Clean Harbors
CLH
$0.00
+1.37%
Clean Harbors, Inc. is a leading provider of environmental and industrial services, operating primarily in the Waste Management industry. The company's core business is segmented into Environmental Services, which includes waste collection, treatment, recycling, and disposal, and Safety-Kleen Sustainability Solutions, which focuses on used oil collection and re-refining. As a market leader in hazardous waste management and environmental remediation, Clean Harbors has established a distinct competitive identity through its comprehensive, nationwide service network and vertically integrated operations. The current investor narrative centers on the company's ability to deliver consistent growth and margin expansion in a stable, non-cyclical industry, with recent attention likely focused on its strong quarterly results, strategic capital deployment, and its role as an essential service provider in an increasingly regulated environmental landscape.…
CLH
Clean Harbors
$0.00
CLH 12-Month Price Forecast
Wall Street consensus
Most Wall Street analysts maintain a constructive view on Clean Harbors's 12-month outlook, with a consensus price target around $0.00 and implied upside of — versus the current price.
Average Target
$0.00
3 analysts
Implied Upside
—
vs. current price
Analyst Count
3
covering this stock
Price Range
$0 - $0
Analyst target range
Analyst coverage for Clean Harbors is limited, with only 3 analysts providing estimates, which is low for a company of its market cap and suggests it may be under-followed by the broader institutional community, potentially leading to higher volatility and less efficient price discovery. The provided data includes revenue and EPS estimates but lacks explicit price targets, consensus recommendations, or a target range; therefore, the strength of analyst conviction and the assumptions behind bullish or bearish scenarios cannot be determined from the available dataset. The implication of minimal coverage is that investors must rely more heavily on their own fundamental and technical analysis, as the stock may not benefit from the same level of scrutiny, catalyst-driven price movements, or consensus validation as more widely covered peers.
Bulls vs Bears: CLH Investment Factors
The bull case for Clean Harbors is anchored in its strong long-term momentum, robust cash generation, and defensive business model in a stable industry. The bear case centers on the concerning deceleration in both revenue growth and profitability in the most recent quarter, juxtaposed against a premium valuation. Currently, the bull side holds stronger evidence due to the stock's decisive outperformance, solid balance sheet, and essential service profile. However, the single most important tension in the investment debate is whether the Q4 margin compression and growth slowdown are a temporary blip or the beginning of a more pronounced normalization cycle. The resolution of this trend in upcoming quarters will be the primary determinant of the stock's direction.
Bullish
- Strong Long-Term Price Momentum: The stock has gained 45.31% over the past year and 26.77% over the past six months, decisively outperforming the S&P 500's 34.9% and 6.89% gains over the same periods. This sustained uptrend reflects robust investor confidence in the company's fundamentals and growth trajectory.
- Robust Financial Health & Cash Flow: Clean Harbors generates substantial free cash flow, with $441.81 million over the trailing twelve months, supporting a strong current ratio of 2.33. This provides significant liquidity for strategic investments, share repurchases, and debt management, underpinning a solid 14.24% Return on Equity.
- Essential Service Provider in Stable Industry: As a leader in hazardous waste management, the company operates in a non-cyclical, highly regulated industry. This provides a defensive revenue stream, evidenced by steady quarterly revenues averaging over $1.5 billion, with Q4 2025 revenue still growing 4.79% year-over-year despite a deceleration.
- Valuation Below Recent Historical Highs: The current trailing P/E of 31.90x is below its own recent quarterly highs of 45.14x (Q1 2025) and 36.93x (Q4 2024). This suggests the market has priced in improved fundamentals but may offer some room for multiple expansion if growth re-accelerates.
Bearish
- Significant Revenue & Margin Deceleration: Q4 2025 revenue growth slowed to 4.79% YoY from stronger prior quarters, and gross margin compressed sharply to 23.49% from 32.33% in Q3. This sequential deterioration raises questions about demand normalization, pricing power, and cost control.
- Elevated Valuation with Slowing Growth: The stock trades at a forward P/E of 32.23x, a premium valuation that demands sustained high growth. The recent deceleration in top-line growth and margin pressure creates a risk of valuation compression if earnings fail to meet elevated expectations.
- Limited Analyst Coverage & Scrutiny: Only 3 analysts provide estimates for CLH, indicating it is under-followed. This can lead to less efficient price discovery, higher volatility, and a lack of consensus-driven catalysts, placing greater onus on individual investor analysis.
- Technical Positioning Near 52-Week High: Trading at $300.70 places the stock at approximately 86% of its 52-week range, with the high of $316.98 as immediate resistance. This overextended positioning increases the risk of a near-term technical pullback, especially if broader market sentiment sours.
CLH Technical Analysis
The stock is in a sustained uptrend, evidenced by a 1-year price change of +45.31% and a 6-month gain of +26.77%. As of the latest close at $300.70, the price is trading at approximately 86% of its 52-week range (high: $316.98, low: $201.34), indicating strong momentum and positioning near recent highs, which suggests investor optimism but also raises the risk of a near-term pullback from overextended levels. Recent short-term momentum shows acceleration, with a 3-month price change of +13.87% and a 1-month change of +3.33%, both positive and aligning with the longer-term bullish trend; however, the stock's 1-month relative strength of -4.03% indicates it has slightly underperformed the SPY's +7.36% gain over the same period, signaling a potential pause or rotation. Key technical levels are the 52-week high of $316.98 as immediate resistance and the 52-week low of $201.34 as major support; a decisive breakout above resistance would confirm the bullish trend's continuation, while a breakdown below the recent consolidation area could signal a deeper correction. The stock's beta of 0.94 indicates volatility slightly below the broader market, which is notable for a cyclical industrial name and suggests it may offer a more stable ride within the sector.
Beta
0.94
0.94x market volatility
Max Drawdown
-19.4%
Largest decline past year
52-Week Range
$201-$317
Price range past year
Annual Return
+45.3%
Cumulative gain past year
| Period | CLH Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | +3.3% | +9.5% |
| 3m | +13.9% | +2.7% |
| 6m | +26.8% | +5.8% |
| 1y | +45.3% | +34.9% |
| ytd | +23.5% | +4.1% |
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CLH Fundamental Analysis
Revenue growth has been steady but moderated in the most recent quarter, with Q4 2025 revenue of $1.50 billion representing a year-over-year increase of 4.79%; however, this marks a deceleration from the stronger growth seen in prior quarters of 2025 (Q3: $1.55B, Q2: $1.55B), indicating a potential normalization of demand or tougher comparisons. The company is solidly profitable, with Q4 2025 net income of $86.59 million and a net margin of 5.77%, though gross margin for the quarter compressed to 23.49% from 32.33% in Q3, reflecting potential mix shifts or cost pressures; the full-year trend shows generally stable profitability with an operating margin of 11.17% as per valuation data. Balance sheet and cash flow health are robust, with a strong current ratio of 2.33, a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26 indicating moderate leverage, and substantial trailing twelve-month free cash flow of $441.81 million, which provides ample liquidity for growth investments, share repurchases, and debt management while supporting a Return on Equity of 14.24%.
Quarterly Revenue
$1.5B
2025-12
Revenue YoY Growth
+0.04%
YoY Comparison
Gross Margin
+0.23%
Latest Quarter
Free Cash Flow
$441807000.0B
Last 12 Months
Revenue & Net Income Trends (2 Years)
Revenue Breakdown
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Valuation Analysis: Is CLH Overvalued?
Given a positive net income, the primary valuation metric is the Price-to-Earnings (PE) ratio. The stock trades at a trailing PE of 31.90x and a forward PE of 32.23x based on estimated EPS; the minimal gap between trailing and forward multiples suggests the market is pricing in stable, but not accelerating, earnings growth expectations. Compared to sector averages (data not available in the provided dataset for a direct industry comparison), a standalone assessment shows the PS ratio of 2.07x and EV/EBITDA of 13.29x, which appear reasonable for a profitable industrial services company with a mid-teens ROE, though a definitive premium or discount cannot be quantified without peer benchmarks. Historically, the current trailing PE of 31.90x is below the stock's own recent quarterly highs seen in Q1 2025 (45.14x) and Q4 2024 (36.93x), but above levels from 2022-2023 which were often in the teens and low-20s; this positioning in the upper-mid range of its own historical band suggests the market is pricing in improved fundamentals and growth, leaving less margin for error if execution falters.
PE
31.9x
Latest Quarter
vs. Historical
Mid-Range
5-Year PE Range 8x~53x
vs. Industry Avg
N/A
Industry PE ~N/A*
EV/EBITDA
13.3x
Enterprise Value Multiple
Investment Risk Disclosure
Financial & Operational Risks: The primary financial risk is the sharp sequential deterioration in profitability, with Q4 2025 gross margin collapsing to 23.49% from 32.33% in Q3. This 870 basis point compression, if sustained, would significantly pressure the company's 11.17% operating margin and its ability to grow earnings. While free cash flow of $442 million is robust, the debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26 represents moderate leverage that could amplify earnings volatility. Revenue growth decelerating to 4.79% YoY in Q4 also introduces execution risk, as the market's premium forward P/E of 32.23x is predicated on stronger growth.
Market & Competitive Risks: The key market risk is valuation compression. Trading at a forward P/E of 32x, CLH is valued for growth, but its recent quarterly performance suggests a potential slowdown. A beta of 0.94 indicates market correlation, so a broader sell-off in industrials or growth stocks could trigger a multiple contraction. The stock is also technically extended, trading at 86% of its 52-week range, which increases susceptibility to profit-taking. Competitive risks are inherent but mitigated by the company's scale and regulatory moat in hazardous waste management.
Worst-Case Scenario: The worst-case scenario involves a continuation of the Q4 trends: gross margins fail to recover, revenue growth stalls or turns negative due to an economic slowdown impacting industrial activity, and the premium valuation fully unwinds. This could trigger analyst downgrades (though coverage is sparse) and a flight to safety by investors. A realistic downside could see the stock re-testing its 52-week low of $201.34, representing a potential loss of approximately -33% from the current price of $300.70. The historical max drawdown of -19.45% suggests the stock can experience significant corrections.
