MUFG Securities EMEA plc Takes $15.79 Million Position in Waste Connections, Inc. $WCN

MUFG Securities EMEA plc bought a new stake in shares of Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 90,000 shares of the business services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $15,788,000.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. City Holding Co. purchased a new position in shares of Waste Connections during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Waste Connections during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp purchased a new position in shares of Waste Connections during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Greykasell Wealth Strategies Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Waste Connections by 555.2% during the 3rd quarter. Greykasell Wealth Strategies Inc. now owns 190 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 161 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking S.P.A. purchased a new position in shares of Waste Connections during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $36,000. 86.09% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Eric Hansen sold 6,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.82, for a total transaction of $988,920.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 13,350 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,200,347. The trade was a 31.01% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, VP James Little sold 2,605 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $163.98, for a total transaction of $427,167.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president directly owned 34,395 shares in the company, valued at $5,640,092.10. The trade was a 7.04% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock.

Waste Connections Price Performance

Shares of NYSE WCN opened at $149.13 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $38.06 billion, a PE ratio of 36.37, a PEG ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.55. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $158.96 and a 200 day moving average of $166.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.69. Waste Connections, Inc. has a one year low of $148.84 and a one year high of $197.35.

Waste Connections (NYSE:WCN) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The business services provider reported $1.23 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.19 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $2.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.50 billion. Waste Connections had a net margin of 10.97% and a return on equity of 16.49%. The company’s revenue was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.13 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Waste Connections, Inc. will post 5.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Waste Connections Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 21st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 6th were given a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 6th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. Waste Connections’s payout ratio is presently 34.15%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WCN has been the subject of several recent research reports. Morgan Stanley set a $205.00 target price on shares of Waste Connections and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, February 13th. Barclays set a $180.00 target price on shares of Waste Connections and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. TD Cowen cut their target price on shares of Waste Connections from $210.00 to $200.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 13th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Waste Connections from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 13th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $218.00 price target (up from $210.00) on shares of Waste Connections in a report on Friday, April 24th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $203.35.

Waste Connections Company Profile

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.