SUNB vs AFRM Comparison

Sunbelt Rentals (formerly UK-based Ashtead Group) is the number two equipment rental company in the US (11% market share), with a smaller presence in Canada and the UK. Sunbelt operates a rental fleet of just over $15 billion across a network of 1,200 stores in the US, nearly CAD 2 billion of fleet and 135 stores in Canada, and GBP 1.1 billion and 190 stores in the UK. The company has experienced rapid growth over the past decade as its customers increasingly turn to rental versus owning equipment outright. The general tool business has been augmented by the Specialty Rental business, which has grown to 30% of the mix. Revenue is now greater than 50% nonconstruction, with the remainder focused more directly on commercial construction.

Founded in 2012, Affirm is a market leader in the buy now, pay later space with around $36 billion in transaction volume in fiscal 2025. Affirm offers both zero-interest financing, which is merchant subsidized, and interest-bearing loans, which function as personal loans that are approved on a per-transaction basis. Over 70% of Affirm's transaction volume comes from its interest-bearing loans, which also constitute the majority of its revenue. Affirm primarily operates in the United States, which accounted for more than 95% of its revenue in 2025, but it has also expanded to Canada and the United Kingdom.