WillScot Holdings Corporation research snapshot

WSC AI Stock Analysis

WSC AI stock analysis as of the August 3, 2026 data cutoff reads WillScot Holdings Corporation as the largest North American modular space and portable storage provider, with $2.27 billion in trailing revenue, free cash flow near $447 million over the trailing twelve months, and a $4.39 billion market cap. The investment case rests on improving large project demand in data center, power, utility, and diversified manufacturing, a raised 2026 outlook with $2.25 billion revenue and $915 million adjusted EBITDA, and strong cash conversion. The caution is that WillScot carries high leverage at 3.7x net debt to adjusted EBITDA, generated negative GAAP net income over the trailing year, and is exposed to cyclical local market demand and interest expense near $202 million a year. The stock pulled back from a late-June high near $29 to a $24.28 close on July 31, 2026, down about 8.9% over the last 20 trading days while still up roughly 29% year to date and holding above the 100-day and 200-day moving averages. The WSC AI stock forecast uses scenarios, not a certain price prediction, and this page is informational research, not investment advice.

Current price

$24.28

Market cap

$4.39 billion (computed as $24.28 x 180.99 million shares)

AI score

56 / 100

Rating

Levered modular space leader with improving commercial demand, strong FCF, and cyclical risk

Trend status

Cooling. WSC pulled back from a late-June high near $29 to a $24.28 close on July 31, 2026, trading below its 20-day and 50-day moving averages with 14-day RSI near 37, while still holding above the 100-day and 200-day trend lines and up about 29% year to date.

Data cutoff (updated monthly)

August 4, 2026

Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.

Research quality check

information Richness
B-level information richness. WillScot has a long operating history, thorough SEC filings, a detailed Q1 2026 earnings release, and coverage from 10 analysts across Citi, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, UBS, Deutsche Bank, Oppenheimer, and others. Public financial data from StockAnalysis.com and company filings is sufficient, but granular fleet utilization, rental rate, and replacement capex data require reading quarterly conference-call transcripts.
bias Check
The main AI research bias is extrapolating the Q1 2026 beat, the raised outlook, and the year-to-date rally into a straight-line recovery. The counter-check is to stress-test what happens if leasing revenue does not inflect positive in the second half of 2026, local market demand stays soft, or WillScot cannot comfortably service its roughly $3.5 billion debt stack as annual cash interest runs near $202 million.
ai Confidence
High for reported revenue, adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow, share count, market-cap math, balance sheet items, and valuation ratios that cross-checked across StockAnalysis.com and the Q1 2026 earnings release. Note that StockAnalysis.com reports TTM free cash flow of $447.10 million on a statistics basis with capex of $299.32 million, while the financials page reports TTM free cash flow of $376.02 million with higher capex of $370.4 million; this page cites the statistics figure as primary and notes the basis difference. Medium for forward scenarios because leasing revenue inflection, units on rent, local market demand, and refinancing terms can change quickly.
investment Certainty
Low-medium. WillScot is a well-run roll-up with real free cash flow and improving large project demand, but investment certainty is capped by the high leverage at 3.7x net debt to adjusted EBITDA, negative GAAP net income over the trailing year, and the cyclical nature of construction end markets.

Quick verdict table

DimensionConclusionConfidence
Business qualityWillScot leases modular space and portable storage to construction, industrial, energy, data center, and government customers across North America. Q1 2026 revenue was $548.6 million with adjusted EBITDA of $211 million at a 38.5% margin, and the company beat its outlook and raised full year guidance.Medium-high
MoatThe moat is scale-based: the largest modular rental fleet in North America, roughly 250 branch locations, and national account relationships create an advantage over smaller local competitors. Switching costs are low for individual projects, which limits pricing power.Medium
ManagementCEO Tim Boswell and the team beat the Q1 2026 outlook, raised full year guidance to $2.25 billion revenue and $915 million adjusted EBITDA, paid down $76 million of debt, and returned $20 million to shareholders in the quarter.Medium-high
Financial trendTTM revenue was $2.27 billion with free cash flow near $447 million, but GAAP net income was negative at -$67.92 million over the trailing twelve months and the balance sheet carries about $3.5 billion of debt at 3.7x net debt to adjusted EBITDA.High
ValuationAt $24.28, WSC trades at about 21.25x forward earnings, 9.83x free cash flow, 5.05x book value, and 14.03x EV/EBITDA, with a 1.15% dividend yield. The forward multiple is not demanding for a quality roll-up, but the EV/EBITDA reflects the high debt load.Medium
Technical trendWSC closed at $24.28 on July 31, 2026, below its 20-day and 50-day moving averages near $26.06 and $26.63, with 14-day RSI near 36.74 and weak ADX, while still above the 100-day and 200-day moving averages near $23.62 and $22.08 and up about 29% year to date.Medium
Risk levelRisk is medium-high due to 3.7x net debt to adjusted EBITDA, roughly $202 million of annual cash interest expense, negative GAAP net income over TTM, elevated short interest near 10.18% of shares outstanding, and cyclical exposure to construction end markets.High
AI confidenceHigh for historical financials, balance sheet data, and valuation math cross-checked across StockAnalysis.com and the Q1 2026 earnings release. Lower for leasing revenue inflection timing, units on rent, and share-price outcomes.High data confidence
Investment certaintyLow-medium certainty because WillScot has a strong market position, improving demand, and good FCF, but leverage and cyclicality cap the margin of safety for long-term holding.Low-medium

WSC AI stock forecast

WSC AI Stock Forecast Scenarios

The WSC AI stock forecast uses a three-year scenario framework around the $24.28 cutoff price and the raised 2026 outlook of $2.25 billion revenue and $915 million adjusted EBITDA. Using consensus forward adjusted EPS near $1.10 to $1.14, an assumed 14% to 20% EPS growth path, and exit multiples from 14x to 20x, the scenario model produced a bullish area near $34, a base area near $26, and a bearish area near $18. These are scenario outputs, not promises.

Bullish case

$30 to $38

More likely if leasing revenue inflects positive in the second half of 2026, large project demand in data center, power, utility, and diversified manufacturing sustains, adjusted EBITDA reaches or exceeds $915 million, leverage drops toward 3x, and the market pays about 19x to 20x forward adjusted earnings.

Base case

$23 to $29

Likely if the 2026 guidance is delivered near the midpoint, adjusted EPS grows from about $1.10 toward $1.35, local market demand stabilizes, and the market holds the stock near a 16x to 18x forward multiple, in line with the $28.80 average analyst target.

Bearish case

$15 to $22

More likely if leasing revenue fails to inflect, units on rent decline near the roughly 10% rate that UBS expects for 2026, local markets stay soft, interest expense weighs on results, GAAP losses persist or widen, or the market compresses the multiple toward 14x.

WSC AI technical analysis

WSC AI Technical Analysis

The WSC AI technical analysis is based on StockAnalysis.com price history and Barchart indicators as of the July 31, 2026 close. WSC pulled back from a late-June high near $29 to $24.28, down 8.93% over the last 20 trading days, and now trades below its 20-day and 50-day moving averages near $26.06 and $26.63. The stock still holds above the 100-day and 200-day moving averages near $23.62 and $22.08, and remains up about 29% year to date. A 14-day RSI near 36.74 and a 14-day ADX near 16.50 with negative directional index above positive directional index point to short-term weakness, so the immediate bias is neutral to cautious.

LevelValueWhy it matters
Current price$24.28StockAnalysis.com real-time quote at the July 31, 2026 close; market cap math uses 180.99 million shares outstanding.
Resistance R1$26.00 to $26.60The 20-day moving average near $26.06 and the 50-day moving average near $26.63 form the first overhead supply zone; reclaiming this area would improve the short-term picture.
Resistance R2$28.80The $28.80 average analyst price target and the late-June swing high near $29 mark the next meaningful resistance.
Resistance R3$30.05The 52-week high. A decisive break above this level would mark a new uptrend high.
Support S1$23.62The 100-day moving average. First support on a further pullback from current levels.
Support S2$22.08The 200-day moving average. The key medium-term trend support; losing it would turn the structure bearish.
MomentumRSI near 3714-day RSI near 36.74 and raw stochastic near 14% are weak and approaching oversold; 14-day ADX near 16.50 with -DI above +DI confirms near-term downside pressure.
VolumeAbout 2.0 million average20-day average volume near 2.0 million shares, with elevated volume on the down days in late July.
VolatilityElevated14-day historical volatility near 40.23% and 100-day near 53.18%, so position sizing should account for large swings.
InvalidationClose below $22A daily close below the 200-day moving average near $22.08 would invalidate the medium-term uptrend and open the path toward the $14.91 52-week low area.

WSC AI trading strategy

WSC AI Trading Strategy Framework

The WSC AI trading strategy framework is a reference structure, not personalized advice. WillScot offers opportunities for both trend-following and mean-reversion approaches given its improving commercial demand, strong free cash flow generation, and elevated leverage. Q2 2026 results are scheduled for August 6, 2026, after the data cutoff.

Trend-following setup

Wait for WSC to reclaim the 20-day and 50-day moving averages near $26.06 to $26.63 with improving volume before treating the pullback as over. A breakout above $28.80 and then $30.05 with above-average volume would confirm a resumption of the uptrend. Re-entry on a pullback to the 100-day moving average near $23.62 within an intact medium-term uptrend.

Stop-loss below the 200-day moving average near $22.08 or 8% below entry, whichever is lower. Reduce position size if VIX is above 20 or 14-day historical volatility stays above 40%.

Mean-reversion / value setup

Accumulate on dips toward the $22.00 to $23.60 support zone if the fundamental thesis is intact (guidance on track, adjusted EBITDA near $915 million, no guidance cuts). Scale into position in thirds. Use a 12 to 18 month horizon targeting the $28.80 analyst consensus.

Hard stop at $21.00, below the 200-day moving average. Core position size limited by the high-debt risk profile and negative GAAP net income.

Risk controls

Use the Verdict table AI confidence and the low-medium investment certainty as portfolio sizing guides. Limit WSC to no more than 3 to 5% of a diversified portfolio given the leverage and cyclicality risk. Note that Q2 2026 results are scheduled for August 6, 2026.

Monitor quarterly leasing revenue, units on rent, adjusted EBITDA margin, and debt reduction. Watch the August 6, 2026 earnings report, refinancing announcements, and interest rate moves. Consider put spreads if the position is large and the stock is below the 50-day moving average.

Investment research summary

Four-master Research Compression

Business essence

WillScot is the largest North American modular space and portable storage rental company. Customers rent mobile offices, classrooms, storage containers, blast-resistant modules, clearspan structures, and fencing for construction, industrial, energy, data center, government, and education use. Revenue comes from leasing, value-added products, and delivery and installation, with Q1 2026 leasing and services revenue of $525 million.

Economic moat

The moat is primarily scale and density: the largest fleet, roughly 250 branch locations, and national account relationships. Local competitors lack the fleet breadth, geographic coverage, and service capability to challenge WillScot on large multi-site projects. Switching costs are low for single-unit rentals, which limits pricing power.

Munger risk inversion

The thesis could fail if: (1) leasing revenue does not inflect positive in the second half of 2026, (2) local market demand stays soft while large project demand slows, (3) interest expense near $202 million a year overwhelms operating cash flow, (4) the company cannot refinance its debt or covenants tighten, or (5) a downturn hits non-residential construction and data center, power, and manufacturing projects.

Management evaluation

CEO Tim Boswell and the leadership team beat the Q1 2026 outlook, raised full year guidance to $2.25 billion revenue and $915 million adjusted EBITDA, paid down $76 million of debt, returned $20 million to shareholders, and kept net debt to adjusted EBITDA at 3.7x. The high leverage posture remains the main balance-sheet concern.

Industry and secular trend

Modular space rental is a mature, fragmented industry with secular supports: rent over own preferences, modular construction adoption, and growing demand from data center, power and utility, and diversified manufacturing projects. Cyclical exposure to local non-residential construction, where demand has not yet improved, is the primary risk.

Valuation and margin of safety

At $24.28 WSC trades at about 21.25x forward earnings and 9.83x free cash flow, which is reasonable for a strong FCF generator, but the 14.03x EV/EBITDA and 3.7x net debt to adjusted EBITDA reflect the leverage. The three-scenario model values WSC between roughly $18 (bearish) and $34 (bullish), with a base case near $26. The margin of safety is modest at the current price given the leverage and cyclicality.

Source-backed data

WSC Data Table

Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.

MetricValueSourceLast verified
Current price$24.28 at the July 31, 2026 close, +1.04% on the dayStockAnalysis.com real-time quoteAugust 3, 2026
Market cap$4.39 billion, computed as $24.28 x 180.99 million shares outstandingStockAnalysis.com quote and statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Enterprise value$8.19 billionStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Shares outstanding180.99 million, down 3.52% year over yearStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
52-week range$14.91 to $30.05StockAnalysis.com quote and historyAugust 3, 2026
Beta1.32StockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Forward P/E21.25xStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
P/FCF ratio9.83x, with P/OCF at 5.89xStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Price-to-sales and price-to-bookPS 1.94x, PB 5.05xStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
EV/EBITDA14.03x, EV/FCF 18.33x, EV/Sales 3.61xStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Revenue (TTM)$2.27 billion, -4.12% growthStockAnalysis.com statistics and financialsAugust 3, 2026
Net income (TTM)-$67.92 million GAAP, EPS -$0.38StockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Operating cash flow (TTM)$746.42 millionStockAnalysis.com cash flow statementAugust 3, 2026
Free cash flow (TTM)$447.10 million on the statistics basis with capex of $299.32 million; $376.02 million on the financials basis with capex of $370.4 millionStockAnalysis.com statistics and financialsAugust 3, 2026
Cash and cash equivalents$15.54 million as of March 31, 2026WillScot Q1 2026 earnings release and Q1 2026 balance sheetAugust 3, 2026
Total debt$3.51 billion company reported as of March 31, 2026; $3.82 billion including operating leases per StockAnalysis.comWillScot Q1 2026 earnings release and StockAnalysis.com balance sheetAugust 3, 2026
Net debt$3.50 billion as of March 31, 2026WillScot Q1 2026 earnings releaseAugust 3, 2026
Net debt to adjusted EBITDA3.7x based on LTM adjusted EBITDA of $953 millionWillScot Q1 2026 earnings releaseAugust 3, 2026
Debt-to-equity4.38xStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Current ratio0.79, with quick ratio 0.62StockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Altman Z-Score and Piotroski F-ScoreAltman Z-Score 0.97, Piotroski F-Score 4StockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Q1 2026 revenue$548.6 million, -2.0% year over yearWillScot Q1 2026 earnings releaseMay 7, 2026
Q1 2026 adjusted EBITDA$211 million at a 38.5% marginWillScot Q1 2026 earnings releaseMay 7, 2026
Q1 2026 earningsNet income $28.1 million GAAP, adjusted net income $38.8 million, diluted EPS $0.15, adjusted diluted EPS $0.21WillScot Q1 2026 earnings releaseMay 7, 2026
Q1 2026 cash flowOperating cash flow of $191.1 million, adjusted free cash flow of $115.6 million at a 21.1% marginWillScot Q1 2026 earnings releaseMay 7, 2026
Q1 2026 leasing revenueLeasing revenue of $425.5 million, -2.0% year over year, with delivery and installation revenue up 12.3% to $99.5 million on project activationsWillScot Q1 2026 earnings releaseMay 7, 2026
2026 full year outlookRevenue of $2.25 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $915 million, and net capex of $325 million, raised from the February 2026 outlookWillScot Q1 2026 earnings releaseMay 7, 2026
Debt maturity and liquidityNext debt maturity in August 2028, about $1.5 billion of ABL facility availability, weighted average pre-tax interest rate about 5.7%, and estimated annual cash interest expense of about $202 millionWillScot Q1 2026 earnings releaseMay 7, 2026
Shareholder returnsRepurchased 352,900 shares for $7 million in Q1 2026, a 1.2% reduction in share count over 12 months, and returned $20 million to shareholders in the quarterWillScot Q1 2026 earnings releaseMay 7, 2026
DividendQuarterly dividend of $0.07 per share, annualized at $0.28 for a 1.15% yield, ex-dividend date June 3, 2026StockAnalysis.com dividend pageAugust 3, 2026
Analyst consensusBuy with an average target of $28.80 across 10 analysts, low $24 and high $37, median $29StockAnalysis.com forecastJuly 22, 2026
Analyst rating mix, July 20263 Strong Buy, 0 Buy, 7 Hold, 0 Sell, 0 Strong Sell out of 10 analystsStockAnalysis.com forecast recommendation trendsJuly 22, 2026
Recent analyst target updatesCiti raised to $30 from $27 on July 14 with a Buy rating, UBS at $29 on July 20 with a Hold, William Blair Hold on July 22, Barclays raised to $24 from $22 on May 15 with a Hold, Morgan Stanley at $29 on May 12 with a HoldStockAnalysis.com forecast and news feedJuly 22, 2026
Short interest18.42 million shares short, 10.18% of shares outstanding, 10.50% of float, 9.47 days to coverStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 3, 2026
Consensus estimatesFY2026 revenue $2.26 billion and adjusted EPS $1.10, FY2027 revenue $2.33 billion and adjusted EPS $1.35, with 3-year revenue growth forecast of 2.37% and EPS growth of 14.14%StockAnalysis.com forecastJuly 22, 2026
Technical snapshot5-day MA $24.99, 20-day MA $26.06, 50-day MA $26.63, 100-day MA $23.62, 200-day MA $22.08, 14-day RSI 36.74, 14-day ADX 16.50, 14-day historical volatility near 40.23%Barchart and StockAnalysis.com technical snapshotsAugust 3, 2026
Next earningsQ2 2026 results scheduled for August 6, 2026 after market closeStockAnalysis.com quote and WillScot news releaseJuly 23, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

This page is an informational research tool using AI analysis of publicly available data, not investment advice. All WSC stock analysis, forecast scenarios, technical levels, and trading strategy frameworks are based on data available as of August 3, 2026 and may change. Forecast scenarios are modeled outputs, not guarantees of future performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always conduct your own research and consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. This content is for informational and educational purposes only.