Summary of Herc Rentals FY Conference Call Company Overview - Herc Rentals (NYSE:HRI) is the third largest equipment rental company in North America, celebrating its 60th anniversary and 10 years as a public company [3][2] - The company operates over 612 locations across 46 states and five western Canadian provinces, with a market valued at approximately $89 billion [3][4] - Herc Rentals employs over 9,900 team members and focuses on disciplined capital management and profitable growth [3][4] Key Points and Arguments Acquisition of H&E Equipment Services - Herc Rentals acquired H&E Equipment Services on June 2, 2025, marking the largest acquisition in the industry’s history, adding over 160 locations [4][5] - The acquisition aims to enhance market presence in 11 of the top 20 rental regions and improve urban density in 7 of the top 10 markets in North America [4][5] - The combined fleet has an original equipment cost of over $9.6 billion, with Herc holding approximately 5% market share [5] Integration and Synergies - The integration of H&E is progressing well, with IT integration completed across all branches, and a focus on sales optimization and cultural training [5][6] - Expected synergies from the acquisition include about $300 million in incremental EBITDA, with $175 million from revenue synergies and $125 million from cost synergies [6][8] - The company plans to reduce its leverage ratio to 2-3 times by the end of 2027 through debt repayment and EBITDA growth [8][43] Demand and Market Conditions - Demand for equipment rental has been mixed, with Herc experiencing modest growth while H&E faced a 15% year-over-year decline prior to the acquisition [12][13] - The company sees stability in local markets and robust opportunities in mega projects, particularly in data centers and LNG [16][20] - Herc aims to capture 10-15% of mega project opportunities, currently participating at that level [20][27] Financial Performance and Outlook - The company anticipates stable performance in 2026, with potential improvements if interest rates decrease [19][20] - There is a focus on managing variable costs, which constitute 35% of the business, to enhance profitability [34] Technology and Innovation - Herc Rentals utilizes a technology platform called ProControl, which enhances customer interaction and fleet management [48] - New features include remote operation of equipment via Bluetooth and integrated safety training [49][50] - The integration of telematics from H&E has been seamless, allowing for enhanced fleet management capabilities [51][52] Additional Important Information - The company is focused on expanding its specialty business, which offers higher financial returns, without incurring additional fixed overhead [31][40] - The management emphasizes the importance of safety in operations and has developed training programs to ensure safe equipment usage [49][50] - Herc Rentals is committed to reducing leverage and improving financial health post-acquisition, with a clear path to achieving these goals [43][46]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q3 2025, equipment rental revenue increased approximately 30% year-over-year, driven by the acquisition of H&E Equipment Services Inc. and strong contributions from mega projects and specialty solutions [23] - Adjusted EBITDA rose 24% compared to the previous year's third quarter, benefiting from higher equipment rental revenue and used equipment sales [23] - Net income for the third quarter included $38 million of transaction costs related to the acquisition, with adjusted net income at $74 million [25] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Local accounts represented 52% of rental revenue, down from 53% a year ago on a pro forma basis, while national accounts continue to show robust private funding for large-scale projects [14] - The company is focusing on optimizing its fleet management and has made significant progress in disposing of underutilized and aged equipment [19][20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The industrial spending forecast indicates strong capital and maintenance spending through the end of the decade, with non-residential construction starts in 2025 estimated at $467 billion, a 4% increase year-over-year [16] - The mega project pipeline is projected to exceed $650 billion for 2025, indicating significant growth opportunities in the construction sector [16][17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is prioritizing the integration of H&E Equipment Services Inc. and has paused other M&A initiatives to focus on achieving cost and revenue synergies [10] - Plans include consolidating general rental branches and expanding specialty equipment locations, aiming for a 25% increase in specialty network next year [9][11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that while local market growth is limited due to high interest rates, robust activity in mega projects continues to drive demand [4][14] - The company remains confident in its ability to deliver full value from the acquisition and achieve long-term growth strategies [10][12] Other Important Information - The company completed a full systems integration in just 90 days, significantly faster than the typical timeline for similar-sized companies [6] - The integration allows for real-time visibility into performance metrics and operational KPIs, enhancing decision-making capabilities [7][8] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the status of the fleet right-sizing process? - The heavy lifting was completed in Q3, with more work expected in Q4, aiming to close this part of the process by the end of the year [31][33] Question: How does the mix of national accounts impact margins? - Management does not expect significant margin dilution from national accounts or mega projects, as these projects typically involve minimal movement and higher volumes of specialty products [35][36] Question: Can you clarify the consolidation of general rental locations? - The strategy involves opening specialty businesses within general rental branches rather than closing them, with plans for 50 new specialty locations [38] Question: Are there updates on cost and revenue synergies? - Cost synergy targets are evolving, with ongoing efficiency reviews now that the companies are on the same platform [40] Question: How is customer attrition being managed post-acquisition? - Customer attrition has stabilized, and efforts are being made to engage with former H&E Equipment Services Inc. customers to regain business [44][61]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q3 2025, equipment rental revenue increased approximately 30% year-over-year, driven by the acquisition of H&E and strong contributions from mega projects and specialty solutions [23] - Adjusted EBITDA rose 24% compared to the previous year's third quarter, benefiting from higher equipment rental revenue and used equipment sales [23] - Adjusted net income for the quarter was $74 million, with $38 million in transaction costs related to the H&E acquisition included in the net income [25] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company completed a full systems integration in just 90 days, which is significantly faster than the typical timeline of six to 18 months for similar-sized companies [6] - The focus on fleet management included disposing of underutilized and aged equipment, with gross CapEx expected to be between $900 million and $1.1 billion for 2025 [19] - The company plans to consolidate some general rental branches to improve operational efficiencies, expecting to add about 50 specialty locations, increasing the specialty network by 25% next year [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Local accounts represented 52% of rental revenue, down from 53% a year ago, indicating a slight shift in market dynamics [14] - The company is targeting a long-term revenue split of 60% local and 40% national accounts, which provides growth and resiliency [15] - The industrial spending forecast indicates strong capital and maintenance spending through the end of the decade, with non-residential construction starts estimated at $467 billion for 2025, a 4% increase year-over-year [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The integration of H&E is the primary focus, with other M&A initiatives paused to ensure successful integration and realization of synergies [10] - The company aims to capitalize on the shift from ownership to rental, particularly in the specialty market, and is increasing its gross CapEx plans towards specialty equipment [11] - Diversification into new end markets and products has reduced reliance on a single industry, enhancing resilience to downturns [22] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that while local market demand is affected by high interest rates, mega project activity remains robust, indicating a bifurcated demand environment [4] - The company expects continued growth in national accounts and specialty solutions, with plans to optimize fleet mix and geography to support this momentum [21] - Management remains confident in achieving both revenue and cost synergies over the next three years, despite the challenges posed by the integration process [28] Other Important Information - The company generated $342 million of free cash flow in the nine months ended September 30, 2025, aligning with expectations [26] - The current leverage ratio stands at 3.8x, with a goal to return to a target range of two to three times by the end of 2027 [26] - The company has onboarded 2,500 new team members into its health and safety program, emphasizing a strong commitment to safety [13] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the status of the fleet right-sizing process? - Management indicated that significant progress was made in Q3, with more work expected in Q4, aiming to close this process by the end of 2026 [31][33] Question: How does the mix of national accounts impact margins? - Management stated that they do not expect significant margin dilution from national accounts or mega projects, as these projects typically involve minimal movement and higher volumes of specialty products [36] Question: Can you clarify the consolidation of general rental locations? - Management clarified that the strategy involves opening specialty businesses within general rental branches rather than closing them, aiming for a net increase in specialty locations [39] Question: Are there updates on cost and revenue synergies? - Management noted that cost synergy targets are evolving, and efficiency reviews are ongoing now that the integration is complete, which will contribute to incremental margins [41] Question: How is customer attrition being managed post-acquisition? - Management reported stabilization in the sales organization and is focusing on re-engaging customers, with positive early signs of revenue synergies from introducing specialty products to former H&E customers [62]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the third quarter of 2025, equipment rental revenue increased approximately 30% year over year, driven by the acquisition of H&E Equipment Services Inc. and strong contributions from mega projects and specialty solutions [25] - Adjusted EBITDA rose 24% compared to the previous year's third quarter, benefiting from higher equipment rental revenue and used equipment sales [25] - Net income for the third quarter included $38 million of transaction costs related to the H&E Equipment Services Inc. acquisition, with adjusted net income at $74 million [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company completed a full systems integration within 90 days, significantly faster than the typical timeline of six to 18 months for similar-sized companies [6][8] - The focus on fleet management included disposing of underutilized and aged equipment, with a goal of optimizing the fleet to match demand patterns [10][20] - The company expects to consolidate some general rental branches for cost and operational efficiencies, resulting in about 50 additional specialty locations, increasing the specialty network by 25% next year [10][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Local accounts represented 52% of rental revenue compared to 53% a year ago, indicating a slight shift in revenue sources [16] - The company is targeting a long-term revenue split of 60% local and 40% national, which provides growth and resiliency [17] - Industrial spending is projected to remain strong, with non-residential construction starts estimated at $467 billion for 2025, a 4% increase year over year [18] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The integration of H&E Equipment Services Inc. is the primary focus, with other M&A initiatives paused to ensure successful integration [11] - The company aims to capitalize on the shift from ownership to rental, particularly in the specialty market, and is increasing gross CapEx plans towards specialty equipment [12][13] - The strategy includes optimizing the branch network and enhancing customer-facing technology to improve service levels and operational efficiency [10][12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that while local market growth is limited due to high interest rates, robust activity continues in mega projects and specialty solutions [4][16] - The company remains confident in achieving full revenue and cost synergies over the next three years, despite the ongoing integration challenges [30] - Management highlighted the importance of safety and operational efficiency, with a commitment to maintaining high standards across the organization [15][16] Other Important Information - The company generated $342 million of free cash flow in the nine months ended September 30, 2025, aligning with expectations [27] - The current leverage ratio stands at 3.8 times, with a goal to return to a target range of two to three times by year-end 2027 [27] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the status of the fleet right-sizing process? - Management indicated that significant progress was made in Q3, with expectations to complete the right-sizing in Q4, depending on the economic landscape for 2026 [32][35] Question: How does the mix of national accounts impact margins? - Management stated that they do not expect significant margin dilution from national accounts or mega projects, as these projects typically involve minimal movement of equipment and higher volumes [36][39] Question: Can you clarify the consolidation of general rental locations? - Management explained that the strategy involves opening specialty businesses within general rental branches rather than closing them, aiming for a net increase in specialty locations [41] Question: Are there updates on cost and revenue synergies? - Management confirmed that while initial synergy targets may evolve, they are focused on efficiency reviews and believe there will be incremental margin improvements [43][45] Question: How is customer retention and pricing being managed post-acquisition? - Management reported stabilization in attrition rates and is working on improving pricing for H&E Equipment Services Inc. customers to align with Herc's historical performance [57][61]

Core Insights - Herc Holdings reported a strong third quarter for 2025, with total revenues of $1,304 million, a 35% increase from $965 million in the prior year, driven by a 30% rise in equipment rental revenue [6][24] - The company completed the integration of H&E Equipment Services, enhancing operational efficiencies and positioning for long-term market share expansion [2][3] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $551 million, up 24% year-over-year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 42% [6][30] Financial Performance - Equipment rental revenue reached $1,122 million, a 30% increase compared to the previous year [6][24] - Direct operating expenses were $467 million, representing 41.6% of equipment rental revenue, up from 38.6% in the prior-year period [6][8] - Net income for the quarter was $30 million, down from $122 million in the prior-year period, while adjusted net income decreased 40% to $74 million [6][26] Operational Highlights - The company successfully completed the IT integration of acquired branches, allowing for unified operations across various platforms [3] - Dollar utilization was reported at 39.9%, down from 42.2% in the prior-year period, primarily due to lower utilization of the acquired fleet [6][8] - The company opened 17 new locations during the nine months ended September 30, 2025, contributing to its growth strategy [15] Strategic Initiatives - Herc Holdings reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance for equipment rental revenue and adjusted EBITDA, excluding the impact of the Cinelease divestiture [13][16] - The company completed the sale of its Cinelease studio entertainment business for $100 million, using proceeds to reduce debt [12][14] - The company aims to capture a larger share of the anticipated increase in construction spending in 2025 through fleet investment and optimization [16]