CAT vs. URI
CAT (Caterpillar Inc.) and URI (United Rentals, Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — CAT in Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery, URI in Rental & Leasing Services. Over the past 10 years, CAT returned 33.19%/yr vs 32.83%/yr for URI. A 0.50 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
CAT vs. URI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CAT achieves a 79.21% return, which is significantly higher than URI's 35.60% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with CAT having a 33.19% annualized return and URI not far behind at 32.83%.
CAT
- 1D
- 3.70%
- 1M
- 16.18%
- YTD
- 79.21%
- 6M
- 76.27%
- 1Y
- 186.63%
- 3Y*
- 65.85%
- 5Y*
- 39.22%
- 10Y*
- 33.19%
URI
- 1D
- 1.47%
- 1M
- 16.41%
- YTD
- 35.60%
- 6M
- 34.37%
- 1Y
- 56.20%
- 3Y*
- 40.62%
- 5Y*
- 29.75%
- 10Y*
- 32.83%
CAT vs. URI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 79.21% | 60.30% | 24.66% | 25.95% | 18.60% | 15.95% | 26.97% | 19.51% | -17.56% | 75.03% |
URI United Rentals, Inc. | 35.60% | 15.92% | 23.97% | 63.62% | 6.96% | 43.28% | 39.06% | 62.65% | -40.36% | 62.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between CAT and URI is 0.53, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.53 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.66 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.67 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 18, 1997 | 0.50 |
The correlation between CAT and URI shifts across timeframes, from 0.50 (all time) to 0.68 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
CAT:
$20.07
URI:
$52.01
CAT:
50.93
URI:
21.01
CAT:
3.37
URI:
1.00
CAT:
6.78
URI:
3.22
CAT:
$70.76B
URI:
$16.37B
CAT:
$23.01B
URI:
$5.93B
CAT:
$15.31B
URI:
$5.85B
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Return for Risk
CAT vs. URI — Risk / Return Rank
CAT
URI
CAT vs. URI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) and United Rentals, Inc. (URI). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| CAT | URI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.95 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.49 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.73 | 1.29 | +0.44 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 13.53 | 1.88 | +11.65 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 44.33 | 4.04 | +40.29 |
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Drawdowns
CAT vs. URI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CAT drawdown since its inception was -73.43%, smaller than the maximum URI drawdown of -93.69%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CAT and URI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CAT | URI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -73.43% | -93.69% | +20.26% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.88% | -30.04% | +16.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -34.05% | -37.03% | +2.98% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.05% | -39.96% | +5.91% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -43.36% | -63.26% | +19.90% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -0.14% | +0.14% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.72% | -36.52% | +16.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.23% | 13.96% | -9.73% |
Volatility
CAT vs. URI - Volatility Comparison
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) has a higher volatility of 12.90% compared to United Rentals, Inc. (URI) at 9.24%. This indicates that CAT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than URI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CAT | URI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 12.90% | 9.24% | +3.66% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 27.80% | 34.57% | -6.77% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 35.49% | 41.93% | -6.44% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 30.84% | 38.84% | -8.00% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.03% | 42.38% | -11.35% |
Dividends
CAT vs. URI - Dividend Comparison
CAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.59%, less than URI's 0.69% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 0.59% | 1.02% | 1.49% | 1.69% | 1.93% | 2.07% | 2.26% | 2.56% | 2.58% | 1.97% | 3.32% | 4.33% |
URI United Rentals, Inc. | 0.69% | 0.88% | 0.93% | 1.03% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
CAT vs. URI - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Caterpillar Inc. and United Rentals, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
CAT vs. URI - Profitability Comparison
CAT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported a gross profit of 6.11B and revenue of 17.42B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 35.1%.
URI - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, United Rentals, Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.47B and revenue of 3.99B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 36.9%.
CAT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported an operating income of 3.09B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.7%.
URI - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, United Rentals, Inc. reported an operating income of 869.00M and revenue of 3.99B, resulting in an operating margin of 21.8%.
CAT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported a net income of 2.55B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in a net margin of 14.6%.
URI - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, United Rentals, Inc. reported a net income of 531.00M and revenue of 3.99B, resulting in a net margin of 13.3%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CAT and URI have a correlation of 0.53, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CAT has higher volatility (12.90%) compared to URI (9.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CAT dropped -73.43% vs URI's -93.69%.
CAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (5.30 vs 1.35), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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