Waste Connections Inc (WCN) is not a strong buy at the moment for a beginner investor with a long-term strategy. The technical indicators show a bearish trend, the financial performance is mixed with declining net income and EPS, and hedge funds are selling heavily. While analysts maintain mostly positive ratings, the lack of recent positive news, no significant trading signals, and weak short-term stock trend projections suggest holding off on buying this stock right now.
The technical indicators suggest a bearish trend. The MACD is negative and expanding downward, RSI is neutral at 35.852, and moving averages are bearish (SMA_200 > SMA_20 > SMA_5). The stock is trading near its S1 support level of 159.513, with resistance at 162.783. Overall, no bullish signals are present.

Analysts maintain mostly positive ratings, with several firms highlighting Waste Connections' strong EBITDA growth potential and relative valuation premium. Wolfe Research initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and a $199 price target.
Additionally, no recent news or significant insider activity is present to drive positive sentiment.
In Q4 2025, Waste Connections reported a 5.00% YoY increase in revenue to $2.37 billion. However, net income dropped significantly by -231.88% YoY to $258.5 million, and EPS fell by -232.89% YoY to 1.01. Gross margin improved slightly to 29.07%, up 7.07% YoY. The financial performance is mixed, with revenue growth overshadowed by steep declines in profitability metrics.
Analysts generally maintain positive ratings, with JPMorgan raising the price target to $195 and Wolfe Research initiating coverage with a $199 target. However, several firms, including UBS, RBC, and Barclays, have lowered their price targets recently, citing underwhelming FY26 guidance and weaker free cash flow projections.