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RSG vs. WCN: Republic Services vs. Waste Connections Stock Comparison

How do Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN) 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

Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN) 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 Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN)
Profile ItemRSGWCN
NameRepublic Services, Inc.Waste Connections Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesCanada
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCommercial & Professional ServicesCommercial & Professional Services
GICS IndustryCommercial Services & SuppliesCommercial Services & Supplies
GICS Sub-IndustryEnvironmental & Facilities ServicesEnvironmental & Facilities Services
Market Capitalization65.75 billion USD41.83 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJuly 1, 1998May 22, 1998
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

RSG
WCN
GSPC
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN), 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 Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricRSGWCN
Total Return (1Y)-6.59%-9.40%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)14.51%6.33%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)13.65%6.33%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

RSG
WCN
GSPC
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN), 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 Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricRSGWCN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)19.01%22.71%
Beta (5Y)0.390.48
Max Drawdown (5Y)-22.54%-24.90%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.59M1.56M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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RSG and WCN 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 Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricRSGWCN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.56-0.59
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.81-0.84

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 18.15% and Waste Connections (WCN) at 13.03% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

18.15%

Max
46.24%
Q3
24.40%
RSG
18.15%
Median
13.50%
Q1
0.62%
Min
-31.82%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

13.03%

Max
46.24%
Q3
24.40%
Median
13.50%
WCN
13.03%
Q1
0.62%
Min
-31.82%
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Republic Services (RSG) at 12.94% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Waste Connections (WCN) at 10.86%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

12.94%

Max
23.27%
RSG
12.94%
Q3
10.86%
Median
5.53%
Q1
0.56%
Min
-13.84%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

10.86%

Max
23.27%
WCN
10.86%
Q3
10.86%
Median
5.53%
Q1
0.56%
Min
-13.84%
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 20.43% and Waste Connections (WCN) at 19.70% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

20.43%

Max
37.53%
RSG
20.43%
Q3
17.72%
Median
9.96%
Q1
4.50%
Min
-4.70%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

19.70%

Max
37.53%
WCN
19.70%
Q3
17.72%
Median
9.96%
Q1
4.50%
Min
-4.70%
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricRSGWCN
ROE (TTM)18.15%13.03%
ROA (TTM)6.17%5.49%
Net Margin (TTM)12.94%10.86%
Operating Margin (TTM)20.43%19.70%
Gross Margin (TTM)43.04%42.53%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 3.49% and Waste Connections (WCN) at 6.14% 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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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Waste Connections (WCN) at 74.48% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Republic Services (RSG) at 5.55% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for WCN.

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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricRSGWCN
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.49%6.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.08%9.49%
EPS Growth (YoY)5.55%74.48%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.46%8.78%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 0.64 and Waste Connections (WCN) at 0.66 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.64

Max
3.24
Q3
1.98
Median
1.48
Q1
1.14
RSG
0.64
Min
0.45

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.66

Max
3.24
Q3
1.98
Median
1.48
Q1
1.14
WCN
0.66
Min
0.45
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 1.19 and Waste Connections (WCN) at 1.22 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.19

Max
2.35
Q3
1.26
RSG
1.19
Median
0.94
Q1
0.37
Min
0.00

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.22

Max
2.35
Q3
1.26
WCN
1.22
Median
0.94
Q1
0.37
Min
0.00
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricRSGWCN
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.640.66
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.191.22
Net Debt / EBITDA2.703.05

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 1.16% and Waste Connections (WCN) at 0.82% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.16%

Max
4.53%
Q3
1.84%
RSG
1.16%
Median
0.51%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.82%

Max
4.53%
Q3
1.84%
WCN
0.82%
Median
0.51%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 35.41% and Waste Connections (WCN) at 32.97% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

35.41%

Max
90.59%
Q3
37.26%
RSG
35.41%
Median
15.87%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

32.97%

Max
90.59%
Q3
37.26%
WCN
32.97%
Median
15.87%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricRSGWCN
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.16%0.82%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)35.41%32.97%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Republic Services (RSG) at 30.41 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Waste Connections (WCN) at 40.17 sits in the richer quartile — WCN needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

30.41

Max
49.50
Q3
31.36
RSG
30.41
Median
23.50
Q1
17.33
Min
6.47

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

40.17

Max
49.50
WCN
40.17
Q3
31.36
Median
23.50
Q1
17.33
Min
6.47
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 3.89 and Waste Connections (WCN) at 4.28 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.89

Max
7.09
RSG
3.89
Q3
3.35
Median
1.39
Q1
0.74
Min
0.14

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

4.28

Max
7.09
WCN
4.28
Q3
3.35
Median
1.39
Q1
0.74
Min
0.14
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Republic Services (RSG) at 5.52 and Waste Connections (WCN) at 5.16 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

5.52

Max
12.24
Q3
5.90
RSG
5.52
Median
2.99
Q1
1.66
Min
-4.66

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

5.16

Max
12.24
Q3
5.90
WCN
5.16
Median
2.99
Q1
1.66
Min
-4.66
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricRSGWCN
P/E Ratio (TTM)30.4140.17
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.894.28
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.525.16
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.95%2.51%