GPN vs. WCN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at GPN and WCN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | GPN | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Global Payments Inc. | Waste Connections, Inc. |
| Country | United States | Canada |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Financial Services | Commercial Services & Supplies |
| Market Capitalization | 21.48 billion USD | 44.66 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | January 16, 2001 | May 22, 1998 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of GPN 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | GPN | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.44% | -0.81% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 9.77% | -2.80% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -4.79% | -14.04% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -9.27% | 0.56% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 6.56% | -1.08% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -21.00% | -1.85% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.13M | 0.26M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.50M | 0.31M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 35.89% | 14.64% |
| Beta | 0.84 | 0.42 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
GPN
6.36%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 39.28%
- Q3
- 18.88%
- Median
- 9.97%
- Q1
- 4.03%
- Min
- -10.25%
GPN’s Return on Equity of 6.36% is on par with the norm for the Financial Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
WCN
7.93%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 31.93%
- Q3
- 16.86%
- Median
- 10.28%
- Q1
- 6.63%
- Min
- 0.71%
WCN’s Return on Equity of 7.93% is on par with the norm for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
GPN
15.07%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 52.16%
- Q3
- 25.35%
- Median
- 12.68%
- Q1
- 6.11%
- Min
- -11.69%
GPN’s Net Profit Margin of 15.07% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Financial Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
WCN
6.97%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 16.98%
- Q3
- 9.05%
- Median
- 5.35%
- Q1
- 3.42%
- Min
- -2.31%
WCN’s Net Profit Margin of 6.97% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
GPN
23.26%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 75.57%
- Q3
- 37.78%
- Median
- 19.09%
- Q1
- 10.04%
- Min
- -19.42%
GPN’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.26% is around the midpoint for the Financial Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
WCN
12.19%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 23.33%
- Q3
- 12.51%
- Median
- 8.33%
- Q1
- 4.45%
- Min
- -2.90%
WCN’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.19% is around the midpoint for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | GPN | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 6.36% | 7.93% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 2.96% | 3.19% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.07% | 6.97% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 23.26% | 12.19% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 65.01% | 42.03% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
GPN
0.95
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 4.83
- Q3
- 2.70
- Median
- 1.44
- Q1
- 0.86
- Min
- 0.01
For the Financial Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
WCN
0.67
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 3.73
- Q3
- 2.13
- Median
- 1.31
- Q1
- 0.91
- Min
- 0.59
WCN’s Current Ratio of 0.67 falls into the lower quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies 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 (MRQ)
GPN
0.74
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.14
- Median
- 0.66
- Q1
- 0.12
- Min
- 0.00
The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Financial Services industry.
WCN
1.00
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 2.24
- Q3
- 1.14
- Median
- 0.76
- Q1
- 0.36
- Min
- 0.00
WCN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.00 is typical for the Commercial Services & Supplies 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 (TTM)
GPN
5.15
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 136.23
- Q3
- 56.08
- Median
- 6.55
- Q1
- 2.01
- Min
- -33.27
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial Services industry.
WCN
3.42
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 24.70
- Q3
- 13.44
- Median
- 9.06
- Q1
- 3.42
- Min
- -10.97
WCN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.42 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | GPN | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.95 | 0.67 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.90 | 0.57 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.74 | 1.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 5.15 | 3.42 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
GPN
1.15%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 8.12%
- Q3
- 3.37%
- Median
- 1.70%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
GPN’s Dividend Yield of 1.15% is consistent with its peers in the Financial Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
WCN
0.71%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 3.65%
- Q3
- 2.43%
- Median
- 1.58%
- Q1
- 0.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
WCN’s Dividend Yield of 0.71% is in the lower quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
GPN
17.30%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 132.10%
- Q3
- 64.32%
- Median
- 18.23%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
GPN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 17.30% is within the typical range for the Financial Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
WCN
28.21%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 137.88%
- Q3
- 73.07%
- Median
- 44.79%
- Q1
- 27.66%
- Min
- 0.00%
WCN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 28.21% is within the typical range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | GPN | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.15% | 0.71% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 17.30% | 28.21% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
GPN
15.00
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 45.81
- Q3
- 30.21
- Median
- 16.29
- Q1
- 10.14
- Min
- 0.70
GPN’s P/E Ratio of 15.00 is within the middle range for the Financial Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
WCN
69.38
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 57.87
- Q3
- 33.40
- Median
- 23.56
- Q1
- 15.28
- Min
- 6.56
At 69.38, WCN’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
GPN
2.26
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 10.88
- Q3
- 5.34
- Median
- 2.64
- Q1
- 1.24
- Min
- 0.06
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial Services industry.
WCN
4.84
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.84
- Q3
- 2.58
- Median
- 1.09
- Q1
- 0.62
- Min
- 0.06
WCN’s P/S Ratio of 4.84 is in the upper echelon for the Commercial Services & Supplies 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 (MRQ)
GPN
0.86
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 7.93
- Q3
- 3.78
- Median
- 1.49
- Q1
- 0.88
- Min
- 0.08
GPN’s P/B Ratio of 0.86 is in the lower quartile for the Financial Services industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
WCN
5.64
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 6.40
- Q3
- 3.97
- Median
- 2.44
- Q1
- 1.60
- Min
- 0.40
WCN’s P/B Ratio of 5.64 is in the upper tier for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | GPN | WCN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 15.00 | 69.38 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.26 | 4.84 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 0.86 | 5.64 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 6.87 | 39.17 |