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WCNWaste Connections, Inc.Hold5.3·$161.03+0.81%
HoldHigh 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 ReliabilityDeteriorating
  • Confirmed Price Downtrend Below 200maImproving
  • Analyst Consensus Upside 18 PercentImproving
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN) Stock Analysis

Oversold Bounce setup

HoldHigh Confidence

Industrials · Waste Management

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $161.03, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=5.4); Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7.

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

$161.03+12.1% A.UpsideScore 5.3/10#4 of 9 Waste Management
QualityF-score7 / 9FCF yield2.61%
IncomeYield0.88%(5y avg 0.69%)Payout32.97%sustainable
Stop $155.43Target $180.54(analyst − 10%)A.R:R 2.4:1
Analyst target$200.60+24.6%25 analysts
$180.54our TP
$161.03price
$200.60mean
$220

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $161.03, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=5.4); Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7. Chart setup: Oversold RSI 30, near Bollinger lower, volume surge. Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position. | News modifier +2 (SELL_IF_HOLDING → HOLD_IF_HOLDING) Score 5.3/10, high confidence.

Passes 7/8 gates (favorable risk/reward ratio, clean insider activity, no SEC red flags, news events none recent, earnings proximity 36d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on weak momentum. Suitability: moderate.

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

Recent developments

updated 2026-09-14
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Tue, Oct 20, 202636d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
Strong earnings beat streak (4/4)
Positive news sentiment (+0.67)
Risks
V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=5.4)
Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7
Leverage penalty (D/E 1.2): -0.5

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)38.6
P/E (Fwd)25.7
Mkt Cap$40.2B
EV/EBITDA15.9
Profit Mgn10.9%
ROE13.0%
Rev Growth6.4%
Beta0.47
Dividend0.88%
Rating analysts20

Quality Signals

Piotroski F7/9MoatNarrow

Options Flow

P/C0.27bullish
IV60%elevated
Max Pain$125-22.4% vs spot

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·1 ceiling hit

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 4.2<4.5A.R:R 2.4 ≥ 1.5Insider activity: OKNo SEC red flagsNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 36d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEAROversold BounceSuitability: Moderate
RSI
30 · Oversold
20D MA 50D MA 200D MAGOLDEN CROSSSupport $158.85Resistance $171.40

Price Targets

$155
$181
A.Upside+12.1%
A.R:R2.4:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeRisk-Off

Risk Alerts

! News modifier +2: SELL_IF_HOLDING → HOLD_IF_HOLDING
! momentum at 4.2 (below the engine's 4.5 threshold)

Earnings

B
B
B
B
4/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-10-20 (36d)

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?

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $161.03, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=5.4); Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7. Chart setup: Oversold RSI 30, near Bollinger lower, volume surge. Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position. | News modifier +2 (SELL_IF_HOLDING → HOLD_IF_HOLDING) Target $180.54 (+12.1%), stop $155.43 (−3.6%), A.R:R 2.4:1. Score 5.3/10, high confidence.

What is the WCN stock price target?

Take-profit target: $180.54 (+12.1% upside). Target $180.54 (+12.1%), stop $155.43 (−3.6%), A.R:R 2.4:1. Stop-loss: $155.43.

What are the risks of investing in WCN?

V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=5.4); Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7; Leverage penalty (D/E 1.2): -0.5.

Is WCN overvalued or undervalued?

Waste Connections, Inc. trades at a P/E of 38.6 (forward 25.7). TrendMatrix value score: 4.9/10. Verdict: Hold.

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.) · RSG (Republic Services, Inc.) · CWST (Casella Waste Systems, Inc.) · WM (Waste Management, Inc.) · GFL (GFL Environmental Inc. Subordin)
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