COMPARE · Reviewed August 3, 2026
CLH vs WM
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. CLH scored 61.5, WM scored 52.5 — CLH leads.
Compare another set
Different reporting periods. WM's fundamentals are as of June 2026, but CLH's are as of March 2026 — a 3-month gap. Growth, margin and valuation figures below therefore describe different windows and aren't strictly like-for-like.
CLH
Clean Harbors, Inc.
61.5
$311.56 · $16.4B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
9.0
CLH leads
WM
Waste Management, Inc.
52.5
$225.30 · $90.1B
fundamentals as of
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
CLH
stronger →← stronger
WM
61
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
80
65
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
65
58
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
28
CLH and WM split the three pillars evenly.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
CLH
WM
$467mC
FCF
$3.6bB
+1.9%C
Rev
+7.2%B
1.11C+
D/E
2.35D
37.8xC+
P/E
59.3xC
0.27A
PEG
2.31C
Winner per row is the stronger grade in our model; a tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
CLH
WM
119% above
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
39% above
~22%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~16%/yr
-54%
1-yr DCF upside
-36%
-54%
5-yr DCF upside
-28%
-56%
10-yr DCF upside
-14%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
CLH
No notable signals flagged.
WM
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
- Durable high returns
The companies
CLHClean Harbors, Inc.
Why now
Waste Management · market cap $16.4b. 7% off the 52-week high of $335.94. PEG 0.27 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 15 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $358.93 (implying +15% upside).
Moat
ROE 14% meets the long-run market sustainable threshold — solid but not differentiated; the durability comes from elsewhere. FCF converts 118% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
Trailing P/E 38x sits well above the S&P median (~20x) — multiple compression is a real risk if revenue growth decelerates.
WMWaste Management, Inc.
Why now
Waste Management · market cap $90.1b. 9% off the 52-week high of $248.13. 25 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $260.64 (implying +16% upside).
Moat
ROE 29% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which. FCF converts 125% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined. $90.1b market cap gives the company enough scale to absorb fixed costs that subscale competitors can't, without yet being so large that growth has to come from acquisition.
Risk
D/E 2.35 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Trailing P/E 59.3x prices in sustained high growth — any quarter that disappoints triggers sharp re-rating.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.