WCN vs. ZTO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at WCN and ZTO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
WCN is a standard domestic listing, while ZTO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | WCN | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Waste Connections, Inc. | ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. |
| Country | Canada | China |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Commercial Services & Supplies | Air Freight & Logistics |
| Market Capitalization | 44.85 billion USD | 15.12 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | May 22, 1998 | October 27, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of WCN and ZTO 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 | WCN | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.65% | -1.21% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -0.14% | 4.34% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -12.45% | -6.09% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 0.83% | 2.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -1.24% | -0.61% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -2.02% | -3.11% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.39M | 1.94M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.31M | 2.55M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 17.55% | 37.59% |
| Beta | 0.41 | 0.92 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
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.
ZTO
13.99%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 35.27%
- Q3
- 18.63%
- Median
- 11.99%
- Q1
- 7.41%
- Min
- 2.11%
ZTO’s Return on Equity of 13.99% is on par with the norm for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
ZTO
18.81%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 7.92%
- Q3
- 5.98%
- Median
- 4.11%
- Q1
- 2.45%
- Min
- 0.50%
ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 18.81% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
ZTO
23.34%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 11.33%
- Q3
- 8.19%
- Median
- 5.82%
- Q1
- 3.63%
- Min
- 1.06%
ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.34% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | WCN | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 7.93% | 13.99% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.19% | 9.33% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 6.97% | 18.81% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 12.19% | 23.34% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 42.03% | 27.48% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
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.
ZTO
1.21
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.73
- Q3
- 1.33
- Median
- 1.15
- Q1
- 0.95
- Min
- 0.61
ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.21 aligns with the median group of the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
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.
ZTO
0.29
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.57
- Q3
- 1.25
- Median
- 0.77
- Q1
- 0.32
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.29 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
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.
ZTO
--
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 49.07
- Q3
- 23.59
- Median
- 8.92
- Q1
- 6.34
- Min
- -0.60
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZTO is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | WCN | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.67 | 1.21 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.57 | 1.02 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.00 | 0.29 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 3.42 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
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.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 6.28%
- Q3
- 3.20%
- Median
- 1.90%
- Q1
- 0.55%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
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.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 160.95%
- Q3
- 92.80%
- Median
- 60.17%
- Q1
- 4.60%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | WCN | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.71% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 28.21% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
WCN
69.18
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 57.87
- Q3
- 33.40
- Median
- 23.56
- Q1
- 15.28
- Min
- 6.56
At 69.18, 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.
ZTO
12.29
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 30.08
- Q3
- 23.03
- Median
- 18.40
- Q1
- 12.84
- Min
- 5.90
In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.29 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
WCN
4.82
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 4.82 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.
ZTO
2.31
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 2.28
- Q3
- 1.40
- Median
- 0.63
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.19
With a P/S Ratio of 2.31, ZTO trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
WCN
5.63
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 5.63 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.
ZTO
1.59
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 5.68
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 1.97
- Q1
- 1.31
- Min
- 0.80
ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.59 is within the conventional range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | WCN | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 69.18 | 12.29 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.82 | 2.31 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 5.63 | 1.59 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 39.06 | 10.24 |