Bluegrass Capital Partners LP Sells 5,500 Shares of Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN)

Bluegrass Capital Partners LP lessened its stake in Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN) by 15.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 29,000 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 5,500 shares during the period. Waste Connections comprises approximately 4.4% of Bluegrass Capital Partners LP’s portfolio, making the stock its 10th largest position. Bluegrass Capital Partners LP’s holdings in Waste Connections were worth $4,976,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Manchester Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Waste Connections during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Private Trust Co. NA increased its stake in Waste Connections by 153.3% during the 4th quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 152 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 92 shares during the period. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in Waste Connections during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Waste Connections by 59.7% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 190 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the period. Finally, Sierra Ocean LLC acquired a new position in shares of Waste Connections in the fourth quarter worth $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.09% of the company’s stock.

Waste Connections Stock Down 1.2 %

Shares of NYSE WCN opened at $186.16 on Tuesday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $183.06 and a 200 day moving average price of $182.55. The stock has a market cap of $48.04 billion, a PE ratio of 77.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a quick ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03. Waste Connections, Inc. has a 52-week low of $160.34 and a 52-week high of $194.83.

Waste Connections (NYSE:WCN) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 12th. The business services provider reported $1.16 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.20 by ($0.04). Waste Connections had a net margin of 6.92% and a return on equity of 15.54%. Equities research analysts forecast that Waste Connections, Inc. will post 5.28 earnings per share for the current year.

Waste Connections Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 13th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 27th will be issued a $0.315 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 27th. This represents a $1.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.68%. Waste Connections’s payout ratio is 52.72%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently issued reports on WCN shares. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on Waste Connections from $225.00 to $210.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. StockNews.com lowered Waste Connections from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report 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. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Waste Connections from $195.00 to $196.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, January 13th. Finally, 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 report on Friday, February 14th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $202.43.

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.