, Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

United Rentals, Inc.

URI · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$57.6B
Gross margin (TTM)35.9%
Operating margin (TTM)25.1%
Net margin (TTM)15.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRental & Leasing Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
63/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into United Rentals, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View URI analysis

Watsco, Inc.

WSO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)10.2%
Net margin (TTM)7.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
72/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Watsco, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WSO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Watsco, Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for United Rentals, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: United Rentals, Inc. has 2 segments (70.7% in General Rentals); Watsco, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in HVAC/R Distribution).
  • Moat breadth: United Rentals, Inc. has 9 moat types across 3 domains; Watsco, Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

United Rentals, Inc.

General Rentals

Market

Construction & industrial equipment rental (general line)

Geography

United States and Canada

Customer

Construction and industrial companies, manufacturers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners

Role

Equipment rental provider / fleet operator

Revenue share

70.7%

Watsco, Inc.

HVAC/R Distribution

Market

HVAC/R equipment, parts and supplies distribution

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico; export to Latin America/Caribbean)

Customer

Licensed HVAC and refrigeration contractors (residential & commercial)

Role

Wholesale distributor

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

United Rentals, Inc.
Watsco, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
URI - New York Stock Exchange
WSO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$57.6B
$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
35.9%
28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
25.1%
10.2%
Net margin (TTM)
15.8%
7.4%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Rental & Leasing Services
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
General Rentals
HVAC/R Distribution
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
9.5%-11% (implied)
9%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityData Workflow Lockin

United Rentals, Inc. strengths

Preferential Input AccessOperational ExcellenceBrand TrustService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageScope EconomiesCapacity Moat

Watsco, Inc. strengths

Contractual ExclusivityScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

United Rentals, Inc. segments

Full profile >

General Rentals

Competitive

70.7%

Specialty

Competitive

29.3%

Watsco, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HVAC/R Distribution

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.