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CLH vs. ULS: Clean Harbors vs. UL Stock Comparison

How do Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS) both fall under the Commercial & Professional Services industry group, but CLH is classified in Commercial Services & Supplies while ULS is classified in Professional Services.

Clean Harbors (CLH) carries decades of public-market history since November 24, 1987, while UL (ULS) listed on April 12, 2024 — long-window comparisons have far more historical data on the CLH side.

Company profile comparison for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS)
Profile ItemCLHULS
NameClean Harbors, Inc.UL Solutions Inc. Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCommercial & Professional ServicesCommercial & Professional Services
GICS IndustryCommercial Services & SuppliesProfessional Services
GICS Sub-IndustryEnvironmental & Facilities ServicesResearch & Consulting Services
Market Capitalization14.98 billion USD15.88 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateNovember 24, 1987April 12, 2024
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CLH
ULS
GSPC
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS)
MetricCLHULS
Total Return (1Y)38.70%-3.81%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)22.86%--
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)21.84%--

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CLH
ULS
GSPC
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS)
MetricCLHULS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.31%42.88%
Beta (5Y)0.870.52
Max Drawdown (5Y)-30.86%-38.75%
Avg. Volume (3M)465.54K879.46K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CLH and ULS are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS)
MetricCLHULS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.36-0.19
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.09-0.28

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

UL (ULS) at 36.51% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Clean Harbors (CLH) at 17.93% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ULS.

CLH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

17.93%

Max
47.06%
Q3
25.43%
CLH
17.93%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
Min
-20.15%

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

36.51%

Max
47.06%
ULS
36.51%
Q3
25.43%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
Min
-20.15%
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

UL (ULS) at 16.13% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Clean Harbors (CLH) at 8.05%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CLH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

8.05%

Max
23.28%
Q3
11.35%
CLH
8.05%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
Min
-8.60%

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

16.13%

Max
23.28%
ULS
16.13%
Q3
11.35%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
Min
-8.60%
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

UL (ULS) at 19.81% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Clean Harbors (CLH) at 17.02%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CLH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

17.02%

Max
38.50%
Q3
18.84%
CLH
17.02%
Median
10.40%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

19.81%

Max
38.50%
ULS
19.81%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS)
MetricCLHULS
ROE (TTM)17.93%36.51%
ROA (TTM)6.94%11.46%
Net Margin (TTM)8.05%16.13%
Operating Margin (TTM)17.02%19.81%
Gross Margin (TTM)33.13%50.69%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Clean Harbors (CLH) at 2.39% and UL (ULS) at 6.38% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Clean Harbors (CLH) at -1.89% and UL (ULS) at -1.23% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS)
MetricCLHULS
Revenue Growth (YoY)2.39%6.38%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.29%6.60%
EPS Growth (YoY)-1.89%-1.23%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.25%2.98%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Clean Harbors (CLH) at 1.95 and UL (ULS) at 2.09 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

CLH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.95

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
CLH
1.95
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
Min
0.45

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.09

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
ULS
2.09
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
Min
0.45
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Clean Harbors (CLH) at 1.08 and UL (ULS) at 0.54 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

CLH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.08

Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
CLH
1.08
Median
0.88
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.54

Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
Median
0.88
ULS
0.54
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS)
MetricCLHULS
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.952.09
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.080.54
Net Debt / EBITDA2.12-0.11

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Clean Harbors (CLH) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile UL (ULS) reports a yield of 0.74%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CLH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.00%

Max
4.33%
Q3
1.80%
Median
0.60%
CLH
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.74%

Max
4.33%
Q3
1.80%
ULS
0.74%
Median
0.60%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Clean Harbors (CLH) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile UL (ULS) reports a payout of 22.42%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CLH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.00%

Max
99.58%
Q3
41.99%
Median
17.27%
CLH
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

22.42%

Max
99.58%
Q3
41.99%
ULS
22.42%
Median
17.27%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS)
MetricCLHULS
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.74%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%22.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Clean Harbors (CLH) at 28.50 and UL (ULS) at 31.21 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

CLH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

28.50

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
CLH
28.50
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.21

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
ULS
31.21
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Clean Harbors (CLH) at 2.28 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while UL (ULS) at 4.98 sits in the pricier quartile — ULS costs more per dollar of sales.

CLH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.28

Max
7.17
Q3
3.35
CLH
2.28
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

4.98

Max
7.17
ULS
4.98
Q3
3.35
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Clean Harbors (CLH) at 4.81 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while UL (ULS) at 9.32 carries an above-peer premium to book — ULS is pricier on assets.

CLH

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

4.81

Max
11.25
Q3
6.08
CLH
4.81
Median
2.92
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

9.32

Max
11.25
ULS
9.32
Q3
6.08
Median
2.92
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. UL (ULS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and UL (ULS)
MetricCLHULS
P/E Ratio (TTM)28.5031.21
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.284.98
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.819.32
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.76%2.94%