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WCNWaste Connections, Inc.Sell5.3·$166.29+0.46%
SellModerate Confidence
Investment thesis

Waste Connections has beaten earnings estimates in all 4 of the last 4 quarters with consistent low-single-digit positive surprises and holds an 18.4% upside to analyst consensus targets, but trades in a confirmed price downtrend below the 200-day moving average with weak organic growth.

Thesis pillars

  • Perfect Earnings ReliabilityStable
  • Confirmed Price Downtrend Below 200maImproving
  • Analyst Consensus Upside 18 PercentStable
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN) Stock Analysis

Range Bound setup

SellModerate Confidence

Industrials · Waste Management

Sell if holding. Momentum 4.1/10 is below the 5.0 floor at $166.29 — engine's falling-knife protection flags exit rather than catching a breakdown. Specifics: Thin upside margin: 8.8%; Leverage penalty (D/E 1.2): -0.5.

Waste Connections, Inc. is the third largest solid waste services company in North America, providing non-hazardous waste collection, transfer and disposal services, including by rail, along with resource recovery primarily through recycling and renewable fuels generation, in 46... Read more

$166.29+8.8% A.UpsideScore 5.3/10#4 of 9 Waste Management
QualityF-score7 / 9FCF yield2.52%
IncomeYield0.85%(5y avg 0.69%)Payout32.97%sustainable
Stop $158.67Target $180.90(analyst − 10%)A.R:R 1.8:1
Analyst target$201.00+20.9%25 analysts
$180.90our TP
$166.29price
$201.00mean
$230

Sell if holding. Momentum 4.1/10 is below the 5.0 floor at $166.29 — engine's falling-knife protection flags exit rather than catching a breakdown. Specifics: Thin upside margin: 8.8%; Leverage penalty (D/E 1.2): -0.5. Chart setup: RSI 44 mid-range, Bollinger mid-band. Score 5.3/10, moderate confidence.

Passes 7/9 gates (favorable risk/reward ratio, clean insider activity, no SEC red flags, news events none recent, earnings proximity 67d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on weak momentum and death cross (50MA < 200MA). Suitability: moderate.

news + 30-day 8-K events · 5-min refresh

Recent developments

updated 2026-08-15
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Tue, Oct 20, 202667d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
Strong earnings beat streak (4/4)
Positive insider activity
Risks
Thin upside margin: 8.8%
Leverage penalty (D/E 1.2): -0.5
Weak growth

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)40.0
P/E (Fwd)26.7
Mkt Cap$41.6B
EV/EBITDA16.4
Profit Mgn10.9%
ROE13.0%
Rev Growth6.4%
Beta0.48
Dividend0.85%
Rating analysts20

Quality Signals

Piotroski F7/9MoatNarrow

Options Flow

P/C1.25bearish
IV45%normal

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

2 floor-breakers

Growth below the gate floor. Component breakdown shows what dragged the score down.static

Earnings Growth
2.9
Revenue Growth
4.1

Ranks in the bottom of its industry peers on the composite signal. Better names in the same sector exist.static

Value Rank
1.3
Growth Rank
5.0
Quality Rank
5.6
GatesMomentum 4.1<4.5Death cross (50MA < 200MA)A.R:R 1.8 ≥ 1.5Insider activity: OKNo SEC red flagsNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 67d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARRange BoundSuitability: Moderate
RSI
44 · Neutral
20D MA 50D MA 200D MADEATH CROSSSupport $162.28Resistance $174.22

Price Targets

$159
$181
A.Upside+8.8%
A.R:R1.8:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeSteady

Risk Alerts

! momentum at 4.1 (below the engine's 4.5 threshold)
! Death cross — 50-day MA below 200-day MA

Earnings

B
B
B
B
4/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-10-20 (67d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WCN stock a buy right now?

Sell if holding. Momentum 4.1/10 is below the 5.0 floor at $166.29 — engine's falling-knife protection flags exit rather than catching a breakdown. Specifics: Thin upside margin: 8.8%; Leverage penalty (D/E 1.2): -0.5. Chart setup: RSI 44 mid-range, Bollinger mid-band. Prior stop was $158.67. Score 5.3/10, moderate confidence.

What is the WCN stock price target?

Take-profit target: $180.90 (+8.8% upside). Prior stop was $158.67. Stop-loss: $158.67.

What are the risks of investing in WCN?

Thin upside margin: 8.8%; Leverage penalty (D/E 1.2): -0.5; Weak growth.

Is WCN overvalued or undervalued?

Waste Connections, Inc. trades at a P/E of 40.0 (forward 26.7). TrendMatrix value score: 4.6/10. Verdict: Sell.

What do analysts say about WCN?

20 analysts cover WCN with a consensus score of 4.2/5. Average price target: $201.

What does Waste Connections, Inc. do?Waste Connections, Inc. is the third largest solid waste services company in North America, providing non-hazardous...

Waste Connections, Inc. is the third largest solid waste services company in North America, providing non-hazardous waste collection, transfer and disposal services, including by rail, along with resource recovery primarily through recycling and renewable fuels generation, in 46 states in the U.S. and six provinces in Canada.

Related stocks: CLH (Clean Harbors, Inc.) · CWST (Casella Waste Systems, Inc.) · RSG (Republic Services, Inc.) · WM (Waste Management, Inc.) · GFL (GFL Environmental Inc. Subordin)
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