CLH vs. VLTO: Clean Harbors vs. Veralto Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Clean Harbors (CLH) and Veralto (VLTO) 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 Veralto (VLTO) are both classified in the Environmental & Facilities Services sub-industry within the broader Commercial Services & Supplies industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Clean Harbors (CLH) has more than two decades of public-market history since November 24, 1987, whereas Veralto (VLTO) listed on October 4, 2023 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Veralto (VLTO)
Profile Item	CLH	VLTO
Name	Clean Harbors, Inc.	Veralto Corporation
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Commercial & Professional Services	Commercial & Professional Services
GICS Industry	Commercial Services & Supplies	Commercial Services & Supplies
GICS Sub-Industry	Environmental & Facilities Services	Environmental & Facilities Services
Market Capitalization	14.98 billion USD	28.47 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	November 24, 1987	October 4, 2023
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CLH

VLTO

GSPC

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO), 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 Veralto (VLTO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Veralto (VLTO)
Metric	CLH	VLTO
Total Return (1Y)	38.70%	20.35%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	22.86%	19.78%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	21.84%	--

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CLH

VLTO

GSPC

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO), 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 Veralto (VLTO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Veralto (VLTO)
Metric	CLH	VLTO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	25.31%	24.45%
Beta (5Y)	0.87	0.45
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-30.86%	-27.09%
Avg. Volume (3M)	465.54K	1.77M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CLH and VLTO 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 Veralto (VLTO)
Metric	CLH	VLTO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.36	0.66
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	2.09	1.04

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Veralto (VLTO) at 32.96% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Clean Harbors (CLH) at 17.93% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for VLTO.

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%

VLTO

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

32.96%

Max: 47.06%
VLTO: 32.96%
Q3: 25.43%
Median: 14.11%
Q1: 3.92%
Min: -20.15%

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Veralto (VLTO) at 17.27% 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%

VLTO

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

17.27%

Max: 23.28%
VLTO: 17.27%
Q3: 11.35%
Median: 5.65%
Q1: 0.87%
Min: -8.60%

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Veralto (VLTO) at 19.42% 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%

VLTO

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

19.42%

Max: 38.50%
VLTO: 19.42%
Q3: 18.84%
Median: 10.40%
Q1: 5.59%
Min: -12.00%

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Veralto (VLTO)
Metric	CLH	VLTO
ROE (TTM)	17.93%	32.96%
ROA (TTM)	6.94%	9.96%
Net Margin (TTM)	8.05%	17.27%
Operating Margin (TTM)	17.02%	19.42%
Gross Margin (TTM)	33.13%	59.84%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Clean Harbors (CLH) at 2.39% and Veralto (VLTO) at 5.97% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

Both Clean Harbors (CLH) at -1.89% and Veralto (VLTO) at 12.57% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Veralto (VLTO)
Metric	CLH	VLTO
Revenue Growth (YoY)	2.39%	5.97%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.29%	4.16%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-1.89%	12.57%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-1.25%	3.16%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Clean Harbors (CLH) at 1.95 and Veralto (VLTO) at 2.03 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

VLTO

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.03

Max: 3.63
Q3: 2.14
VLTO: 2.03
Median: 1.55
Q1: 1.09
Min: 0.45

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO): 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 Veralto (VLTO) at 0.97 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

VLTO

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.97

Max: 2.37
Q3: 1.25
VLTO: 0.97
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.35
Min: 0.00

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO): 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 Veralto (VLTO)
Metric	CLH	VLTO
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.95	2.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.08	0.97
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.12	0.99

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 Veralto (VLTO) reports a yield of 0.45%, 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%

VLTO

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.45%

Max: 4.33%
Q3: 1.80%
Median: 0.60%
VLTO: 0.45%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO): 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 Veralto (VLTO) reports a payout of 12.84%, 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%

VLTO

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

12.84%

Max: 99.58%
Q3: 41.99%
Median: 17.27%
VLTO: 12.84%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -17.94%

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Veralto (VLTO)
Metric	CLH	VLTO
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	0.45%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	12.84%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Clean Harbors (CLH) at 28.50 and Veralto (VLTO) at 28.91 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

VLTO

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

28.91

Max: 49.47
Q3: 33.76
VLTO: 28.91
Median: 24.16
Q1: 16.01
Min: 1.89

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO): 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 Veralto (VLTO) at 4.91 sits in the pricier quartile — VLTO 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

VLTO

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

4.91

Max: 7.17
VLTO: 4.91
Q3: 3.35
Median: 1.33
Q1: 0.69
Min: 0.11

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO): 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 Veralto (VLTO) at 8.82 carries an above-peer premium to book — VLTO 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

VLTO

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

8.82

Max: 11.25
VLTO: 8.82
Q3: 6.08
Median: 2.92
Q1: 1.55
Min: -2.78

Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Veralto (VLTO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Veralto (VLTO)
Metric	CLH	VLTO
P/E Ratio (TTM)	28.50	28.91
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.28	4.91
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	4.81	8.82
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	2.76%	2.68%