Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN) Given Consensus Rating of “Buy” by Analysts

Shares of Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Buy” from the twenty-two brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and four have given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $203.35.

WCN has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $212.00 price target on Waste Connections in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Wolfe Research started coverage on Waste Connections in a research report on Friday, March 13th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $199.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley set a $205.00 target price on Waste Connections and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $213.00 target price on Waste Connections and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their target price on Waste Connections from $210.00 to $200.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 13th.

Insider Transactions at Waste Connections

In other news, VP James Little sold 2,605 shares of the company’s 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 completion of the transaction, the vice president directly owned 34,395 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,640,092.10. This represents a 7.04% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Eric Hansen sold 6,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $164.82, for a total value of $988,920.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 13,350 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,200,347. This represents a 31.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.27% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. City Holding Co. acquired a new position in shares of Waste Connections during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Waste Connections during the third quarter worth about $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new position in shares of Waste Connections during the third quarter worth about $30,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Waste Connections by 1,166.7% during the first quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 190 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 175 shares during the period. Finally, Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Waste Connections by 346.2% during the fourth quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 174 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 135 shares during the period. 86.09% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Waste Connections Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:WCN opened at $153.65 on Wednesday. Waste Connections has a 1-year low of $148.84 and a 1-year high of $198.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $39.22 billion, a PE ratio of 37.48, a PEG ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.55. The business’s 50 day moving average is $159.88 and its 200-day moving average is $166.61. The company has a current ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13.

Waste Connections (NYSE:WCN) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 22nd. The business services provider reported $1.23 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.19 by $0.04. Waste Connections had a return on equity of 16.49% and a net margin of 10.97%.The company had revenue of $2.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.50 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.13 EPS. Waste Connections’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that Waste Connections will post 5.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Waste Connections Announces Dividend

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

About Waste Connections

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.