CLH

Industrials

Clean Harbors, Inc. · Waste Management · $15B

UQS Score — Balanced Preset
54.8
Good

Clean Harbors, Inc. scores 54.8/100 using the Balanced preset.

UQS vs Industrials Sector
CLH
54.8
Sector avg
42.4
Quality
Neutral
Moat
Neutral
Growth
Neutral
Risk
Strong
Valuation
Neutral

What is Clean Harbors, Inc.?

Clean Harbors is a North American leader in environmental and industrial services, handling hazardous and non-hazardous waste across two core business segments. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Norwell, Massachusetts, the company serves a broad range of industrial and commercial customers.

Clean Harbors generates revenue through two segments. The Environmental Services segment collects, transports, treats, and disposes of hazardous and non-hazardous waste — including incineration, landfill disposal, wastewater treatment, and explosives management. The Safety-Kleen Sustainability Solutions segment focuses on parts-washer services, automotive and industrial cleaning products, and used-oil collection and recycling. Together, these segments serve manufacturers, government agencies, and industrial operators who need compliant, end-to-end waste management.

Clean Harbors was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Norwell, US.

  • Hazardous and non-hazardous waste collection, treatment, and disposal
  • Industrial incineration and landfill services
  • Safety-Kleen parts washers and cleaning products
  • Used-oil and waste-fluid recycling and collection
  • Field and specialty industrial maintenance services

Is CLH a Good Stock to Buy?

UQS Score rates CLH as Below Average overall, reflecting a broadly Neutral profile across all five scoring pillars.

No single pillar stands out as a clear strength — Quality, Moat, Growth, and Risk all land at Neutral, suggesting the business is stable but does not demonstrate a decisive edge over sector peers in any dimension measured by the UQS framework.

Valuation also registers as Neutral, meaning the stock does not appear particularly cheap relative to what the underlying fundamentals justify at this time.

Pro members can see the exact pillar breakdown and the full financial metrics behind each score — sign up to access the complete CLH analysis. Sign up free →

Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.

Does CLH pay dividends?

No — Clean Harbors, Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.

Clean Harbors does not currently pay a dividend. For a capital-intensive environmental services business, retaining cash allows the company to fund acquisitions, expand treatment capacity, and invest in sustainability infrastructure. Investors seeking income from this sector may want to compare CLH against peers that do distribute dividends.

When does CLH report earnings?

Clean Harbors reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with standard practice for US-listed large-cap equities.

The company's results across recent quarters reflect the dual-segment structure, with Environmental Services and Safety-Kleen Sustainability Solutions each contributing to overall revenue. Performance has been shaped by industrial activity levels, waste volumes, and commodity-linked pricing in the used-oil market.

For the most recent quarter's results and guidance, visit Clean Harbors' investor relations page directly.

CLH Price History

+227.2% over 5Y

Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.

Return Calculator

What if I invested in Clean Harbors, Inc.?

$
Today it would be worth
$35,210
That's a +252% total return, or +28.6% annualized.

Based on Clean Harbors, Inc.'s historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.

CLH Long-term Outlook

With Growth and Risk both rated Neutral, Clean Harbors' fundamental outlook is steady rather than accelerating. The business operates in a regulated, essential-services market that provides some demand stability, but meaningful upside likely depends on volume growth in industrial activity or successful integration of acquisitions. The Neutral Valuation label suggests the market is pricing in a middle-of-the-road scenario rather than a significant re-rating in either direction.

Growth drivers

  • Rising regulatory complexity driving demand for compliant hazardous-waste disposal
  • Expansion of used-oil recycling and sustainability services under Safety-Kleen
  • Acquisition-led growth in environmental services capacity across North America

Key risks

  • Exposure to industrial activity cycles that can compress waste volumes
  • Commodity-price sensitivity in the used-oil and fuel-blending business
  • Capital intensity of treatment and disposal infrastructure limiting margin flexibility

CLH vs Peers

Clean Harbors competes in the North American environmental and waste services market alongside several large, diversified operators.

GFL.TOCLH scores higher
GFL Environmental Inc.

GFL operates a broad solid and liquid waste platform across Canada and the US, with a heavier emphasis on municipal solid-waste collection than CLH's industrial and hazardous focus.

GFLCLH scores higher
GFL Environmental Inc.

Listed on both exchanges, GFL's US-traded shares represent the same diversified waste business competing with CLH in industrial and environmental services markets.

WCNCLH scores lower
Waste Connections, Inc.

Waste Connections concentrates on exclusive and secondary markets for solid waste, giving it a different competitive positioning compared to CLH's hazardous-waste and industrial-services specialization.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Clean Harbors do?

Clean Harbors provides environmental and industrial services across North America. Its Environmental Services segment handles hazardous and non-hazardous waste collection, treatment, and disposal. Its Safety-Kleen Sustainability Solutions segment offers parts washers, cleaning products, and used-oil recycling services to automotive and industrial customers.

Does CLH pay dividends?

No, Clean Harbors does not currently pay a dividend. The company reinvests cash into capital expenditures, acquisitions, and expanding its treatment and disposal infrastructure. Investors focused on income may want to evaluate dividend-paying peers in the industrials and waste services sector.

When does CLH report earnings?

Clean Harbors reports on a quarterly cadence, as is standard for US-listed large-cap companies. For the exact timing of upcoming earnings releases and conference calls, check the investor relations section of the Clean Harbors website.

Is CLH a good stock to buy?

The UQS Score rates CLH as Below Average, with all five pillars — Quality, Moat, Growth, Risk, and Valuation — landing at Neutral. That profile suggests a stable but undifferentiated business at current pricing. Pro members can view the full pillar breakdown to form their own assessment.

Is CLH overvalued?

CLH's Valuation pillar is rated Neutral, meaning the stock does not appear obviously cheap or expensive relative to its fundamentals as measured by the UQS framework. Whether that represents fair value or a modest premium depends on assumptions about future growth — see the full analysis for more detail.

How does CLH compare to its competitors?

Clean Harbors differentiates itself through its focus on hazardous-waste management and industrial services, areas where regulatory requirements create barriers to entry. Peers like Waste Connections and GFL Environmental operate with a stronger emphasis on solid-waste and municipal collection, giving each company a distinct market positioning.

What is CLH's market cap bracket?

Clean Harbors is classified as a large-cap company. This places it among the more established and liquid names in the North American environmental and industrial services space, typically attracting institutional investor attention.

Who founded Clean Harbors?

Clean Harbors was founded in 1987. Founding details, including the names of founders, are widely available through public sources and the company's own corporate history materials.

Is CLH a long-term quality investment?

As a long-term quality indicator, CLH's Neutral ratings across all UQS pillars suggest a business with moderate durability rather than a standout quality profile. Environmental services demand is structurally supported by regulation, but the UQS framework does not currently identify CLH as a high-conviction quality compounder.

What is the main competitive advantage of Clean Harbors?

Clean Harbors benefits from its licensed treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, which are difficult and expensive to replicate due to regulatory requirements. Its national network of incineration and landfill assets creates operational scale that smaller competitors cannot easily match.

What sector does CLH belong to?

Clean Harbors is classified in the Industrials sector. More specifically, it operates in environmental and waste management services — a subsector driven by regulatory compliance needs, industrial activity levels, and sustainability trends across North American markets.

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Pro Analysis

CLH — Score History

4045505560Apr 2Apr 12Apr 22May 2May 12May 22May 24v5
Score changes· 30/31 most recent
DateUQSQualityMoatGrowthRiskValueChange
May 23, 202654.852.149.042.384.455.7-0.1
May 22, 202654.952.149.042.384.456.3+0.2
May 20, 202654.752.149.042.384.455.1+0.2
May 19, 202654.552.149.042.384.453.8+0.1
May 17, 202654.452.149.042.384.453.60.0
May 16, 202654.452.149.042.284.453.4+0.1
May 15, 202654.352.149.042.284.452.8-0.1
May 14, 202654.452.149.042.184.453.4-0.1
May 13, 202654.552.149.042.184.454.20.0
May 12, 202654.552.149.042.184.454.5-0.1

CLH — Pillar Breakdown

Quality

52.1/100 (25%)

Clean Harbors, Inc. has average quality metrics, with room for improvement in margins or capital efficiency.

Capital Efficiency (ROIC)Weak

How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.

Return on EquityStrong

Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.

Operating ProfitabilityModerate

Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.

Net ProfitabilityModerate

Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.

Gross Profit / AssetsStrong

Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.

Cash GenerationWeak

Free cash flow relative to market value.

Growth

42.3/100 (20%)

Clean Harbors, Inc. shows steady but unspectacular growth, typical for mature companies.

Recent Revenue TrendWeak

Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.

3Y Revenue CAGRWeak

Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.

EPS GrowthWeak

Year-over-year earnings per share growth.

Forward Revenue OutlookModerate

Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.

Forward EPS GrowthStrong

Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.

Risk

84.4/100 (15%)

Clean Harbors, Inc. carries minimal financial risk with conservative leverage and strong solvency.

Financial LeverageStrong

Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.

Debt/EquityStrong

Total debt relative to shareholder equity.

Current RatioStrong

Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.

Interest CoverageModerate

Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.

Valuation

55.9/100 (15%)

Clean Harbors, Inc. trades at a reasonable valuation with decent earnings yield and FCF multiples.

Earnings YieldWeak

Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.

Price to Free Cash FlowModerate

How many years of FCF the market cap represents.

PEG RatioStrong

P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.

EV/EBITDA vs SectorModerate

Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.

Moat

49/100 (25%)

Clean Harbors, Inc. possesses some competitive advantages but faces meaningful competition. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for CLH.

Score Composition

Quality
52.1×25%13.0
Growth
42.3×20%8.5
Risk
84.4×15%12.7
Valuation
55.9×15%8.4
Moat
49.0×25%12.3
Total
54.8Good

Financial Data

More Stock Analysis

How is the CLH UQS Score Calculated?

The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for Clean Harbors, Inc. is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.

Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.

Moat (25%) assesses Clean Harbors, Inc.'s competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.

Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.

Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.

Valuation (15%) measures whether Clean Harbors, Inc. is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.

Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.