Seek Returns

ULS vs. WCN: UL vs. Waste Connections Stock Comparison

How do UL (ULS) 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

UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN) both fall under the Commercial & Professional Services industry group, but ULS is classified in Professional Services while WCN is classified in Commercial Services & Supplies.

Waste Connections (WCN) carries decades of public-market history since May 22, 1998, while UL (ULS) listed on April 12, 2024 — long-window comparisons have far more historical data on the WCN side.

Company profile comparison for UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN)
Profile ItemULSWCN
NameUL Solutions Inc. Class A Common StockWaste Connections, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesCanada
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCommercial & Professional ServicesCommercial & Professional Services
GICS IndustryProfessional ServicesCommercial Services & Supplies
GICS Sub-IndustryResearch & Consulting ServicesEnvironmental & Facilities Services
Market Capitalization15.88 billion USD47.31 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateApril 12, 2024May 22, 1998
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ULS
WCN
GSPC
Loading price history…
UL (ULS) 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricULSWCN
Total Return (1Y)-3.81%15.20%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)--14.07%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)--7.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ULS
WCN
GSPC
Loading price history…
UL (ULS) 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricULSWCN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)42.88%25.62%
Beta (5Y)0.520.41
Max Drawdown (5Y)-38.75%-24.90%
Avg. Volume (3M)879.46K1.56M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
ULS 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 UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricULSWCN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.190.43
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.280.69

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

UL (ULS) at 36.51% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Waste Connections (WCN) at 14.19% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ULS.

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%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

14.19%

Max
47.06%
Q3
25.43%
WCN
14.19%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
Min
-20.15%
Loading chart…
UL (ULS) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both UL (ULS) at 16.13% and Waste Connections (WCN) at 11.40% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

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%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

11.40%

Max
23.28%
WCN
11.40%
Q3
11.35%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
Min
-8.60%
Loading chart…
UL (ULS) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both UL (ULS) at 19.81% and Waste Connections (WCN) at 20.77% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

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%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

20.77%

Max
38.50%
WCN
20.77%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%
Loading chart…
UL (ULS) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricULSWCN
ROE (TTM)36.51%14.19%
ROA (TTM)11.46%5.68%
Net Margin (TTM)16.13%11.40%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.81%20.77%
Gross Margin (TTM)50.69%42.62%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both UL (ULS) at 6.38% 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.

Loading chart…
UL (ULS) 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 UL (ULS) at -1.23% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for WCN.

Loading chart…
UL (ULS) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricULSWCN
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.38%6.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.60%9.49%
EPS Growth (YoY)-1.23%74.48%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)2.98%8.78%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

UL (ULS) at 2.09 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Waste Connections (WCN) at 0.67 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WCN.

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

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.67

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
WCN
0.67
Min
0.45
Loading chart…
UL (ULS) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both UL (ULS) at 0.54 and Waste Connections (WCN) at 1.24 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

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

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.24

Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
WCN
1.24
Median
0.88
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
UL (ULS) 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 UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricULSWCN
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.090.67
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.541.24
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.113.01

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both UL (ULS) at 0.74% and Waste Connections (WCN) at 0.73% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

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%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.73%

Max
4.33%
Q3
1.80%
WCN
0.73%
Median
0.60%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
UL (ULS) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both UL (ULS) at 22.42% and Waste Connections (WCN) at 31.39% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

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%

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.39%

Max
99.58%
Q3
41.99%
WCN
31.39%
Median
17.27%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%
Loading chart…
UL (ULS) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricULSWCN
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.74%0.73%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)22.42%31.39%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

UL (ULS) at 31.21 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Waste Connections (WCN) at 42.39 sits in the richer quartile — WCN needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

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

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

42.39

Max
49.47
WCN
42.39
Q3
33.76
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89
Loading chart…
UL (ULS) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both UL (ULS) at 4.98 and Waste Connections (WCN) at 4.76 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

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

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

4.76

Max
7.17
WCN
4.76
Q3
3.35
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11
Loading chart…
UL (ULS) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Waste Connections (WCN) at 6.00 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.

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

WCN

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

6.00

Max
11.25
Q3
6.08
WCN
6.00
Median
2.92
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78
Loading chart…
UL (ULS) vs. Waste Connections (WCN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Connections (WCN)
MetricULSWCN
P/E Ratio (TTM)31.2142.39
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.984.76
P/B Ratio (MRQ)9.326.00
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.94%2.28%