United Rentals (URI) stock experienced a 24-hour plunge of 5.18% on Wednesday after the company reported its third-quarter earnings that fell short of analysts' expectations. The equipment rental giant's shares tumbled in after-hours trading as investors reacted to the disappointing results.

The company reported an adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $11.70 for the quarter ended September 30, missing the consensus estimate of $12.30. This represents a slight decrease from the $11.80 per share reported in the same quarter last year. The earnings miss was primarily attributed to pressured margins resulting from an inflationary environment and rising costs, which affected the company's profitability during the quarter.

Despite the earnings shortfall, United Rentals saw its revenue rise 5.9% to $4.23 billion, surpassing analysts' expectations of $4.16 billion. The company also raised its full-year 2025 revenue guidance to a range of $16 billion to $16.2 billion, up from its previous forecast of $15.8 billion to $16.1 billion. However, this positive outlook was overshadowed by concerns over the company's ability to maintain profitability in the face of economic headwinds. CEO Matthew Flannery acknowledged the challenging environment, citing macroeconomic uncertainty affecting local end markets as a factor impacting the company's performance.