Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super Makes New Investment in Waste Connections, Inc. $WCN

Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super bought a new position in Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 15,295 shares of the business services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $2,485,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in WCN. Capital International Investors lifted its position in shares of Waste Connections by 28.2% during the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 6,468,259 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,134,781,000 after buying an additional 1,420,921 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in shares of Waste Connections by 37.1% in the fourth quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 4,763,742 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $835,370,000 after acquiring an additional 1,289,042 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in shares of Waste Connections by 5.0% in the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 4,675,737 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $819,939,000 after acquiring an additional 220,575 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Waste Connections during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $697,519,000. Finally, Pictet Asset Management Holding SA increased its position in shares of Waste Connections by 5.7% during the fourth quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 3,508,405 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $615,278,000 after acquiring an additional 190,123 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.09% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Waste Connections

In related news, SVP Eric Hansen sold 6,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.82, for a total transaction of $988,920.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 13,350 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,200,347. This trade represents a 31.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, VP Patrick James Shea sold 7,500 shares of Waste Connections stock in a transaction on Friday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $156.26, for a total transaction of $1,171,950.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 19,737 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,084,103.62. The trade was a 27.54% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders sold 17,605 shares of company stock worth $2,822,923. Corporate insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock.

Waste Connections Price Performance

WCN opened at $172.01 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $43.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.95, a PEG ratio of 3.06 and a beta of 0.49. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $159.79 and a 200-day moving average price of $163.54. Waste Connections, Inc. has a 12-month low of $146.89 and a 12-month high of $191.91.

Waste Connections (NYSE:WCN) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 22nd. The business services provider reported $1.23 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.19 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $2.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.50 billion. Waste Connections had a return on equity of 16.49% and a net margin of 10.97%.Waste Connections’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.13 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Waste Connections, Inc. will post 5.49 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Connections Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 21st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 6th were paid a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 6th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Waste Connections’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 34.15%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have weighed in on WCN. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $218.00 price objective (up from $210.00) on shares of Waste Connections in a research report on Friday, April 24th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $208.00 target price (up from $206.00) on shares of Waste Connections in a research note on Friday, April 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Waste Connections from $210.00 to $195.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 13th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Waste Connections from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 13th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $211.00 price objective on shares of Waste Connections in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $202.00.

About Waste Connections

Waste Connections (NYSE: WCN) is a North American integrated waste services company that provides a range of solid waste and environmental services to municipal, commercial, industrial and residential customers. The company offers collection, transportation, transfer, disposal and recycling services, and operates an extensive network of transfer stations and disposal facilities. Waste Connections positions itself as a provider of infrastructure-driven waste solutions across many regions of the United States and Canada.

The company’s operating activities include routine curbside and commercial collection, roll-off and container services, operation of landfills and transfer stations, and recycling and resource recovery programs.