Lmcg Investments LLC Trims Stock Position in Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN)

Lmcg Investments LLC cut its position in Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN) by 4.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 79,613 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 3,350 shares during the quarter. Lmcg Investments LLC’s holdings in Waste Connections were worth $13,660,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. American Century Companies Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Waste Connections by 3.1% in the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 19,876 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $3,485,000 after acquiring an additional 594 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Waste Connections by 6.4% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 386,448 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $67,770,000 after purchasing an additional 23,194 shares during the last quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV raised its stake in Waste Connections by 2.8% in the second quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 6,535 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $1,146,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares in the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC lifted its position in Waste Connections by 40.9% during the second quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 11,874 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $2,082,000 after purchasing an additional 3,448 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. grew its stake in Waste Connections by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 5,966 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,047,000 after buying an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. 86.09% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Waste Connections Stock Performance

Shares of Waste Connections stock opened at $178.45 on Tuesday. Waste Connections, Inc. has a 12 month low of $146.51 and a 12 month high of $194.83. The firm has a market capitalization of $46.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.03, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.76. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $181.10 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $180.85. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99.

Waste Connections (NYSE:WCN) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, October 23rd. The business services provider reported $1.35 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.30 by $0.05. Waste Connections had a net margin of 10.81% and a return on equity of 15.43%. The business had revenue of $2.34 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.30 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.17 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 13.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Waste Connections, Inc. will post 4.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Connections Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 14th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 7th were issued a dividend of $0.315 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 7th. This is an increase from Waste Connections’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. This represents a $1.26 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.71%. Waste Connections’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 34.62%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Eight Capital upgraded shares of Waste Connections to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on Waste Connections from $198.00 to $196.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. CIBC cut their price objective on Waste Connections from $215.00 to $212.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 19th. Raymond James decreased their price objective on Waste Connections from $208.00 to $205.00 and set a “strong-buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Oppenheimer upped their target price on Waste Connections from $192.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, December 13th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $199.75.

Waste Connections Company Profile

Waste Connections, Inc provides non-hazardous waste collection, transfer, disposal, and resource recovery services in the United States and Canada. It offers collection services to residential, commercial, municipal, industrial, and exploration and production (E&P) customers; landfill disposal services; and recycling services for various recyclable materials, including compost, cardboard, mixed paper, plastic containers, glass bottles, and ferrous and aluminum metals.