Framework Journal · one stock, one dated entry

Recorded 2026-07-19 · Permanent

McGrath RentCorp logoMcGrath RentCorp MGRC

Clears both ethical standards

An entry written while the outcome is still unknown. It will be scored by what the market does next, and it will never be edited to look cleverer than it was.

In plain words · McGrath RentCorp operates as a business-to-business rental company in the United States and internationally.

The label
Accumulation

read at $118.27

McGrath RentCorp holds its Accumulation at $118.27.

PHINPOOPSC
  • PHPhase · the trend structure carries the Accumulation label
  • INInsiders · no filings inside 60 days, left as found
  • POPositioning · no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
  • OPOptions · no verdict drawn today, left as found
  • SCScreen · passes the values gate
  • edge confirmed
  • edge broken
  • edge forming

Each arm is one independent read. Conviction is not a single call, it is how many edges converge.

The investor read · the season, not the day

As held on the ledger · 2026-07-19
PhaseAccumulation
Quantitative stateThe statistical read favours the sellers, held for 1 days
Price$118.27
Valuation18.77 trailing · 16.87 forward price to earnings
Values screenPASS · score 70.0
Beta0.42

The opportunity · what the numbers say it is worth

Read at
$118.27
18.77 P/E · 16.87 fwd
Our fair value
$128.69
9% discount
Analyst target (avg)
$146.00
+23% to current
Target low $140.00Analyst target rangeTarget high $150.00
▲ current $118.27 · | average target

Price history & projections · where it has been, where the models see it going

$156$114$71TODAY5y agoPROJECTIONAnalyst high$150.00 +33%Analyst avg$146.00 +29%Our fair value$128.69 +14%Conservative$126.00 +12%

The valuation journey · where the price sits against fair value and the Street

Current
$118.27
you are here
Conservative
$126.00
+7%
Analyst avg
$146.00
+23%
Our fair value
$128.69
+9%
Analyst high
$150.00
+27%

Green marks levels above today's price, red below; the shaded band is the gap between the price and our fair value.

Reading the gap · Both our model and the analysts see meaningful upside from here.

Revenue growth1.60%
Profit margin16.38%
Debt to equity44.15
Analyst consensusNone · 5 covering

Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; target range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.

The values screen, explained · five checks, plain English

This company clears both standards. There are two widely recognised ways to check whether a company is suitable for a Muslim investor. Here is how it did on each:

The common standard · AAOIFI
Used by most halal investing apps
✓ PASSES
Our stricter standard · asset-based
The one Titan applies
✓ PASSES

What these two standards are, and how they differ →

  • Business activity Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines — no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending. Pass
  • Debt load Interest-bearing debt is of its assets, above the one-third ceiling the screen allows. Fail
  • Interest-bearing cash Interest-bearing cash and securities are of assets, above the one-third limit. Fail
  • Receivables Money owed to the company is of assets, above the 49% limit. Fail
  • Revenue purity Only 0.0% of revenue comes from non-compliant sources — under the 5% line. Pass

Every security is read against two recognised standards: our stricter asset-based screen (ratios measured against total assets) and the more widely used market-value standard (measured against market capitalisation). Where they agree we say so plainly; where they part ways — almost always on the debt check — we show both readings and mark it, because that disagreement is the finding, not a fault. We report the score; you and your scholar make the call.

The business, in plain words · what the numbers mean

Modular Rentals Deliver Steady Cash but Little Growth

When a contractor needs temporary offices on a job site or a lab requires specialised test gear for a short run, McGrath supplies the kit on a rental basis. The model generates reliable cash from modular buildings, storage units and electronic equipment across the US and a handful of other markets. Yet revenue is rising just 2% a year, profit margins sit at 16% and return on equity reaches only 13%, so the business shows little momentum at the current price.

We pass because the 9% gap to fair value offers scant compensation for the thin growth and unknown competitive position. A forward multiple of 16.9 times earnings matches the sector but does not look cheap when expansion is this modest and the moat remains unclear. Analyst targets sit higher yet carry no consensus weight.

Risk sits in the cyclical nature of construction and industrial projects, where delays or cutbacks can quickly reduce utilisation. Currency moves abroad and shifting demand for electronic test gear add further pressure on already low single-digit revenue trends. Analysis, not advice.

The fundamentals · plain-English read
Forward P/E16.9x
expensive even after accounting for its growth
Trailing P/E18.8x
reasonably valued
Revenue growth1.6%
slow but positive growth
Profit margin16.4%
healthy profit margins
Return on equity13.1%
a solid return on shareholder capital
Debt to equity0.44
minimal debt — a conservative balance sheet
Current ratio1.98
healthy short-term liquidity
Beta0.42
barely tracks the market's swings
Market cap$2.9B
Employees1,306

The risks · The main risks here are ordinary market swings and the chance our fair-value read proves too optimistic.

Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.

Related securities · others in MGRC's space worth a look

Screened names in the same industry · explore each on its own page.

Where & how to trade · wherever in the world you are

MGRC trades on Nasdaq. As a US-listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering US markets. New to this, or investing from outside the US? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.

The trader read · the latest dated commentary

The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading bearish. Over the past year the shares are down 3%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (5 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $145. Entered 2026-07-18 · Distribution

The dated journal · newest first, never edited

2026-07-18 Distribution $115.09 +0.0% Entry 3

The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading bearish. Over the past year the shares are down 3%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 16%. The street (5 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $145.

2026-07-03 Distribution $115.09 +0.0% Entry 2

The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (70). The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns.

2026-07-02 Distribution $115.09 Entry 1

The framework reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (70). The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns.

Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.

What holding actually paid · price plus dividends

If $1,000 had been placed · historical, not a promise
PeriodPrice thenPrice returnDivs per share$1,000 becameTotal return
1 month $113.90 -0.8% · $992 -0.8%
2 months $113.62 -0.6% $0.50 $998 -0.2%
3 months $103.55 +9.1% $0.50 $1,095 +9.5%
6 months $109.32 +3.3% $0.98 $1,042 +4.2%
1 year $115.96 -2.6% $1.95 $991 -0.9%
2 years $100.52 +12.4% $3.86 $1,162 +16.2%
3 years $92.84 +21.7% $5.73 $1,278 +27.8%
5 years $77.04 +46.6% $9.32 $1,587 +58.7%

Historical returns from market close data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

This entry now belongs to the ledger. Whatever MGRC does next, these words stay.

McGrath RentCorp · MGRC · Accumulation · $118.27
Recorded 2026-07-19 · before the outcome · scored mechanically

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