U-Haul Aims for Unprecedented Dealer Growth While Managing $107M Cost Surge Amid Rising Self-Storage Competition
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Nov 06 2025
0mins
Should l Buy UHAL?
Source: SeekingAlpha
Management Insights: U-Haul's CEO Edward Shoen highlighted challenges from increased depreciation and losses on equipment sales, while emphasizing efforts to expand the dealer network to balance inventory and drive demand. CFO Jason Berg reported a significant drop in second-quarter earnings compared to the previous year, alongside rising operational costs.
Financial Performance: The company reported second-quarter earnings of $106 million, down from $187 million the previous year, with adjusted EBITDA in the Moving and Storage segment increasing by nearly $32 million. Equipment rental revenue rose slightly, while self-storage revenues also saw growth despite declining occupancy rates.
Outlook and Strategy: Management anticipates that expanding the dealer network will enhance market penetration, with expected results by mid-2026. They project that depreciation costs will peak soon, and they remain optimistic about the growth potential of U-Box and self-storage despite current challenges.
Risks and Concerns: Elevated depreciation and equipment losses are expected to continue impacting earnings, alongside rising repair and maintenance costs. Management acknowledged competitive pressures in self-storage and the risk of market saturation, while stressing the importance of operational efficiency and selective expansion.
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Analyst Views on UHAL
Wall Street analysts forecast UHAL stock price to rise
1 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 52.230
Low
80.00
Averages
80.00
High
80.00
Current: 52.230
Low
80.00
Averages
80.00
High
80.00
About UHAL
U-Haul Holding Company is a do-it-yourself moving and storage operator through its subsidiary U-Haul International, Inc. (U-Haul). Its primary focus is to provide its customers with a selection of moving rental equipment, convenient self-storage rental facilities and portable moving and storage units and related moving and self-storage products and services. Its segments include Moving and Storage, Property and Casualty Insurance, and Life Insurance. The Moving and Storage segment consists of the rental of trucks and trailers, portable moving and storage units, specialty rental items and self-storage spaces primarily to the household mover, as well as sales of moving supplies, towing accessories and propane. Its Property and Casualty Insurance segment provides loss adjusting and claims handling for U-Haul through regional offices in the United States and Canada. The Life Insurance segment provides life and health insurance products primarily for the senior market.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
U-Haul Introduces 1-Year Price Lock Guarantee to Transform Self-Storage Industry
- Price Lock Innovation: U-Haul's introduction of the 1-Year Price Lock Guarantee ensures that new customers' monthly rates for self-storage units remain unchanged for at least one year, aiming to provide cost transparency and avoid the hidden fees and frequent price hikes prevalent in the industry.
- Competitive Market Advantage: This price lock policy is available at over 2,100 U-Haul centers across the U.S. and Canada, contrasting sharply with competitors like Public Storage and Extra Space Storage, which often employ misleading low-rate strategies, thereby enhancing customer trust and increasing market share.
- Enhanced Customer Benefits: U-Haul's price lock not only eliminates administrative fees and deposits but also offers a free lock for first-time renters and a free first month with qualifying one-way equipment rentals, further boosting customer appeal and satisfaction.
- Industry Change Advocacy: U-Haul CEO Joe Shoen encourages other storage providers to adopt similar price lock strategies to protect consumer rights and improve trust across the industry, showcasing U-Haul's leadership and commitment to responsible business practices.
See More
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- Fleet Management Challenges: The company is grappling with an excess fleet issue, as the rental market has not shown significant recovery, prompting management to plan for increased sales of high-mileage older trucks over the next 12 months to optimize fleet structure.
- Self-Storage Business Pressures: The rate of new self-storage unit additions has outpaced rentals, leading to a surplus of units; while storage revenues grew by $18 million, same-store occupancy declined by 490 basis points, reflecting weak market demand.
- Capital Expenditure Adjustments: New truck purchases are expected to decrease by over $500 million in the next fiscal year, with management emphasizing the need to rebalance fleet composition to address ongoing market challenges and cost pressures.
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- Revenue Growth: The company reported Q3 revenue of $1.42 billion, reflecting a 2.9% year-over-year increase, yet it fell short of market expectations by $20 million, highlighting the pressure on revenue growth in a competitive market environment.
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- Revenue Performance: Despite the loss, U-Haul generated revenue of $1.42 billion during the quarter, suggesting stable market demand for its rental services, potentially laying the groundwork for future recovery.
- Market Reaction: Following the earnings report, market reactions to U-Haul may be influenced by the decline in profitability, prompting investors to closely monitor the company's future financial performance and strategic adjustments.
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See More
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- Financial Decline: U-Haul reported a net loss of $37 million for Q3 2026, contrasting sharply with a net profit of $67.2 million in the same period last year, indicating increased pressure in market competition that could undermine investor confidence.
- Earnings Per Share Drop: The earnings per share for Non-Voting Shares (UHAL.B) fell to a loss of $0.18, down from a profit of $0.35 a year earlier, reflecting a continued deterioration in profitability that may exert downward pressure on the stock price.
- Operational Challenges: Chairman Joe Shoen noted that fleet depreciation and poor resale results are undermining earnings, with expectations for a rebound later this year, indicating that the company faces ongoing market challenges that will take time to resolve.
- Market Penetration Strategy: U-Haul aims to enhance market penetration in U-Move, and while currently even with peers in self-storage, it needs to differentiate its services to boost revenue, demonstrating the company's commitment to future growth.
See More
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- Price Lock Innovation: U-Haul's introduction of the 1-Year Price Lock Guarantee ensures that new customers' monthly rates for self-storage units remain unchanged for at least one year, aiming to provide cost transparency and avoid the hidden fees and frequent price hikes prevalent in the industry.
- Competitive Market Advantage: This price lock policy is available at over 2,100 U-Haul centers across the U.S. and Canada, contrasting sharply with competitors like Public Storage and Extra Space Storage, which often employ misleading low-rate strategies, thereby enhancing customer trust and increasing market share.
- Enhanced Customer Benefits: U-Haul's price lock not only eliminates administrative fees and deposits but also offers a free lock for first-time renters and a free first month with qualifying one-way equipment rentals, further boosting customer appeal and satisfaction.
- Industry Change Advocacy: U-Haul CEO Joe Shoen encourages other storage providers to adopt similar price lock strategies to protect consumer rights and improve trust across the industry, showcasing U-Haul's leadership and commitment to responsible business practices.
See More
U-Haul Q3 2026 Earnings Call Insights
- Deteriorating Financial Performance: U-Haul reported a $37 million loss in Q3, compared to a $67 million profit in the same quarter last year, indicating severe profitability pressures due to high fleet depreciation and disposal losses.
- Fleet Management Challenges: The company is grappling with an excess fleet issue, as the rental market has not shown significant recovery, prompting management to plan for increased sales of high-mileage older trucks over the next 12 months to optimize fleet structure.
- Self-Storage Business Pressures: The rate of new self-storage unit additions has outpaced rentals, leading to a surplus of units; while storage revenues grew by $18 million, same-store occupancy declined by 490 basis points, reflecting weak market demand.
- Capital Expenditure Adjustments: New truck purchases are expected to decrease by over $500 million in the next fiscal year, with management emphasizing the need to rebalance fleet composition to address ongoing market challenges and cost pressures.
See More
Software Stocks Plunge for Eighth Session Amid AI Demand Concerns
- Software Sector Decline: Software stocks fell for the eighth consecutive session on Thursday, marking the longest losing streak since May 2021, as investor concerns about AI undermining demand in the SaaS economy intensified.
- ETF Performance: The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (NYSE:IGV) dropped 1.9%, extending its decline to approximately 30% from late October highs, indicating a waning confidence in tech stocks.
- Individual Stock Movements: Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) fell 4.4% after an 11% drop on Wednesday, suggesting a diminishing market expectation for its growth prospects in the AI-driven landscape.
- Broader Economic Impact: Bitcoin slid 9% to $66,000, negatively impacting software stocks tied to crypto markets, while commodities also faced broad declines, with silver plunging 13% to $76 an ounce and gold slipping 2% to $4,865 per ounce.
See More
U-Haul Reports Q3 Earnings with Mixed Results
- Earnings Performance: U-Haul's Q3 GAAP EPS of -$0.18 beats expectations by $0.02, indicating some resilience in profitability despite ongoing financial challenges that the company faces.
- Revenue Growth: The company reported Q3 revenue of $1.42 billion, reflecting a 2.9% year-over-year increase, yet it fell short of market expectations by $20 million, highlighting the pressure on revenue growth in a competitive market environment.
- Profitability Challenges: U-Haul is facing headwinds in profitability, with analysts suggesting that a breakup may be necessary to enhance operational efficiency, indicating that the current business structure may hinder long-term growth prospects.
- Investor Dynamics: Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund exited its investments in U-Haul and Allstate in Q3, reflecting a cautious stance from investors regarding the company's future outlook, which could impact market confidence in U-Haul.
See More
U-Haul Reports $37 Million Loss in Q3
- Financial Loss: U-Haul reported a loss of $37 million in its fiscal third quarter, translating to a loss of 23 cents per share, indicating challenges the company faces in the current economic environment, which may impact investor confidence.
- Revenue Performance: Despite the loss, U-Haul generated revenue of $1.42 billion during the quarter, suggesting stable market demand for its rental services, potentially laying the groundwork for future recovery.
- Market Reaction: Following the earnings report, market reactions to U-Haul may be influenced by the decline in profitability, prompting investors to closely monitor the company's future financial performance and strategic adjustments.
- Industry Outlook: U-Haul's financial results reflect volatility in the overall rental industry, with other companies in the sector likely facing similar challenges, leading investors to cautiously assess market risks.
See More
U-Haul Reports $37 Million Net Loss in Q3 2026
- Financial Decline: U-Haul reported a net loss of $37 million for Q3 2026, contrasting sharply with a net profit of $67.2 million in the same period last year, indicating increased pressure in market competition that could undermine investor confidence.
- Earnings Per Share Drop: The earnings per share for Non-Voting Shares (UHAL.B) fell to a loss of $0.18, down from a profit of $0.35 a year earlier, reflecting a continued deterioration in profitability that may exert downward pressure on the stock price.
- Operational Challenges: Chairman Joe Shoen noted that fleet depreciation and poor resale results are undermining earnings, with expectations for a rebound later this year, indicating that the company faces ongoing market challenges that will take time to resolve.
- Market Penetration Strategy: U-Haul aims to enhance market penetration in U-Move, and while currently even with peers in self-storage, it needs to differentiate its services to boost revenue, demonstrating the company's commitment to future growth.
See More
