AXON vs. WCN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AXON and WCN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
AXON’s market capitalization stands at 61.93 billion USD, while WCN’s is 46.70 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
AXON’s beta of 1.28 points to significantly higher volatility compared to WCN (beta: 0.62), suggesting AXON has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
| Symbol | AXON | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Axon Enterprise, Inc. | Waste Connections, Inc. |
| Country | US | CA |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Aerospace & Defense | Waste Management |
| CEO | Patrick W. Smith | Ronald J. Mittelstaedt |
| Price | 795.48 USD | 180.73 USD |
| Market Cap | 61.93 billion USD | 46.70 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.28 | 0.62 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | June 19, 2001 | May 22, 1998 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AXON and WCN by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AXON
14.86%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 42.57%
- Q3
- 16.67%
- Median
- 8.39%
- Q1
- -0.77%
- Min
- -23.36%
AXON’s Return on Equity of 14.86% is on par with the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
WCN
7.83%
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 40.07%
- Q3
- 22.07%
- Median
- 11.65%
- Q1
- -3.10%
- Min
- -27.58%
WCN’s Return on Equity of 7.83% is on par with the norm for the Waste Management industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
AXON
0.68%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 23.42%
- Q3
- 8.86%
- Median
- 5.47%
- Q1
- -5.60%
- Min
- -22.46%
AXON’s Return on Invested Capital of 0.68% is in line with the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
WCN
4.78%
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 9.07%
- Q3
- 7.95%
- Median
- 3.52%
- Q1
- 1.30%
- Min
- -4.75%
WCN’s Return on Invested Capital of 4.78% is in line with the norm for the Waste Management industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
AXON
14.86%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 22.67%
- Q3
- 8.04%
- Median
- 4.95%
- Q1
- -5.07%
- Min
- -16.58%
A Net Profit Margin of 14.86% places AXON in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
WCN
6.93%
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 12.88%
- Q3
- 11.97%
- Median
- 6.76%
- Q1
- -0.76%
- Min
- -9.89%
WCN’s Net Profit Margin of 6.93% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Waste Management industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
AXON
1.50%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 22.01%
- Q3
- 11.49%
- Median
- 8.96%
- Q1
- 3.77%
- Min
- -4.96%
AXON’s Operating Profit Margin of 1.50% is in the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
WCN
12.19%
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 20.22%
- Q3
- 13.63%
- Median
- 7.87%
- Q1
- 1.29%
- Min
- -5.01%
WCN’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.19% is around the midpoint for the Waste Management industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AXON | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 14.86% | 7.83% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 5.44% | 3.11% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 0.68% | 4.78% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.86% | 6.93% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 1.50% | 12.19% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 60.44% | 38.88% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AXON
2.83
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 5.13
- Q3
- 3.36
- Median
- 2.16
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.41
AXON’s Current Ratio of 2.83 aligns with the median group of the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
WCN
0.70
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 2.37
- Q3
- 1.98
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.79
- Min
- 0.66
WCN’s Current Ratio of 0.70 falls into the lower quartile for the Waste Management industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AXON
0.80
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 1.20
- Q3
- 0.73
- Median
- 0.51
- Q1
- 0.09
- Min
- 0.00
AXON’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Aerospace & Defense industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.80. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
WCN
1.09
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 2.64
- Q3
- 1.57
- Median
- 1.12
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.07
WCN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.09 is typical for the Waste Management industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AXON
2.53
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 12.62
- Q3
- 7.38
- Median
- 2.95
- Q1
- 1.68
- Min
- -6.68
AXON’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.53 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
WCN
3.36
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 6.06
- Q3
- 5.49
- Median
- 2.34
- Q1
- 0.26
- Min
- -2.04
WCN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.36 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Waste Management industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AXON | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 2.83 | 0.70 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 2.62 | 0.70 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.80 | 1.09 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.34 | 0.43 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 4.16 | 3.73 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 2.53 | 3.36 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AXON and WCN. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AXON
0.00%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 6.00%
- Q3
- 0.66%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AXON currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
WCN
0.68%
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 1.38%
- Q3
- 0.73%
- Median
- 0.06%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WCN’s Dividend Yield of 0.68% is consistent with its peers in the Waste Management industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AXON
0.00%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 172.02%
- Q3
- 32.47%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AXON has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
WCN
49.31%
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 49.31%
- Q3
- 43.13%
- Median
- 17.31%
- Q1
- 0.26%
- Min
- 0.00%
WCN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 49.31% is in the upper quartile for the Waste Management industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AXON | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.68% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 49.31% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AXON
184.79
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 75.34
- Q3
- 54.40
- Median
- 38.63
- Q1
- 26.10
- Min
- 16.44
At 184.79, AXON’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
WCN
74.18
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 76.31
- Q3
- 66.40
- Median
- 35.51
- Q1
- 32.40
- Min
- 9.07
A P/E Ratio of 74.18 places WCN in the upper quartile for the Waste Management industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AXON
8.54
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 10.68
- Q3
- 5.36
- Median
- 2.31
- Q1
- 1.47
- Min
- 0.01
A Forward PEG Ratio of 8.54 places AXON in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
WCN
6.34
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 6.52
- Q3
- 4.74
- Median
- 2.97
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.06
A Forward PEG Ratio of 6.34 places WCN in the upper quartile for the Waste Management industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AXON
27.81
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 19.34
- Q3
- 9.54
- Median
- 2.71
- Q1
- 1.59
- Min
- 0.35
With a P/S Ratio of 27.81, AXON trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Aerospace & Defense industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
WCN
5.15
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 5.29
- Q3
- 4.49
- Median
- 3.59
- Q1
- 1.82
- Min
- 0.31
WCN’s P/S Ratio of 5.15 is in the upper echelon for the Waste Management industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AXON
23.93
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 16.08
- Q3
- 8.12
- Median
- 4.12
- Q1
- 2.69
- Min
- 0.69
At 23.93, AXON’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Aerospace & Defense industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
WCN
5.82
Waste Management Industry
- Max
- 10.62
- Q3
- 6.13
- Median
- 4.78
- Q1
- 2.85
- Min
- 1.68
WCN’s P/B Ratio of 5.82 is within the conventional range for the Waste Management industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AXON | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 184.79 | 74.18 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 8.54 | 6.34 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 27.81 | 5.15 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 23.93 | 5.82 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 170.80 | 39.54 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 274.06 | 24.02 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 28.23 | 6.09 |