ESNT vs HRI Comparison

Essent Group Ltd serves the housing finance industry by providing private mortgage insurance, reinsurance, risk management products, title insurance, and settlement services to mortgage lenders, borrowers, and investors to support homeownership. It provides credit protection to lenders and mortgage investors by covering a portion of the unpaid principal balance of a mortgage and certain related expenses in the event of a default. By providing capital to mitigate mortgage credit risk, the company allows lenders to make additional mortgage financing available to prospective homeowners.

Herc Holdings is an equipment rental company that was spun out of Hertz Global in 2016. It is currently 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 also pursuing diversification by bundling and increasing specialty solutions for its customer base. Herc's portfolio skews toward local customers versus national accounts (60%/40%).