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WCN vs WM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Waste Connections (WCN) vs. Waste Management (WM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Waste Connections (WCN) and Waste Management (WM) operate in the same environmental services sector, providing collection, recycling, and disposal services with stable, recurring revenue streams.
- WCN recently reported Q2 2026 revenue of $2.562 billion, up 6.4% year-over-year, and raised its full-year outlook following strong adjusted EBITDA margins.
- WM is scheduled to report Q2 2026 earnings later in the week, with analysts expecting revenue near $6.71 billion amid ongoing focus on operational efficiency and renewable energy initiatives.
- WM maintains a larger market capitalization and broader geographic footprint compared to WCN, supporting greater scale in acquisitions and infrastructure investments.
- Recent market activity shows both stocks reflecting sector resilience, with WCN trading near $170 and WM near $239 as of late July 2026.
- Relative performance in recent weeks highlights trade-offs between WCN’s pricing-driven growth and WM’s larger operational base and defensive characteristics.
Introduction
Waste Connections (WCN) and Waste Management (WM) represent two leading players in the environmental services industry, offering investors exposure to essential waste collection, recycling, and landfill operations. This comparison examines their business models, recent financial results, and market positioning to assist institutional and individual investors seeking defensive growth opportunities in a stable sector. Traders monitoring earnings momentum and relative valuation may find the analysis useful for assessing portfolio allocation within utilities or industrials. The review draws on verifiable developments from the past several weeks to provide context without short-term speculation.
WCN Overview and Recent Performance
Waste Connections (WCN) provides non-hazardous solid waste collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal services primarily across North America. In recent weeks, the company delivered Q2 2026 results showing revenue of $2.562 billion, a 6.4% increase year-over-year, driven by pricing gains and volume stability. Adjusted EBITDA rose 6.8% to $840.1 million, with margins at 32.8%. Management raised full-year 2026 guidance, citing continued margin expansion and acquisition activity exceeding $100 million in annualized revenue. Share repurchases reached a record $614.5 million year-to-date. Stock price behavior reflected these updates, with shares trading around $169–$170 amid positive analyst sentiment and sector-wide demand for essential services.
WM Overview and Recent Performance
Waste Management (WM) delivers comprehensive waste management solutions, including collection, recycling, and renewable energy generation from landfill gas, with operations spanning the United States and Canada. In recent market activity, the company reported strong Q1 2026 cash flow from operations up 24% to $1.5 billion while reaffirming its full-year outlook. Focus remains on operational efficiencies, automation, and expansion of recycling facilities. Ahead of its Q2 2026 earnings release scheduled for late July, analysts project revenue near $6.71 billion. Shares have traded near $238–$239, supported by the company’s larger scale and consistent execution in a defensive industry segment.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Both companies share similar business models centered on essential waste services, yet differ in scale and growth emphasis. WM operates with a significantly larger market capitalization and broader infrastructure network, enabling greater acquisition capacity and renewable energy diversification. WCN has emphasized pricing discipline and share repurchases, delivering solid organic growth in recent quarters. Momentum in recent weeks favors WCN’s just-reported earnings beat and raised outlook, while WM benefits from established market positioning ahead of its earnings release. Risk factors include commodity price exposure for recyclables in both cases, with WM carrying additional integration considerations from its size. Sector exposure remains aligned, though WM’s larger footprint may provide relative stability during economic shifts. Market sentiment reflects defensive appeal for both amid broader volatility.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as scale-driven trend consistency, established market positioning, and resilience to sector-specific variables, Tickeron’s AI would currently assign a modest probabilistic preference to WM. This assessment stems from its broader operational footprint and historical ability to sustain performance through varying economic conditions, though outcomes remain contingent on ongoing execution and external developments.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is WCN is a Hold and WM is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
WCN’s FA Score shows that 0 FA rating(s) are green whileWM’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- WCN’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
- WM’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
WCN’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WM’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- WCN’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 3 bearish.
- WM’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
Price Growth
WCN (@Environmental Services) experienced а -1.11% price change this week, while WM (@Environmental Services) price change was -2.10% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Environmental Services industry was +3.76%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +5.22%, and the average quarterly price growth was +4.89%.
Reported Earning Dates
WCN is expected to report earnings on Oct 28, 2026.
WM is expected to report earnings on Oct 27, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Environmental Services (+3.76% weekly)Environmental Services includes companies that collect and dispose of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Their services include removal of toxic waste from soil, removing medical waste etc. Some companies also operate incinerators, sewerage systems, waste treatment plants, and landfills. Demand for waste management is likely to rise with increasing urbanization/industrialization. Waste Management, Inc., Republic Services, Inc., Waste Connections, Inc. and Tetra Tech, Inc. are some of the major companies in this business.
| WCN | WM | WCN / WM | |
| Capitalization | 41.6B | 89.6B | 46% |
| EBITDA | 3.01B | 7.46B | 40% |
| Gain YTD | -4.993 | 2.898 | -172% |
| P/E Ratio | 39.98 | 59.04 | 68% |
| Revenue | 9.76B | 25.7B | 38% |
| Total Cash | N/A | 557M | - |
| Total Debt | 9.61B | 23.4B | 41% |
WCN | WM | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 71 | 59 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 42 Fair valued | 39 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 50 | 22 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 62 | 34 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 57 | 58 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 93 | 10 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 45 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
WM's Valuation (39) in the Environmental Services industry is in the same range as WCN (42). This means that WM’s stock grew similarly to WCN’s over the last 12 months.
WM's Profit vs Risk Rating (22) in the Environmental Services industry is in the same range as WCN (50). This means that WM’s stock grew similarly to WCN’s over the last 12 months.
WM's SMR Rating (34) in the Environmental Services industry is in the same range as WCN (62). This means that WM’s stock grew similarly to WCN’s over the last 12 months.
WCN's Price Growth Rating (57) in the Environmental Services industry is in the same range as WM (58). This means that WCN’s stock grew similarly to WM’s over the last 12 months.
WM's P/E Growth Rating (10) in the Environmental Services industry is significantly better than the same rating for WCN (93). This means that WM’s stock grew significantly faster than WCN’s over the last 12 months.
| WCN | WM | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | N/A | 1 day ago 49% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 54% | 1 day ago 48% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 44% | 1 day ago 51% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 50% | 1 day ago 38% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 45% | 1 day ago 41% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 44% | 1 day ago 36% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 12 days ago 46% | 22 days ago 48% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 10 days ago 46% | 1 day ago 43% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | N/A | 1 day ago 61% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 39% | 1 day ago 44% |
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WM and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, WM has been closely correlated with RSG. These tickers have moved in lockstep 80% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if WM jumps, then RSG could also see price increases.