Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN) Receives $206.50 Average PT from Analysts

Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN) has been assigned a consensus rating of “Buy” from the twenty-two research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, fourteen have assigned a buy recommendation and four have issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $204.20.

Several analysts have recently commented on WCN shares. BNP Paribas Exane initiated coverage on Waste Connections in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. They issued an “outperform” rating for the company. Morgan Stanley set a $205.00 price target on shares of Waste Connections and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $205.00 price objective (up previously from $200.00) on shares of Waste Connections in a research note on Monday, January 5th. TD Cowen decreased their target price on shares of Waste Connections from $210.00 to $200.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Waste Connections in a report on Thursday, November 13th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $186.00 price objective for the company.

Waste Connections News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Waste Connections this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company raised FY?2026 revenue guidance to roughly $9.9B–$9.95B and cited AI-driven efficiency plus acquisition synergies as drivers of margin improvement — a key fundamental reason investors are bullish on forward growth and margins. Waste Connections targets $9.9B–$9.95B 2026 revenue as AI and acquisition gains bolster margin outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat estimates ($1.29 vs $1.28) and EPS rose year?over?year; management highlighted margin expansion and efficiency initiatives on the earnings call — supports the stock’s upward move. Waste Connections Posts Strong Q4 Results, Raises 2026 Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.35 (ex?dividend Feb 25), which supports income investors and adds to shareholder return credibility.
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue was effectively in line/slightly below consensus ($2.35B reported vs. $2.37B expected) — mixed top?line print offsets the small EPS beat and tempers the bullish case. Waste Connections (WCN) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyses and deep dives highlight margin expansion and operational efficiency initiatives; useful context for modeling but largely qualitative until converted into sustained margin outperformance. WCN Q4 Deep Dive: Margin Expansion and Efficiency Initiatives Amid Market Pressures
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation write?ups are revisiting WCN after recent share?price weakness — watch valuation multiples and how analysts adjust long?term EPS assumptions. A Look At Waste Connections (WCN) Valuation After Recent Share Price Weakness
• Negative Sentiment: TD Cowen trimmed its price target from $210 to $200 (but kept a Buy rating) — a downward revision that signals some analyst caution on near?term upside/valuation even as the team remains constructive. Benzinga

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of WCN. City Holding Co. acquired a new position in Waste Connections during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new stake in Waste Connections during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Asset Dedication LLC bought a new position in shares of Waste Connections in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Connections in the third quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Waste Connections by 346.2% during the 4th 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. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.09% of the company’s stock.

Waste Connections Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE WCN opened at $160.41 on Monday. Waste Connections has a 52-week low of $155.65 and a 52-week high of $201.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.47, a PEG ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $170.75 and its 200 day simple moving average is $174.43.

Waste Connections (NYSE:WCN) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The business services provider reported $1.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.28 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $2.35 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.37 billion. Waste Connections had a return on equity of 16.25% and a net margin of 11.37%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.16 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Waste Connections will post 5.28 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Connections Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 12th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 25th will be paid a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 25th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. Waste Connections’s payout ratio is presently 33.57%.

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.