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U.S. Trade Companies and Distributors Industry Analysis

UpdatedMar 28, 2026
DataAggregated Company Financials
Companies63
  • 7D2.0%
  • 3M-2.7%
  • 1Y15.8%
  • YTDn/a

The Trade Companies and Distributors is pretty flat in the last 7 days, but United Rentals has stood out, gaining 3.4%. As for the the longer term, the industry is up 14% over the past 12 months. Looking forward, earnings are forecast to grow by 13% annually.

Industry Valuation and Performance

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

DateMarket CapRevenueEarningsPEAbsolute PEPS
Sat, 28 Mar 2026US$359.3bUS$200.4bUS$16.4b20.3x21.9x1.8x
Mon, 23 Feb 2026US$377.4bUS$187.7bUS$15.3b23.7x24.7x2x
Wed, 21 Jan 2026US$357.8bUS$181.8bUS$15.4b22.6x23.3x2x
Fri, 19 Dec 2025US$329.7bUS$183.2bUS$15.2b20.1x21.7x1.8x
Sun, 16 Nov 2025US$321.1bUS$182.9bUS$15.0b19.8x21.3x1.8x
Tue, 14 Oct 2025US$334.2bUS$179.9bUS$14.9b21.8x22.5x1.9x
Thu, 11 Sep 2025US$346.2bUS$179.1bUS$14.6b22.1x23.8x1.9x
Sat, 09 Aug 2025US$336.3bUS$182.6bUS$14.7b21.1x22.8x1.8x
Mon, 07 Jul 2025US$336.7bUS$181.2bUS$13.8b20.4x24.5x1.9x
Wed, 04 Jun 2025US$304.8bUS$181.1bUS$13.8b20x22.1x1.7x
Fri, 02 May 2025US$292.5bUS$181.8bUS$13.7b19.6x21.3x1.6x
Sun, 30 Mar 2025US$289.9bUS$191.1bUS$14.3b19.1x20.3x1.5x
Tue, 25 Feb 2025US$301.3bUS$190.5bUS$14.9b18.7x20.2x1.6x
Thu, 23 Jan 2025US$324.2bUS$189.5bUS$15.2b19.6x21.3x1.7x
Sat, 21 Dec 2024US$305.1bUS$189.5bUS$15.2b16.6x20x1.6x
Mon, 18 Nov 2024US$333.5bUS$189.3bUS$15.3b16.5x21.8x1.8x
Wed, 16 Oct 2024US$319.1bUS$190.8bUS$15.7b15x20.3x1.7x
Fri, 13 Sep 2024US$287.6bUS$190.7bUS$15.8b13.5x18.2x1.5x
Sun, 11 Aug 2024US$290.8bUS$190.6bUS$15.8b15.6x18.4x1.5x
Tue, 09 Jul 2024US$279.4bUS$189.8bUS$15.9b16.2x17.6x1.5x
Thu, 06 Jun 2024US$284.9bUS$189.9bUS$16.0b16.1x17.9x1.5x
Sat, 04 May 2024US$297.3bUS$189.5bUS$15.9b17x18.7x1.6x
Mon, 01 Apr 2024US$319.4bUS$188.7bUS$15.8b19.4x20.2x1.7x
Wed, 28 Feb 2024US$300.2bUS$188.7bUS$16.0b17.2x18.7x1.6x
Fri, 26 Jan 2024US$291.9bUS$207.0bUS$16.8b14.9x17.4x1.4x
Sun, 24 Dec 2023US$289.1bUS$205.3bUS$16.8b14.9x17.2x1.4x
Tue, 21 Nov 2023US$260.9bUS$205.5bUS$16.9b13.2x15.4x1.3x
Thu, 19 Oct 2023US$245.7bUS$203.7bUS$16.6b12.7x14.8x1.2x
Sat, 16 Sep 2023US$244.7bUS$203.9bUS$16.6b12.9x14.7x1.2x
Mon, 14 Aug 2023US$256.0bUS$203.7bUS$16.6b14.4x15.4x1.3x
Wed, 12 Jul 2023US$260.0bUS$202.4bUS$16.5b14.2x15.7x1.3x
Fri, 09 Jun 2023US$237.8bUS$202.0bUS$16.6b12.6x14.3x1.2x
Sun, 07 May 2023US$223.1bUS$202.2bUS$16.9b12x13.2x1.1x
Tue, 04 Apr 2023US$225.5bUS$200.0bUS$14.0b12.9x16.2x1.1x
Price to Earnings Ratio

16.2x


Total Market Cap: US$225.5bTotal Earnings: US$14.0bTotal Revenue: US$200.0bTotal Market Cap vs Earnings and Revenue0%0%0%
U.S. Trade Companies and Distributors Industry Price to Earnings3Y Average 19.5x202420252026
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 22.4x which is higher than its 3-year average PE of 19.5x.
  • 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-1.92%
Industrials-0.98%
Trade Distributors1.99%
Trade Companies and Distributors1.99%
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
URI United RentalsUS$734.303.4%
+US$1.4b		17.0%PE18.5x
FERG Ferguson EnterprisesUS$224.763.3%
+US$1.4b		40.0%PE23.2x
FAST FastenalUS$44.952.7%
+US$1.4b		18.0%PE41x
GWW W.W. GraingerUS$1.06k1.5%
+US$716.3m		8.4%PE29.4x
WCC WESCO InternationalUS$262.134.8%
+US$589.3m		67.6%PE19.8x

Latest News

GWW
US$1,057.07
W.W. Grainger
7D
1.5%
1Y
8.4%
EVI
US$20.38
EVI Industries
7D
-0.9%
1Y
19.0%
URI
US$734.30
United Rentals
7D
3.4%
1Y
17.0%
NPT
US$5.62
Texxon Holding
7D
-23.6%
1Y
n/a
AER
US$133.38
AerCap Holdings
7D
1.4%
1Y
30.6%
FAST
US$44.95
Fastenal
7D
2.7%
1Y
18.0%

FAST: Modest February Sales Strength Will Still Drive Further Multiple Compression

Analysts have nudged Street price targets on Fastenal modestly higher, with moves such as Baird's lift to $52 and Barclays' to $44. These changes reflect updated models that factor in recent data points like stronger than expected February average daily sales.
WSO
US$347.20
Watsco
7D
-7.0%
1Y
-30.8%

WSO: Future Upside Will Emerge As Peer Multiple Support Strengthens

Analysts have lifted the Watsco price target by about $8, citing higher peer valuations and updated assumptions on growth, margins, discount rate, and future P/E as the main drivers of the change. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research on Watsco shows a mix of optimism and caution, with several price targets adjusted and ratings held at Neutral.
HRI
US$100.34
Herc Holdings
7D
-0.08%
1Y
-27.8%

HRI: Mega Project Rental Demand Will Support Margin Expansion Outlook

Herc Holdings' analyst price targets have been trimmed by up to $35 to around $165 to $198 as analysts reset rental company multiples and take a more conservative view on P/E expansion, even while pointing to constructive equipment rental demand and a pipeline of large U.S. construction projects. Analyst Commentary Recent research shows a reset in valuation multiples for Herc Holdings while still highlighting constructive demand trends and potential catalysts tied to large U.S. construction projects.
ALTG
US$5.15
Alta Equipment Group
7D
-4.3%
1Y
12.2%

ALTG: Long Term 2026 Outlook Will Support Upbeat Outlook

Alta Equipment Group's analyst price target has shifted from $20 to $17 as analysts update their models to reflect revised fair value, slightly adjusted discount rates, and refreshed expectations for revenue growth, margins, and future P/E in light of upbeat long term guidance and ongoing Outperform ratings. Analyst Commentary Bullish analysts are highlighting Alta Equipment Group's long term guidance and recent research updates as key supports for the latest price target revisions.
SUNB
US$65.27
Sunbelt Rentals Holdings
7D
1.8%
1Y
18.6%

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$20.05
EquipmentShare.com
7D
-8.0%
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$37.64
Xometry
7D
-4.0%
1Y
45.4%

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.
FERG
US$224.76
Ferguson Enterprises
7D
3.3%
1Y
40.0%

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.
AIT
US$260.67
Applied Industrial Technologies
7D
2.7%
1Y
15.6%

AIT: Dividend Hike And Active M&A Plans Will Support Future Upside

Analysts kept their price target for Applied Industrial Technologies steady at $309.17, citing only minor tweaks to underlying model inputs such as the discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin, and future P/E assumptions, rather than any material shift in their view of the stock. What's in the News Updated fiscal 2026 EPS guidance to a range of $10.45 to $10.75, with assumed sales growth of 5.5% to 7.0% and organic sales growth of 2.5% to 4.0% following first half results (Corporate guidance).
WCC
US$262.13
WESCO International
7D
4.8%
1Y
67.6%
WLFC
US$168.53
Willis Lease Finance
7D
-1.2%
1Y
5.2%