URI vs SPY: which was the better investment?
United Rentals, Inc. against SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Dec 18, 1997 to Jul 13, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did URI beat SPY?
Yes — measured from Dec 18, 1997 to Jul 13, 2026 with dividends reinvested, URI came out ahead: $750,320 versus $128,188 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 16.3% annual return against 9.3%.
What would $10,000 in URI be worth today?
$10,000 invested in United Rentals, Inc. (URI) on Dec 18, 1997 would be worth about $750,320 as of Jul 13, 2026, a total return of 7403.2% (16.3% per year). The same $10,000 in SPY would be worth $128,188.
Which was riskier — URI or SPY?
URI swung with an annualized volatility of 50.9% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -93.7%; SPY ran at 19.4% volatility with a -55.2% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.28 for URI vs 0.38 for SPY.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Dec 18, 1997 through Jul 13, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with URI vs SPY. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.