Hertz Global Holdings trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol HTZ, and you can buy shares through any brokerage account that offers access to U.S. stocks. The process takes just a few minutes once your account is funded, but understanding what you’re buying and how the order works will help you make a more informed decision.
Open and Fund a Brokerage Account
To purchase HTZ shares, you need a brokerage account. Most major online brokerages offer commission-free stock trading and let you open an account in under 15 minutes. You’ll provide your name, Social Security number, address, employment details, and a linked bank account for funding.
Once your account is approved, transfer money from your bank. ACH transfers typically take one to three business days to settle, though some brokerages offer instant buying power on deposits up to a certain limit so you can trade right away. You can also fund accounts by wire transfer, which usually settles the same day but may carry a fee.
If you already have a brokerage account, an IRA, or even a workplace 401(k) with a self-directed brokerage window, you can search for HTZ directly and skip the setup step entirely.
Place Your Order
Search for the ticker HTZ in your brokerage’s trade interface. You’ll see the current price, the bid/ask spread, and recent trading volume. From there, choose your order type:
- Market order: Buys shares at whatever the current price is. This fills almost instantly during market hours but doesn’t guarantee a specific price.
- Limit order: Lets you set the maximum price you’re willing to pay. The order only fills if the stock reaches your price or lower. This gives you more control, especially with stocks that can move quickly during the trading day.
- Stop order: Triggers a market order once the stock hits a specified price. This is more commonly used for selling, but some investors use buy-stop orders when they want to enter a position only after the stock breaks above a certain level.
Enter the number of shares you want. Many brokerages also allow fractional shares, meaning you can invest a specific dollar amount (say, $100) without needing to buy a whole share. After reviewing your order details, confirm the trade. During regular market hours (9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern), market orders fill in seconds. Limit orders may take longer or not fill at all if the price doesn’t reach your target.
What You’re Buying
Hertz emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in mid-2021 as a reorganized company. The shares trading today as HTZ are new common stock issued during that reorganization. Old Hertz shares from before the bankruptcy were canceled and are worthless, so make sure you’re buying the current listing on Nasdaq, not defunct shares on an over-the-counter market.
When Hertz emerged from bankruptcy, it also issued warrants allowing holders to purchase up to roughly 89 million shares of common stock at an exercise price of $13.80 per share, with an expiration date of June 30, 2051. These warrants trade separately and are a different instrument from the common stock. If you specifically want to buy HTZ common shares, confirm that’s what your order is for.
Hertz’s Current Financial Picture
Understanding the company’s fundamentals helps you decide whether this stock fits your portfolio. Hertz reported $8.5 billion in revenue for full-year 2025, with $2.0 billion coming in the fourth quarter alone. The company ended that quarter with approximately $1.5 billion in liquidity and potential access to more than $1 billion in additional liquidity enhancements.
Hertz has been executing a fleet rotation strategy, completing its transition to model year 2026 vehicles at target prices and volumes. The company’s average fleet age dropped to less than ten months, the youngest it has been in nearly a decade. This “short-hold” approach means Hertz cycles vehicles through its rental fleet quickly and then sells them through Hertz Car Sales, which can reduce depreciation costs but also ties the company’s margins to used-car market conditions.
The company carries significant debt from its post-bankruptcy capital structure and fleet financing. Revenue alone doesn’t tell the whole story for a capital-intensive rental car business. Before buying, review Hertz’s most recent earnings report and balance sheet through your brokerage’s research tools or the SEC’s EDGAR filing system.
Choosing the Right Account Type
Where you hold HTZ shares affects your tax treatment. In a standard taxable brokerage account, you’ll owe capital gains tax when you sell at a profit and may owe taxes on any dividends (Hertz does not currently pay a dividend, but that could change). Short-term gains on shares held less than a year are taxed at your ordinary income rate, while long-term gains on shares held over a year receive lower capital gains rates.
Buying inside a Roth IRA means qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. A traditional IRA defers taxes until you withdraw. These accounts have annual contribution limits and early withdrawal penalties, so they work best for money you plan to leave invested for years.
After You Buy
Once your order fills, the shares appear in your account. Settlement takes one business day after the trade date (known as T+1), meaning the transaction is officially finalized the next business day. You own the shares immediately for practical purposes, but you won’t be able to transfer them to another brokerage until settlement completes.
Set up alerts through your brokerage to track earnings announcements, price movements, and SEC filings. Hertz reports quarterly earnings, and those reports often move the stock price significantly. Monitoring the company’s fleet strategy, debt levels, and rental demand trends will help you decide when to hold, add to your position, or sell.