Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN) Receives $202.43 Average Target Price from Analysts

Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN) has earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the fifteen analysts that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, eleven have given a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $202.43.

A number of brokerages have issued reports on WCN. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Waste Connections from $214.00 to $219.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 14th. CIBC lowered their price objective on Waste Connections from $215.00 to $212.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. StockNews.com downgraded Waste Connections from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, February 14th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on Waste Connections from $225.00 to $210.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Scotiabank lowered their price objective on Waste Connections from $196.00 to $192.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 27th.

Waste Connections Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of NYSE:WCN opened at $189.35 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.65. The firm has a market capitalization of $48.86 billion, a PE ratio of 79.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.81. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $185.60 and its two-hundred day moving average is $182.61. Waste Connections has a 1 year low of $160.34 and a 1 year high of $194.83.

Waste Connections (NYSE:WCN) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The business services provider reported $1.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.20 by ($0.04). Waste Connections had a return on equity of 15.54% and a net margin of 6.92%. Analysts predict that Waste Connections will post 5.28 EPS for the current year.

Waste Connections Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 13th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 27th were issued a $0.315 dividend. This represents a $1.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.67%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 27th. Waste Connections’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 52.72%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Waste Connections

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Private Trust Co. NA boosted its holdings in shares of Waste Connections by 153.3% in the fourth quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 152 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares during the period. Manchester Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Connections in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Connections in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Connections in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Waste Connections by 59.7% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 190 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares during the period. 86.09% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Waste Connections Company Profile

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.