Waste Connections (NYSE:WCN – Get Free Report) and Vestis (NYSE:VSTS – Get Free Report) are both industrials companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, risk, valuation, analyst recommendations, profitability and institutional ownership.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for Waste Connections and Vestis, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Waste Connections | 0 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 2.95 |
| Vestis | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1.62 |
Waste Connections currently has a consensus target price of $203.22, indicating a potential upside of 9.06%. Vestis has a consensus target price of $12.66, indicating a potential downside of 13.50%. Given Waste Connections’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Waste Connections is more favorable than Vestis.
Institutional and Insider Ownership
86.1% of Waste Connections shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 97.4% of Vestis shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.3% of Waste Connections shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 15.7% of Vestis shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Risk and Volatility
Waste Connections has a beta of 0.43, meaning that its share price is 57% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Vestis has a beta of 0.83, meaning that its share price is 17% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Profitability
This table compares Waste Connections and Vestis’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Waste Connections | 11.40% | 17.76% | 6.69% |
| Vestis | -0.20% | 7.27% | 2.20% |
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Waste Connections and Vestis”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Waste Connections | $9.47 billion | 4.93 | $1.08 billion | $4.47 | 41.69 |
| Vestis | $2.73 billion | 0.71 | -$40.22 million | ($0.05) | -292.70 |
Waste Connections has higher revenue and earnings than Vestis. Vestis is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Waste Connections, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Summary
Waste Connections beats Vestis on 12 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Waste Connections
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. The company owns and operates transfer stations that receive compact and/or load waste to be transported to landfills or treatment facilities through truck, rail, or barge; and intermodal services for the rail haul movement of cargo and solid waste containers in the Pacific Northwest through a network of intermodal facilities. In addition, it provides E&P waste treatment, recovery, and disposal services for waste resulting from oil and natural gas exploration and production activity, such as drilling fluids, drill cuttings, completion fluids, and flowback water; production wastes and produced water during a well's operating life; contaminated soils that require treatment during site reclamation; and substances, which require clean-up after a spill, reserve pit clean-up, or pipeline rupture. Further, the company offers leasing services to its customers. Waste Connections, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in Woodbridge, Canada.
About Vestis
Vestis Corporation provides uniform rentals and workplace supplies in the United States and Canada. Its products include uniform options, such as shirts, pants, outerwear, gowns, scrubs, high visibility garments, particulate-free garments, and flame-resistant garments, as well as shoes and accessories; and workplace supplies, including managed restroom supply services, first-aid supplies and safety products, floor mats, towels, and linens. The company serves manufacturing, hospitality, retail, food processing, food service, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, automotive, and cleanroom industries. Vestis Corporation was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Roswell, Georgia.
Receive News & Ratings for Waste Connections Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Waste Connections and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
