Vltava Fund, an investment management company, recently released its first-quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The letter contemplated whether the stock market is a casino. The author emphasized that the stock market is not a casino, and investors must not treat it as such to achieve better returns. The trend shows that a growing number of people have recently started to view stock market trading as gambling. However, the firm believes that stocks are the best long-term investment. In the first quarter, markets were both interesting and volatile due to several factors. The fund has been in existence for 21 years and has never engaged in stock trading solely due to political changes. The fund believes that it is vital to focus on selecting companies with long-term value growth and strong shareholder-focused management, when the political changes affect the economy and corporate profitability. In addition, please check the fund’s top five holdings to know its best picks in 2025.
In its first quarter 2025 investor letter, Vltava Fund emphasized stocks such as United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI). Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) is an equipment rental company. The one-month return of United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) was -5.87%, and its shares lost 19.69% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On April 4, 2025, United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) stock closed at $564.57 per share with a market capitalization of $36.885 billion.
Vltava Fund stated the following regarding United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) in its Q1 2025 investor letter:
“After almost a half year since our last new purchase, we have a new addition to the portfolio. It is the stock of United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI). This marks one of those cases of companies we have followed for years through various economic and investment cycles. Now, we have reached a stage where we believe we have a sufficient understanding of both the company itself and the nature and dynamics of the sector within which it operates. At the same time, we find the share price attractive. What does URI do? United Rentals is the largest equipment rental company in the world. It operates throughout the United States and Canada and has smaller operations in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. URI operates in two segments. The General Rentals segment rents general construction and industrial equipment, which encompasses vehicles, excavators, loaders, forklifts, earthmoving and material handling equipment, aerial work platforms that include boom trucks and aerial lifts, as well as general tools and light equipment including pressure washers, water pumps, and power tools for construction and industrial companies, mobile storage facilities, and the like. The Specialty segment rents excavation safety equipment for trenching, scaffolding, equipment for power, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, such as portable diesel generators, power distribution and temperature control equipment, fluid solution and fluid containment, transport, and treatment equipment, surface protection plates, mobile storage equipment, and modular office spaces…” (Click here to the read the full text)
A construction crew working in the field with earthmoving equipment illuminated by a setting sun.
United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 58 hedge fund portfolios held United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) at the end of the fourth quarter which was 45 in the previous quarter. United Rentals, Inc.’s (NYSE:URI) revenue grew 9.8% year-over-year to almost $4.1 billion. While we acknowledge the potential of United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as NVIDIA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
We covered United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE:URI) in another article, where we shared the list of stocks on Jim Cramer’s radar. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q1 2025 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.