United Rentals' fourth-quarter earnings per share of 71 cents increased 34 percent compared with 53 cents for the fourth quarter of 2005. Earnings per share for the full year were $2.28, up 18 percent from 2005's full year EPS of $1.93. United's fourth-quarter income from continuing operations of $77 million was a 40-percent jump from $55 million in Q405, while full-year income from continuing operations of $249 million was a 23-percent increase from $202 million in full-year 2005.
Total revenue from continuing operations was $939 million for the fourth-quarter 2006, a 5.5-percent hike from Q405, and $3.64 billion for the full year was a 10.7-percent jump from $3.29 billion in 2005. United recently completed its previously announced sale of its traffic control division.
Hertz Global posted a strong quarterly profit, aided by recent cost-saving cuts as well as strong performances in the company's car rental and equipment rental units. Net income for the fourth quarter was $39.8 million, 14 cents per share, compared with a $27.6 million, 12 cents per share loss in the same period last year.
Income on an adjusted basis for the quarter increased 152 percent year over year, from $32.5 million (10 cents per share) to $81.7 million (25 cents per share). Total revenue for the quarter was $1.99 billion, an 8-percent year-over-year increase.
Worldwide equipment rental revenues were a company record $436 million for the fourth quarter, a 10.6-percent increase from the previous year's fourth quarter.
Sunbelt Rentals reported strong third-quarter results for the three-month period ended Jan. 31, with revenues increasing 73 percent year over year to $361.5 million, the company's U.K.-based parent company Ashtead plc announced. Sunbelt's operating profit increased 39 percent for the quarter to $58.1 million, up from $41.8 million in the fiscal third quarter last year. The numbers reflect Sunbelt's acquisition of NationsRent in August 2006.
H&E Equipment Services' fourth-quarter revenues of $215.5 million are up 16.2 percent from the fourth quarter of 2005 when it posted $185.5 million. EBITDA for the quarter was $58.7 million, a 37.5-percent increase compared to $42.7 million in Q405. Income from operations jumped 35.5 percent to $35.1 million from last year's fourth quarter, while net income leaped 39.5 percent to $20.5 million, compared to $14.7 million in the year-ago period.
Aggreko recently reported 2006 pre-tax profit of 83.1 million pounds (about U.S. $161.5 million), a 47.5-percent increase over the previous year. Worldwide revenues grew 29.5 percent to 540.7 million pounds (about U.S. $1.05 billion). Glasgow, Scotland-based Aggreko more than doubled profits in Europe, reported strong demand in the Middle East, Asia and Australia and strong performance in North America despite reduced storm revenues. International power projects revenue increased by 46 percent and trading profit grew by 41 percent.
Toronto-based Wajax Income Fund posted improved results for the fourth quarter of 2006 with $294.5 million in total revenue for the quarter, compared to $276.8 for the same period last year, a 6.4-percent increase. Total 2006 revenue was $1.21 billion, up from $1.05 billion for 2005, a 15-percent jump.
