Casella Waste Q1 Earnings Beat Expectations, Guidance Raised
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 30 2026
0mins
Should l Buy CWST?
Source: seekingalpha
Casella Waste Systems Inc. shares rose by 5.89% as the stock crossed above its 5-day SMA, reflecting positive investor sentiment following the earnings report.
The company reported a Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $0.20, exceeding expectations by $0.08, and raised its fiscal year 2026 revenue guidance to between $2.060 billion and $2.080 billion. This strong performance in the waste management sector, along with a 9.6% year-over-year revenue growth to $457.3 million, has significantly boosted investor confidence.
The raised guidance and solid cash flow management indicate a positive outlook for Casella Waste Systems, suggesting that the company is well-positioned for future growth despite a slight reduction in net income guidance.
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Analyst Views on CWST
Wall Street analysts forecast CWST stock price to rise
4 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 84.580
Low
111.00
Averages
114.33
High
120.00
Current: 84.580
Low
111.00
Averages
114.33
High
120.00
About CWST
Casella Waste Systems, Inc. is a regional, vertically integrated solid waste services company. The Company provides resource management and services to residential, commercial, municipal, institutional, and industrial customers, primarily in the areas of solid waste collection and disposal, transfer, recycling, and organics services. It also holds collection operations across eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey. It manages its solid waste operations on a geographic basis through three regional operating segments: the Eastern, Western and Mid-Atlantic regions, each of which provides a comprehensive range of non-hazardous solid waste services. It manages its resource renewal operations through the Resource Solutions operating segment, which leverages its core competencies in materials processing, industrial recycling, organics and resource management service offerings to deliver comprehensive solutions for its commercial, municipal, institutional and industrial customers.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Significant Revenue Growth: Casella Waste Systems reported Q1 revenues of $457.3 million, a 9.6% year-over-year increase, with $23.9 million from acquisitions, indicating strong market performance and effective acquisition strategies.
- Adjusted EBITDA Increase: Adjusted EBITDA rose 12.3% year-over-year, with guidance for $473 million to $483 million, reflecting successful operational efficiency and cost control, thereby enhancing confidence in future profitability.
- Frequent Acquisition Activity: The company completed four acquisitions in 2026, expected to generate approximately $150 million in annualized revenue, particularly the Star Waste acquisition contributing $100 million, demonstrating proactive market share expansion and competitive positioning.
- Cost Reduction Plans: Casella plans to cut $5 million in operating costs in 2026 and an additional $10 million over the next two years, showcasing its commitment to integration and operational optimization, which will help improve overall profitability.
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Casella Waste Q1 Earnings Beat Expectations, Guidance Raised
- Earnings Beat: Casella Waste Systems reported a Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $0.20, exceeding expectations by $0.08, indicating strong performance in the waste management sector and boosting investor confidence.
- Significant Revenue Growth: Q1 revenue reached $457.3 million, a 9.6% year-over-year increase, surpassing market expectations by $4.9 million, demonstrating robust growth amid rising market demand.
- Guidance Raised: The company raised its fiscal year 2026 revenue guidance to between $2.060 billion and $2.080 billion, with adjusted EBITDA expectations also increased to between $473 million and $483 million, reflecting management's optimism about future performance.
- Strong Cash Flow: Although net income guidance was lowered to between $4 million and $10 million, net cash provided by operating activities is expected to be between $370 million and $380 million, showcasing the company's solid cash flow management.
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- Historical Performance: Over the past two years, CWST has beaten EPS estimates 50% of the time and revenue estimates 63% of the time, demonstrating a degree of stability in financial performance, although recent downward revisions in EPS and revenue estimates suggest caution.
- Estimate Revisions: In the last three months, there have been no upward revisions to EPS estimates, with two downward adjustments, while revenue estimates also saw no upward revisions and one downward adjustment, indicating a cautious market outlook on the company's future performance.
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Latest Wall Street Rating Updates
- Apple Rating Reaffirmed: Bernstein raised Apple's price target from $340 to $350, anticipating a 17% revenue growth in FQ2 and a guidance of 14-17% for FQ3, with gross margins at 49.3%, indicating strong market performance and future growth potential.
- KE Holdings Upgrade: Goldman Sachs upgraded KE Holdings from neutral to buy, believing the recent stock price pullback provides an attractive re-entry point for investors, reflecting confidence in the Chinese real estate market.
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Casella Waste Systems Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights
- Significant Revenue Growth: Casella Waste Systems reported Q1 revenues of $457.3 million, a 9.6% year-over-year increase, with $23.9 million from acquisitions, indicating strong market performance and effective acquisition strategies.
- Adjusted EBITDA Increase: Adjusted EBITDA rose 12.3% year-over-year, with guidance for $473 million to $483 million, reflecting successful operational efficiency and cost control, thereby enhancing confidence in future profitability.
- Frequent Acquisition Activity: The company completed four acquisitions in 2026, expected to generate approximately $150 million in annualized revenue, particularly the Star Waste acquisition contributing $100 million, demonstrating proactive market share expansion and competitive positioning.
- Cost Reduction Plans: Casella plans to cut $5 million in operating costs in 2026 and an additional $10 million over the next two years, showcasing its commitment to integration and operational optimization, which will help improve overall profitability.
See More
Casella Waste Q1 Earnings Beat Expectations, Guidance Raised
- Earnings Beat: Casella Waste Systems reported a Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $0.20, exceeding expectations by $0.08, indicating strong performance in the waste management sector and boosting investor confidence.
- Significant Revenue Growth: Q1 revenue reached $457.3 million, a 9.6% year-over-year increase, surpassing market expectations by $4.9 million, demonstrating robust growth amid rising market demand.
- Guidance Raised: The company raised its fiscal year 2026 revenue guidance to between $2.060 billion and $2.080 billion, with adjusted EBITDA expectations also increased to between $473 million and $483 million, reflecting management's optimism about future performance.
- Strong Cash Flow: Although net income guidance was lowered to between $4 million and $10 million, net cash provided by operating activities is expected to be between $370 million and $380 million, showcasing the company's solid cash flow management.
See More
Casella Waste Systems Q1 Earnings Preview
- Earnings Announcement: Casella Waste Systems (CWST) is set to announce its Q1 earnings on April 30th after market close, with consensus EPS estimate at $0.12, reflecting a 36.8% year-over-year decline, while revenue is expected to reach $452.4 million, indicating an 8.5% year-over-year growth, which could directly impact stock performance.
- Historical Performance: Over the past two years, CWST has beaten EPS estimates 50% of the time and revenue estimates 63% of the time, demonstrating a degree of stability in financial performance, although recent downward revisions in EPS and revenue estimates suggest caution.
- Estimate Revisions: In the last three months, there have been no upward revisions to EPS estimates, with two downward adjustments, while revenue estimates also saw no upward revisions and one downward adjustment, indicating a cautious market outlook on the company's future performance.
- Future Guidance: CWST signals an 8% revenue growth for 2026, providing EBITDA guidance of $455 million to $465 million, which highlights the company's progress in Mid-Atlantic integration and may lay the groundwork for future growth.
See More
Oil & Gas Exploration Stocks Surge
- Sector Performance: Oil and gas exploration and production stocks collectively rose by approximately 2.8%, indicating relative strength in the sector and reflecting optimistic market expectations regarding energy demand.
- Battalion Oil Leads: Battalion Oil's stock surged by about 16.4%, making it one of the top performers of the day, suggesting increased investor confidence in its future growth potential.
- HighPeak Energy Gains: HighPeak Energy's shares increased by approximately 9.1%, further solidifying its position in the oil and gas market, likely benefiting from industry recovery and rising demand.
- Positive Market Sentiment: The overall upward trend in oil and gas stocks may attract more investor attention to the sector, signaling potential future capital inflows and increased industry activity.
See More
UBS Lowers Target Price for Casella Waste Systems Inc. to $130 from $140
- Target Price Adjustment: Case Lella's target price has been reduced from $140 to $130.
- Market Impact: This adjustment reflects changes in the waste systems sector, particularly in the context of Cub's subcuts.
See More
