Stock of the Day

October 16, 2019

Waste Connections (WCN)

$172.01
-$2.32 (-1.3%)
Market Cap: $43.99B

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 around $157, which reflects a stable position within its 12-month trading range.
  • The company has demonstrated consistent revenue growth, with a year-over-year increase of 6.4%, indicating strong operational performance.
  • Waste Connections, Inc. has a solid return on equity of 16.49%, suggesting effective management and profitability relative to shareholder equity.
  • The recent quarterly earnings report showed earnings per share of $1.23, surpassing analysts' expectations, which may indicate positive future performance.
  • The company maintains a reasonable dividend payout ratio of 34.15%, providing a steady income stream for investors through its annualized dividend of $1.40 per share.

Waste Connections Bear Case

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

  • The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, which may raise concerns about its financial leverage and potential risks associated with high debt levels.
  • With a current ratio of 0.69, Waste Connections, Inc. may face challenges in meeting short-term liabilities, indicating potential liquidity issues.
  • The stock has a relatively high price-to-earnings ratio of 42.20, which could suggest that the stock is overvalued compared to its earnings, making it less attractive for value investors.
  • Analysts predict a modest earnings per share of 5.49 for the current fiscal year, which may not meet the expectations of aggressive growth investors.
  • The company operates in a competitive industry, which could impact its market share and pricing power in the long term.

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