Westfield Capital Management Co. LP Has $54.94 Million Stock Holdings in Waste Connections, Inc. $WCN

Westfield Capital Management Co. LP raised its holdings in shares of Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN) by 8.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 313,276 shares of the business services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 24,546 shares during the quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP’s holdings in Waste Connections were worth $54,936,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. City Holding Co. acquired a new stake in Waste Connections during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new stake in Waste Connections during the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new stake in Waste Connections during the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking S.P.A. acquired a new stake in Waste Connections during the 4th quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Waste Connections during the 4th quarter valued at $37,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.09% of the company’s stock.

Waste Connections Stock Performance

Waste Connections stock opened at $155.29 on Friday. Waste Connections, Inc. has a 12-month low of $146.89 and a 12-month high of $193.08. The company has a quick ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $158.05 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $165.73. The stock has a market cap of $39.40 billion, a PE ratio of 37.87, a P/E/G ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 0.51.

Waste Connections (NYSE:WCN) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The business services provider reported $1.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.19 by $0.04. Waste Connections had a return on equity of 16.49% and a net margin of 10.97%.The firm had revenue of $2.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.50 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.13 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Waste Connections, Inc. will post 5.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Connections Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 21st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 6th were paid a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 6th. Waste Connections’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 34.15%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Barclays set a $180.00 target price on Waste Connections and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $211.00 target price on shares of Waste Connections in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Weiss Ratings downgraded Waste Connections from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 13th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $212.00 target price on Waste Connections in a report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their price target on Waste Connections from $210.00 to $200.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Waste Connections has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $203.35.

Insider Activity

In other news, VP James Little sold 2,605 shares of Waste Connections stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $163.98, for a total transaction of $427,167.90. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 34,395 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,640,092.10. This trade represents a 7.04% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Ronald J. Mittelstaedt purchased 50,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 12th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $152.24 per share, for a total transaction of $7,612,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer directly owned 301,017 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $45,826,828.08. This represents a 19.92% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock.

Waste Connections Company Profile

Waste Connections (NYSE: WCN) is a North American integrated waste services company that provides a range of solid waste and environmental services to municipal, commercial, industrial and residential customers. The company offers collection, transportation, transfer, disposal and recycling services, and operates an extensive network of transfer stations and disposal facilities. Waste Connections positions itself as a provider of infrastructure-driven waste solutions across many regions of the United States and Canada.

The company’s operating activities include routine curbside and commercial collection, roll-off and container services, operation of landfills and transfer stations, and recycling and resource recovery programs.