WCN Analyst Ratings
Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN) operates in the Industrials sector, specifically the Waste Management industry, with a market capitalization near $39.53B, listed on NYSE, employing roughly 24,214 people, carrying a beta of 0.48 to the broader market. Waste Connections, Inc. Led by Ronald J. Mittelstaedt, public since 1998-05-22.
Analyst Ratings
In the October 2026 monthly count, 28 analysts rated WCN: 6 Strong Buy, 19 Buy, 3 Hold, 0 Sell and 0 Strong Sell.
Twelve months earlier, in October 2025: 26 analysts, 5 Strong Buy, 16 Buy, 4 Hold, 0 Sell and 1 Strong Sell.
Price Targets
- Average Target
- $198.75
- Median Target
- $196.50
- High
- $218.00
- Low
- $184.00
- Targets Published, Last 12 Months
- 30
Recent Price Targets
The 5 most recent of 30 price targets published in the last 12 months.
| Date | Firm | Analyst | Target | Price When Posted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Scotiabank | Not named | $193.00 | $162.13 |
| Oct 9, 2026 | Raymond James | Not named | $189.00 | $152.99 |
| Oct 8, 2026 | CIBC | Not named | $184.00 | $153.47 |
| Sep 18, 2026 | UBS | Not named | $200.00 | $155.23 |
| Aug 4, 2026 | UBS | Not named | $176.00 | $165.71 |
Recent Upgrades & Downgrades
| Date | Firm | Action | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 2026 | Morgan Stanley | maintain | Overweight | Overweight |
| Oct 8, 2026 | JP Morgan | maintain | Overweight | Overweight |
| Oct 8, 2026 | CIBC | maintain | Outperform | Outperform |
| Sep 18, 2026 | UBS | upgrade | Neutral | Buy |
| Aug 4, 2026 | UBS | maintain | Neutral | Neutral |
Quantitative Rating
WCN carries a model grade of B- (overall score 2 of 5), computed from six valuation and financial measures (discounted cash flow, return on equity, return on assets, debt to equity, price to earnings and price to book), each scored 1 to 5. It is not an analyst rating.
How to Read WCN Analyst Coverage
Sell-side equity analysts publish three primary outputs: ratings (Strong Buy / Buy / Hold / Sell / Strong Sell, or firm-specific equivalents), price targets, and EPS / revenue estimate revisions. Rating consensus moves slowly relative to price; it reflects 12-month directional conviction rather than near-term momentum. Price targets are more responsive but typically drift behind realized price during sharp moves. The most actionable signal for options traders is a cluster of ratings actions across multiple firms within a short window, which compresses or expands implied volatility on a horizon of days to weeks and shifts the put-call skew toward the directional consensus. The recent-actions table above shows the five most recent firm-level changes; longer histories live behind aggregator sources.
For event-driven options sizing, pair the consensus rating and target distribution with the implied-volatility surface and dealer-positioning view. Aggressive target hikes from multiple firms tend to tighten put skew (downside protection becomes relatively cheaper); aggressive cuts widen put skew. The size of the IV response in the hours after a rating change is visible on the per-ticker volatility skew page and the gamma-exposure page, both of which show how dealer hedging propagates the analyst-driven flow into the listed options chain.
Learn how analyst ratings is reported and how to read the data →
Frequently asked WCN analyst ratings questions
- What is the WCN consensus price target?
- As of the latest aggregator update, Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN) carries a consensus 12-month price target of $198.75. Target ranges run from a low of $184.00 to a high of $218.00. The target is the average of the price targets published by sell-side equity analysts covering the name.
- What is the analyst rating consensus on WCN?
- In the October 2026 monthly count, 28 analysts rated WCN, and the distribution tilts to the Buy side: 6 Strong Buy, 19 Buy, 3 Hold, 0 Sell and 0 Strong Sell. Rating consensus moves slowly relative to price; it reflects sell-side conviction over a 12-month horizon rather than near-term momentum.
- What recent ratings actions has WCN seen?
- The five most recent ratings actions on WCN appear on the page above. Sell-side rating changes are watched for two reasons: an upgrade or downgrade with a meaningful target revision moves the consensus and can trigger short-term positioning shifts, and the firm-level rating cluster (multiple firms moving in the same direction within a short window) is a clearer signal than any single action. Options markets often price the implied-vol response within minutes of the announcement.
- How do analyst targets affect WCN options pricing?
- Analyst target revisions tend to be priced in by the lit options market within minutes of publication, but persistent target drift over weeks does correlate with implied-volatility movement. Aggressive target hikes from multiple firms inside a single quarter tighten put skew (downside protection becomes cheaper relative to upside speculation); aggressive cuts widen put skew. The most actionable read is the implied-vol response in the hours after a target change, which is visible on the per-ticker volatility skew page.