CNS vs HRI Comparison

Cohen & Steers is a niche asset manager concentrating on real estate securities. The firm invests mainly in the equity shares of real estate investment trusts, with holdings in domestic and international real estate securities accounting for close to two thirds of its $79.3 billion in managed assets at the end of January 2024. Cohen & Steers also manages portfolios dedicated to preferred securities, utilities stocks, and other high-yield offerings. The firm's distribution is balanced among its closed-end funds, open-end funds, and institutional accounts. During the past four calendar quarters, the company garnered 42% (27%) of its managed assets (base management fees) from institutional clients, 45% (52%) from open-end funds, and 13% (21%) from closed-end funds.

Herc Holdings is an equipment rental company that was spun out of Hertz Global in 2016. It is the third-largest player in North America, after United Rentals and Sunbelt Rentals, with an approximate 6% market share pro forma for its 2025 acquisition of H&E Equipment Services. It serves a similar mix of companies to its peers (industrial, commercial, and residential construction) from its 450 locations targeting the top 100 metropolitan markets in the US. Herc's rental fleet of approximately $7 billion is also similar in composition to its peer group in terms of equipment offered. The company is pursuing diversification by bundling and increasing specialty solutions for its customer base. Herc's portfolio skews toward local customers versus national accounts (60/40).