Herc (NYSE:HRI) Stock Price Expected to Rise, BNP Paribas Exane Analyst Says

Key Points

• BNP Paribas Exane raised Herc’s price target from $160 to $165 while maintaining a neutral rating, implying approximately 12.8% upside from the prior close.
• Herc exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $1.43 in earnings per share versus the $0.76 consensus and $1.20 billion in revenue, up 20.2% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed: the stock has an average “Hold” rating with a $177 consensus target, while institutional investors own approximately 93.1% of shares.

Herc (NYSE:HRI - Get Free Report) had its price target boosted by equities research analysts at BNP Paribas Exane from $160.00 to $165.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a "neutral" rating on the transportation company's stock. BNP Paribas Exane's target price suggests a potential upside of 12.80% from the company's previous close.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Herc from $140.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Herc from $160.00 to $176.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. KeyCorp increased their price target on shares of Herc from $165.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Herc from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, June 9th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Herc from $155.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $177.00.

Herc Price Performance

Shares of NYSE HRI traded down $1.96 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $146.28. 555,651 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 596,627. Herc has a 52 week low of $88.45 and a 52 week high of $188.35. The company's 50 day moving average price is $143.76 and its 200 day moving average price is $137.01. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.88 billion, a PE ratio of -543.50, a PEG ratio of 29.05 and a beta of 1.88. The company has a quick ratio of 1.46, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.24.

Herc (NYSE:HRI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The transportation company reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.67. Herc had a positive return on equity of 10.72% and a negative net margin of 0.11%.The business had revenue of $1.20 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.16 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.87 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 20.2% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that Herc will post 5.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Herc

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Invesco Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Herc by 11.2% during the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,123,437 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $481,040,000 after acquiring an additional 413,719 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Herc in the fourth quarter worth about $287,269,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its holdings in Herc by 86,823.0% during the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,335,138 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $198,108,000 after purchasing an additional 1,333,602 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in Herc by 17.1% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,164,022 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $115,872,000 after purchasing an additional 170,189 shares during the period. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP raised its position in Herc by 13.4% during the 1st quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 873,338 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $86,941,000 after purchasing an additional 103,047 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.11% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Herc

Here are the key news stories impacting Herc this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Second-quarter results exceeded expectations. Herc reported adjusted earnings of $1.43 per share, well above the $0.76 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 20.2% year over year to $1.20 billion, topping the $1.16 billion forecast. Herc Holdings Q2 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its full-year 2026 outlook. The upgraded guidance reflects rental-rate growth, demand from large infrastructure and other mega-projects, and stronger operating performance on a combined basis following the H&E Equipment Services acquisition. Herc Holdings Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results and Increases 2026 Full Year Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: H&E synergies are strengthening the investment case. Integration-related revenue gains and cost savings are contributing to growth, with incremental annualized cost savings expected to reach approximately $125 million by year-end. Herc Holdings' Dip Offers An Entry Point
• Neutral Sentiment: The stock had already risen sharply since March, leading some investors to view the post-earnings pullback as profit-taking rather than a change in the fundamental outlook. Analysts and bullish commentary continue to describe valuation as attractive relative to growth prospects.
• Negative Sentiment: Although earnings beat estimates, quarterly EPS declined from $1.87 a year earlier, and Herc reported a slightly negative net margin. The company’s debt-to-equity ratio of 4.24 also leaves investors sensitive to integration execution, financing costs and cyclical weakness in equipment-rental demand.

Herc Company Profile

Herc Holdings Inc NYSE: HRI operates as a leading equipment rental provider in North America, offering a wide range of machinery and support services to construction, industrial, government and event sectors. The company's fleet includes aerial work platforms, earthmoving equipment, material handling solutions, power generation units and specialty tools, enabling clients to scale their operations without the capital expense of ownership. In addition to basic machinery rentals, Herc provides value-added services such as equipment maintenance, on-site safety training and project consulting to help customers optimize productivity and maintain compliance with industry standards.

Founded as part of Hertz Global Holdings, the equipment rental business was spun off as an independent public company in early 2016.

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