Sunbelt Rentals HoldingsASHGY +1.17%49 Operating Margin % is 14.89% as of Apr. 2026, which is 39% below its 10-year median of 24.45. GuruFocus rates ASHGY with a GF Score™ of 49/100. The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,070 Business Services companies, Sunbelt Rentals Holdings ranks better than 86.45% on this metric.
Just like Gross Margin %, it is important to see a company maintains its operating margin over time. Among the same industry, a company with higher operating margin is more efficient in its operation. It is also more stable during industry slowdown or recessions. Peter Lynch prefers those with higher margins than those with lower margins.
Be Aware
Operating Margin % can be manipulated by adjusting the rate of depreciation, depletion and amortization (DDA).
If a company is facing competition, its Operating Margin % may decline. Often the Operating Margin % declines well before the company's Revenue or even profit decline. Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important indicator of whether the company is facing problems.
For instance, by 2012, Nokia (NOK)'s problems were well known and its stock had lost more than 90% of its market value since 2007. But Nokias Operating Margin % had already been in decline since 2002, although its Earnings per Share (Diluted) were still rising. Investors who paid attention to Operating Margin % would have avoided this huge loss. The same can be said for Research-in-Motion (RIMM).
Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important screening filter for GuruFocus. GuruFocus's Buffett-Munger screener requires that the profit margin is either consistent or expanding. The Model Portfolio of the Buffett-Munger screener has outperformed the market every year since inception in 2009.
Sunbelt Rentals Holdings Operating Margin % Related Terms
Sunbelt Rentals Holdings Operating Margin % Historical Data
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
ASHGY vs AER, UHAL, R: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Rental & Leasing Services subindustry, Sunbelt Rentals Holdings's Operating Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Operating Margin % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Sunbelt Rentals Holdings Operating Margin % vs Business Services Industry
For the Business Services industry and Industrials sector, Sunbelt Rentals Holdings's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Sunbelt Rentals Holdings's Operating Margin % falls into.
Operating Margin % - also known as operating income margin, operating profit margin and return on sales (ROS) - is the ratio of Operating Income divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.
Sunbelt Rentals Holdings's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Apr. 2026 is calculated as
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Sunbelt Rentals Holdings (ASHGY) has a Operating Margin % of 14.89% as of Apr. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Sunbelt Rentals Holdings and its competitors. This is 39% below median its historical median of 24.45. Over the past decade, Sunbelt Rentals Holdings' Operating Margin % has ranged from 19.55 to 27.28. According to the industry distribution chart, Sunbelt Rentals Holdings ranks #145 out of 1070 companies in the Business Services industry, placing it in the top 13.6%.
Is Sunbelt Rentals Holdings' Operating Margin % too high?
Sunbelt Rentals Holdings' current Operating Margin % of 14.89% is 39% below median its 10-year median of 24.45. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 19.55 to a high of 27.28. The Business Services industry median Operating Margin % is 6.33. Sunbelt Rentals Holdings' value of 14.89% is 135.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Sunbelt Rentals Holdings ranks #145 out of 1070 companies in the Business Services industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Sunbelt Rentals Holdings has a GF Score™ of 49/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Sunbelt Rentals Holdings' Operating Margin % compare to AER and UHAL?
According to the Business Services industry distribution chart, Sunbelt Rentals Holdings ranks #145 out of 1070 companies for Operating Margin %. This places Sunbelt Rentals Holdings in the top 14% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Operating Margin % is 6.33. Sunbelt Rentals Holdings' value of 14.89% is 135.2% above this benchmark. Historically, Sunbelt Rentals Holdings' own Operating Margin % has ranged from 19.55 to 27.28 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 24.45 vs. the industry median of 6.33, Sunbelt Rentals Holdings has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Operating Margin % for a Business Services company?
The median Operating Margin % among Business Services companies is 6.33, based on 1,070 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Operating Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Operating Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Sunbelt Rentals Holdings's current Operating Margin % of 14.89% is 135.2% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Operating Margin % mean?
A high Operating Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Sunbelt Rentals Holdings and its competitors. For the Business Services industry, the median Operating Margin % is 6.33 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Sunbelt Rentals Holdings's current Operating Margin % is 14.89%, which is 39% below median its own 10-year median of 24.45. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Sunbelt Rentals Holdings stock overvalued right now?
Sunbelt Rentals Holdings (ASHGY) has a current Operating Margin % of 14.89%. The current Operating Margin % is 14.89%, which is 39% below median its 10-year median of 24.45 and 135.2% above the Business Services industry median of 6.33. Sunbelt Rentals Holdings' overall GF Score™ is 49/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Operating Margin % calculated?
Operating Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Sunbelt Rentals Holdings (ASHGY), the current Operating Margin % is 14.89% as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Sunbelt Rentals (formerly UK-based Ashtead Group) is the number two equipment rental company in the US (11% market share), with a smaller presence in Canada and the UK. Sunbelt operates a rental fleet of just over $15 billion across a network of 1,200 stores in the US, nearly CAD 2 billion of fleet and 135 stores in Canada, and GBP 1.1 billion and 190 stores in the UK. The company has experienced rapid growth over the past decade as its customers increasingly turn to rental versus owning equipment outright. The general tool business has been augmented by the Specialty Rental business, which has grown to 30% of the mix. Revenue is now greater than 50% nonconstruction, with the remainder focused more directly on commercial construction.
49GF Score
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