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U.S. Trade Companies and Distributors Industry Analysis

UpdatedMar 21, 2026
DataAggregated Company Financials
Companies63
  • 7D-3.5%
  • 3M-5.2%
  • 1Y13.6%
  • YTDn/a

Over the last 7 days, the Trade Companies and Distributors industry has dropped 3.5%, driven by a pullback from Sunbelt Rentals Holdings of 12%. Meanwhile, Distribution Solutions Group actually outperformed within the industry, gaining 35% in the last week. Over the past 12 months, the industry was up 14%. As for the next few years, earnings are expected to grow by 13% per annum.

Industry Valuation and Performance

Has the U.S. Trade Companies and Distributors Industry valuation changed over the past few years?

DateMarket CapRevenueEarningsPEAbsolute PEPS
Sat, 21 Mar 2026US$356.0bUS$200.5bUS$16.4b19.8x21.7x1.8x
Mon, 16 Feb 2026US$380.2bUS$187.5bUS$15.4b24.2x24.7x2x
Wed, 14 Jan 2026US$352.3bUS$181.6bUS$15.3b22.1x23x1.9x
Fri, 12 Dec 2025US$331.3bUS$183.2bUS$15.2b20.3x21.9x1.8x
Sun, 09 Nov 2025US$326.5bUS$182.9bUS$15.0b19.7x21.7x1.8x
Tue, 07 Oct 2025US$346.9bUS$179.7bUS$14.8b22.4x23.4x1.9x
Thu, 04 Sep 2025US$357.9bUS$184.4bUS$14.7b23.3x24.4x1.9x
Sat, 02 Aug 2025US$343.0bUS$182.2bUS$14.5b21.7x23.7x1.9x
Mon, 30 Jun 2025US$325.2bUS$181.2bUS$13.8b20.4x23.6x1.8x
Wed, 28 May 2025US$307.5bUS$182.0bUS$13.9b20.8x22.2x1.7x
Fri, 25 Apr 2025US$290.2bUS$191.5bUS$14.1b19.9x20.6x1.5x
Sun, 23 Mar 2025US$289.5bUS$190.8bUS$14.3b19.3x20.3x1.5x
Tue, 18 Feb 2025US$315.8bUS$190.4bUS$14.9b20.7x21.2x1.7x
Thu, 16 Jan 2025US$313.5bUS$189.9bUS$15.3b19.2x20.5x1.7x
Sat, 14 Dec 2024US$327.9bUS$189.5bUS$15.2b17.6x21.5x1.7x
Mon, 11 Nov 2024US$343.2bUS$191.3bUS$15.3b17.1x22.4x1.8x
Wed, 09 Oct 2024US$306.1bUS$190.8bUS$15.7b14.6x19.5x1.6x
Fri, 06 Sep 2024US$286.7bUS$190.7bUS$15.8b13.3x18.1x1.5x
Sun, 04 Aug 2024US$289.6bUS$190.5bUS$15.8b16.1x18.3x1.5x
Tue, 02 Jul 2024US$281.5bUS$189.9bUS$15.9b15.8x17.7x1.5x
Thu, 30 May 2024US$297.7bUS$189.5bUS$15.8b16.9x18.8x1.6x
Sat, 27 Apr 2024US$300.5bUS$189.2bUS$15.8b18x19x1.6x
Mon, 25 Mar 2024US$320.5bUS$188.8bUS$15.8b17.6x20.3x1.7x
Wed, 21 Feb 2024US$293.4bUS$188.8bUS$15.5b16.8x18.9x1.6x
Fri, 19 Jan 2024US$290.6bUS$206.5bUS$16.7b14.8x17.4x1.4x
Sun, 17 Dec 2023US$285.1bUS$205.3bUS$16.8b14.7x17x1.4x
Tue, 14 Nov 2023US$252.9bUS$205.5bUS$16.9b12.9x14.9x1.2x
Thu, 12 Oct 2023US$253.5bUS$203.7bUS$16.6b11.9x15.2x1.2x
Sat, 09 Sep 2023US$248.3bUS$203.8bUS$16.6b11.7x14.9x1.2x
Mon, 07 Aug 2023US$252.7bUS$203.7bUS$16.6b14.6x15.2x1.2x
Wed, 05 Jul 2023US$257.5bUS$202.4bUS$16.5b14.1x15.6x1.3x
Fri, 02 Jun 2023US$223.5bUS$202.1bUS$16.8b12x13.3x1.1x
Sun, 30 Apr 2023US$228.0bUS$202.4bUS$14.3b13x16x1.1x
Tue, 28 Mar 2023US$217.7bUS$199.8bUS$14.0b12.5x15.6x1.1x
Price to Earnings Ratio

15.6x


Total Market Cap: US$217.7bTotal Earnings: US$14.0bTotal Revenue: US$199.8bTotal Market Cap vs Earnings and Revenue0%0%0%
U.S. Trade Companies and Distributors Industry Price to Earnings3Y Average 19.4x202420252026
Current Industry PE
  • Investors are optimistic on the American Trading Companies and Distributors industry, and appear confident in long term growth rates.
  • The industry is trading at a PE ratio of 21.7x which is higher than its 3-year average PE of 19.4x.
  • The 3-year average PS ratio of 1.6x is lower than the industry's current PS ratio of 1.8x.
Past Earnings Growth
  • The earnings for companies in the Trading Companies and Distributors industry have grown 5.6% per year over the last three years, while revenues have remained mostly flat.
  • This means that companies overall are more efficiently conducting business since profits are increasing while sales have been flat.

Industry Comparison

How does U.S. Trade Companies and Distributors compare with similar industries?

US Market-1.86%
Industrials-1.81%
Trade Distributors-3.54%
Trade Companies and Distributors-3.54%
Industry PEThere are no additional sub-industries under this industry.
Forecasted GrowthThere are no additional sub-industries under this industry.

Top Stock Gainers and Losers

Which companies have driven the market over the last 7 days?

CompanyLast Price7D1YValuation
DSGR Distribution Solutions GroupUS$26.0635.0%
+US$311.8m		-9.0%PE144.2x
WSO WatscoUS$373.241.3%
+US$184.0m		-24.9%PE30.5x
XMTR XometryUS$39.206.2%
+US$118.2m		52.4%PS3x
RUSH.A Rush EnterprisesUS$63.012.0%
+US$97.3m		17.9%PE18.4x
CTOS Custom Truck One SourceUS$6.083.9%
+US$52.1m		26.9%PS0.7x

Latest News

MSM
US$85.72
MSC Industrial Direct
7D
-6.0%
1Y
10.5%
SUNB
US$64.09
Sunbelt Rentals Holdings
7D
-11.9%
1Y
11.7%

Mega Projects And Specialty Segments Will Drive Long Term Upside Potential

Catalysts About Sunbelt Rentals Holdings Sunbelt Rentals Holdings provides equipment rental solutions across General Tool and Specialty categories to construction and nonconstruction customers in North America and the U.K. What are the underlying business or industry changes driving this perspective? Strong activity in data centers, health care, infrastructure, energy and manufacturing mega projects, combined with recent large project wins and related fleet investment, positions Sunbelt to support multi‑year project cycles that can support rental revenue and capital efficiency.
EQPT
US$21.80
EquipmentShare.com
7D
-14.3%
1Y
n/a

Mega Project Exposure And OWN Program Will Reshape Long Term Earnings Power

Catalysts About EquipmentShare.com EquipmentShare.com operates a tech enabled equipment rental and job site services platform focused on large, complex construction and industrial projects. What are the underlying business or industry changes driving this perspective?
XMTR
US$39.20
Xometry
7D
6.2%
1Y
52.4%

XMTR: AI Resilience And Execution Will Support Durable Earnings Power

Analysts have trimmed Street price targets for Xometry into a roughly $55 to $65 range, but recent views still lean on strong Q4 execution, higher 2026 growth guidance, and a belief that the business model is relatively well positioned against AI disintermediation, even as leadership transition and AI related worries weigh on sentiment. Analyst Commentary Bullish analysts are still leaning constructive on Xometry, even as price targets reset into a tighter range.
URI
US$710.47
United Rentals
7D
-3.6%
1Y
13.1%

URI: Infrastructure And Data Center Demand Will Support Upside As AI Tools Scale

The analyst price target for United Rentals has been adjusted slightly higher to $991.39. Analysts point to updated assumptions around discount rates, revenue growth, profit margins and future P/E as they digest a series of recent target changes across major firms.
FERG
US$217.56
Ferguson Enterprises
7D
-2.0%
1Y
34.0%

FERG: Large Project Exposure And Capital Returns Will Drive Medium Term Upside

Analysts have lifted their average price targets on Ferguson into a roughly $252 to $300 range, citing Q4 results, medium term growth and margin targets, and the company's positioning in non residential and large project markets as key supports for the updated outlook. Analyst Commentary Recent research points to a broadly constructive stance on Ferguson, with price targets clustered in the low to high $200s and a few reaching $300, as analysts refresh models following the latest Q4 report and management's medium term framework.
CTOS
US$6.08
Custom Truck One Source
7D
3.9%
1Y
26.9%
DSGR
US$26.06
Distribution Solutions Group
7D
35.0%
1Y
-9.0%
RUSH.A
US$63.01
Rush Enterprises
7D
2.0%
1Y
17.9%
QXO
US$18.64
QXO
7D
-7.6%
1Y
47.1%
GWW
US$1,041.95
W.W. Grainger
7D
-3.0%
1Y
7.1%
DNOW
US$11.55
DNOW
7D
1.4%
1Y
-27.9%

DNOW: ERP Issues Will Ease And Buybacks Will Support Upside

Narrative Update on DNOW The consensus analyst price target for DNOW has moved down by $2 to $16, as analysts factor in higher risk from lingering ERP issues while still viewing these challenges as likely temporary. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research reflects a more cautious stance on DNOW, with the consensus target moving to $16 as ERP related execution risk is worked into models.
FAST
US$43.76
Fastenal
7D
-3.7%
1Y
17.1%

FAST: Future Returns Will Depend On Margin Resilience And Execution Consistency

We are nudging our Fastenal fair value estimate up to $44.92 from $43.46, reflecting analysts' slightly higher price targets and updated assumptions around discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin, and future P/E. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research on Fastenal reflects a mix of optimism and caution, with several price target revisions feeding into our refreshed fair value estimate.
WSO
US$373.24
Watsco
7D
1.3%
1Y
-24.9%

WSO: Peer Repricing And Higher Dividend Will Support Fuller Future P/E Multiple

Analysts have raised their price targets on Watsco to a range of about $400 to $425, citing higher peer valuations and updated assumptions on discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin and future P/E in their models. Analyst Commentary Recent research updates on Watsco highlight a mix of views, with some price targets raised into the $400 to $425 range and others trimmed.
WLFC
US$170.54
Willis Lease Finance
7D
3.2%
1Y
-6.8%
MGRC
US$105.38
McGrath RentCorp
7D
1.7%
1Y
-7.1%