Herc Holdings Inc
Herc Holdings Inc. rents construction and industrial equipment to contractors, industrial customers, and other businesses that need short- and medium-term access to fleet rather than ownership. The company operates a branch-based rental network and also sells used rental equipment, with growth increasingly tied to fleet scale, acquisitions, and service breadth.
Fiscal year 2025 · change from previous year
Development 2020–2025
Business
Share of revenueShort- and medium-term rental of construction and industrial equipment across local markets.
Disposition of used fleet assets after rental service life or portfolio optimization.
Delivery, maintenance, fuel, and other customer-facing operating services tied to rentals.
Products
Reported · share of revenue- Equipment Rental29.6 %
- Other Rental Delivery and Pick Up29.6 %
- Other Rental Revenue29.6 %
- Sales of Parts and Supplies4.3 %
- Serviceand Other Revenue3.9 %
- Sales of New Equipment3.0 %
Source: 10-K FY2025, revenue the company reports per product line (SEC XBRL). Shares are of the lines shown and add up to 100 %.
Customers
Herc serves contractors, industrial customers, and other businesses that need equipment access without owning a full fleet. Demand is driven by capital spending, maintenance activity, project timing, and the customer’s preference to outsource fleet ownership, especially when equipment needs are temporary or variable.
Rent equipment for jobsite use, project peaks, and to avoid owning idle fleet.
Use rentals for maintenance, plant turnaround, and variable operating needs.
Buy rental access for large projects that require flexible, temporary fleet.
Rent equipment for short-duration work and to reduce capital intensity.
Strategy
Herc is focused on scaling its rental fleet, broadening end-market exposure, and using acquisitions to expand branch density and customer reach. Management also emphasizes technology, customer-facing tools, and operational flexibility to improve fleet utilization, reduce wait times, and defend pricing in a competitive market.
Larger scale and branch density can improve utilization, pricing power, and cost efficiency.
A larger, better-positioned fleet supports demand growth and service responsiveness.
Digital tools can reduce wait times and help retain customers in a highly competitive market.
Broader industry exposure can smooth winter weakness and improve utilization.
Geography
2025Herc’s business is concentrated in the United States, with seasonality most pronounced in the northern U.S. and Canada where winter demand is weaker. The company also faces cross-border exposure through tariffs, trade barriers, and macro shocks that can affect fleet costs, customer activity, and supply chains.
Share of the revenue the company reports by geography.
Risks
Herc is exposed to cyclical demand, pricing pressure, and seasonal swings because customers can delay rentals and quickly shift suppliers in a fragmented market. The company also faces integration risk from acquisitions, elevated interest rates on debt, and operational risks tied to fleet maintenance, labor, supply chain, and cybersecurity.
- Cyclical demand tied to customer capital spendingImpact: HighLikelihood: Medium
Rental volumes fall when contractors and industrial customers delay projects or maintenance.
Exposure: Construction and industrial end markets
- Competitive pricing pressureImpact: HighLikelihood: Medium
Customers can switch suppliers quickly because many contracts are not long term.
Exposure: Local rental markets
- Acquisition integration riskImpact: HighLikelihood: Medium
Combining systems, personnel, customer relationships, and controls can be costly and slow.
Exposure: H&E acquisition and future deals
- Interest rate and liquidity pressureImpact: HighLikelihood: Medium
Elevated borrowing costs and floating-rate debt can reduce earnings and cash flow.
Exposure: Debt and capital allocation
- Supply chain, labor, and geopolitical disruptionsImpact: MediumLikelihood: High
Tariffs, strikes, war, and logistics issues can raise fleet and operating costs.
Exposure - Seasonality and weather-related demand swingsImpact: MediumLikelihood: Low
Winter demand is lower, especially in the northern United States and Canada.
Exposure: Northern U.S. and Canada
Accounting
Judgemental itemsRental equipment, customer relationships, trade names, and goodwill require valuation judgments at acquisition.
Impact: Can affect goodwill, amortization expense, and future impairment risk
Depreciation depends on average fleet size, asset mix, and useful-life assumptions.
Impact: Directly affects operating profit and asset carrying values
Acquired customer relationships and trade names create non-cash amortization after deals.
Impact: Reduces reported earnings and complicates post-acquisition comparisons
Winter weakness and peak-season fleet deployment create uneven revenue and margin patterns.
Impact: Quarterly results are not directly comparable across seasons
Discount rates, expected returns, and mortality assumptions affect pension expense and liabilities.
Impact: Can move operating expense and other comprehensive income
Similar listed companies
Publicly listed companies with a comparable business focus.
Hertz Global Holdings, Inc
HTZ · Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers)
Greenland Technologies Holding Corp.
GTEC · General Industrial Machinery & Equipment
Douglas Dynamics, Inc
PLOW · Construction Machinery & Equip
Helios Technologies, Inc
HLIO · Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products
Generac Holdlings Inc
GNRC · Motors & Generators
Generac Holdings designs and manufactures backup power and broader energy technology equipment for homes and businesses, with roots going back to 1959.
Terex Corporation
TEX · Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers
Last updated: 24/09/2026