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CLH vs. WM: Clean Harbors vs. Waste Management Stock Comparison

How do Clean Harbors (CLH) and Waste Management (WM) 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 Waste Management (WM) 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.

Company profile comparison for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Waste Management (WM)
Profile ItemCLHWM
NameClean Harbors, Inc.Waste Management Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCommercial & Professional ServicesCommercial & Professional Services
GICS IndustryCommercial Services & SuppliesCommercial Services & Supplies
GICS Sub-IndustryEnvironmental & Facilities ServicesEnvironmental & Facilities Services
Market Capitalization14.98 billion USD93.95 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateNovember 24, 1987June 22, 1988
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CLH
WM
GSPC
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM), 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 Waste Management (WM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricCLHWM
Total Return (1Y)38.70%19.43%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)22.86%13.45%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)21.84%9.97%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CLH
WM
GSPC
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM), 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 Waste Management (WM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricCLHWM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.31%21.31%
Beta (5Y)0.870.37
Max Drawdown (5Y)-30.86%-18.14%
Avg. Volume (3M)465.54K2.24M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CLH and WM 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 Waste Management (WM)
MetricCLHWM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.360.71
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.091.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) at 31.68% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Clean Harbors (CLH) at 17.93% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for WM.

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%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.68%

Max
47.06%
WM
31.68%
Q3
25.43%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
Min
-20.15%
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) at 11.78% 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%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

11.78%

Max
23.28%
WM
11.78%
Q3
11.35%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
Min
-8.60%
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) at 19.08% 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%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

19.08%

Max
38.50%
WM
19.08%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricCLHWM
ROE (TTM)17.93%31.68%
ROA (TTM)6.94%6.69%
Net Margin (TTM)8.05%11.78%
Operating Margin (TTM)17.02%19.08%
Gross Margin (TTM)33.13%40.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Waste Management (WM) at 14.24% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Clean Harbors (CLH) at 2.39% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for WM.

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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Clean Harbors (CLH) at -1.89% and Waste Management (WM) at -1.62% 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. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricCLHWM
Revenue Growth (YoY)2.39%14.24%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.29%8.56%
EPS Growth (YoY)-1.89%-1.62%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.25%7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Clean Harbors (CLH) at 1.95 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Waste Management (WM) at 0.82 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WM.

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

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.82

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
WM
0.82
Min
0.45
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Clean Harbors (CLH) at 1.08 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Waste Management (WM) at 2.37 uses more debt funding than most peers.

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

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.37

WM
2.37
Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
Median
0.88
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM): 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 Waste Management (WM)
MetricCLHWM
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.950.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.082.37
Net Debt / EBITDA2.122.94

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 Waste Management (WM) reports a yield of 1.52%, 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%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.52%

Max
4.33%
Q3
1.80%
WM
1.52%
Median
0.60%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM): 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 Waste Management (WM) reports a payout of 48.03%, 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%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

48.03%

Max
99.58%
WM
48.03%
Q3
41.99%
Median
17.27%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricCLHWM
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%1.52%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%48.03%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Clean Harbors (CLH) at 28.50 and Waste Management (WM) at 31.01 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

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.01

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
WM
31.01
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM): 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 Waste Management (WM) at 3.60 sits in the pricier quartile — WM 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

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.60

Max
7.17
WM
3.60
Q3
3.35
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM): 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 Waste Management (WM) at 9.52 carries an above-peer premium to book — WM 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

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

9.52

Max
11.25
WM
9.52
Q3
6.08
Median
2.92
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78
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Clean Harbors (CLH) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Clean Harbors (CLH) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricCLHWM
P/E Ratio (TTM)28.5031.01
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.283.60
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.819.52
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.76%2.64%