Stock of the Day

October 16, 2019

Waste Connections (WCN)

$192.86
+$1.33 (+0.7%)
Market Cap: $49.65B

About Waste Connections

Waste Connections, Inc. provides non-hazardous waste collection, transfer, disposal, and resource recovery services in the United States and Canada. It offers collection services to residential, commercial, municipal, industrial, and exploration and production (E&P) customers; landfill disposal services; and recycling services for various recyclable materials, including compost, cardboard, mixed paper, plastic containers, glass bottles, and ferrous and aluminum metals. The company owns and operates transfer stations that receive compact and/or load waste to be transported to landfills or treatment facilities through truck, rail, or barge; and intermodal services for the rail haul movement of cargo and solid waste containers in the Pacific Northwest through a network of intermodal facilities. In addition, it provides E&P waste treatment, recovery, and disposal services for waste resulting from oil and natural gas exploration and production activity, such as drilling fluids, drill cuttings, completion fluids, and flowback water; production wastes and produced water during a well's operating life; contaminated soils that require treatment during site reclamation; and substances, which require clean-up after a spill, reserve pit clean-up, or pipeline rupture. Further, the company offers leasing services to its customers. Waste Connections, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in Woodbridge, Canada.

Waste Connections Bull Case

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Waste Connections, Inc.:

  • The current stock price is approximately $197, reflecting a recent increase, which may indicate positive market sentiment.
  • Analysts have given Waste Connections, Inc. a strong overall rating, with multiple firms issuing "buy" and "strong buy" recommendations, suggesting confidence in the company's future performance.
  • The company reported a year-over-year revenue increase of 7.5%, indicating strong growth potential and operational efficiency.
  • Waste Connections, Inc. has a solid dividend yield of 0.64%, providing investors with a steady income stream, which is attractive in a low-interest-rate environment.
  • With a market capitalization of over $50 billion, Waste Connections, Inc. is a well-established player in the waste management sector, which can provide stability to investors.

Waste Connections Bear Case

Investors should be bearish about investing in Waste Connections, Inc. for these reasons:

  • The company's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is relatively high at around 82.54, which may suggest that the stock is overvalued compared to its earnings.
  • Waste Connections, Inc. has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, indicating that the company has a significant amount of debt relative to its equity, which could pose risks in a rising interest rate environment.
  • Despite recent growth, the company's net margin of 6.92% may be considered low, which could limit profitability and growth potential compared to competitors.
  • Market volatility could impact the stock price, as seen with fluctuations in trading volume, which may indicate uncertainty among investors.
  • With a quick ratio of 0.65, the company may face challenges in meeting short-term liabilities, which could raise concerns about liquidity.