GFL
IndustrialsGFL Environmental Inc. · Waste Management · $12B
What is GFL Environmental Inc.?
GFL Environmental Inc. is a large-cap environmental services company operating across Canada and the United States. It handles everything from everyday garbage collection to contaminated soil cleanup and industrial liquid waste disposal.
GFL generates revenue through three core service lines: non-hazardous solid waste management, infrastructure and soil remediation, and liquid waste management. The solid waste segment collects, transports, recycles, and disposes of waste for municipal, residential, and commercial customers. The remediation segment cleans contaminated soils and provides civil and excavation services. The liquid waste segment collects, processes, and resells industrial and commercial liquid waste streams.
GFL Environmental was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Vaughan, Canada.
- Non-hazardous solid waste collection and disposal
- Contaminated soil remediation and civil services
- Industrial and commercial liquid waste management
- Recycling and waste transfer operations
- Municipal and residential waste programs
Is GFL a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates GFL Environmental as Poor overall.
Among GFL's five pillars, Growth comes in at a Neutral rating — suggesting the business is expanding at a pace that is neither notably strong nor notably weak relative to peers. Environmental services companies can benefit from long-term demand for waste management infrastructure, which provides some baseline revenue stability.
The Quality, Moat, and Risk pillars all carry Weak ratings, pointing to concerns around financial returns, competitive differentiation, and balance sheet or operational risk. The Valuation pillar is rated Elevated, meaning the current price does not appear to offer a margin of safety given these underlying weaknesses.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does GFL pay dividends?
Yes — GFL Environmental Inc. pays a dividend.
GFL Environmental does pay a regular dividend, which is relatively uncommon for a company still in a growth-oriented phase of its expansion. Investors should weigh the dividend against the company's Weak Risk pillar rating, which may reflect leverage or cash flow pressures. The sustainability of the payout is worth examining in the context of the full financial picture available to Pro members.
When does GFL report earnings?
GFL Environmental reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, typical for North American-listed equities.
GFL operates across multiple service lines, so quarterly results tend to reflect seasonal patterns in waste volumes, remediation project timing, and liquid waste demand. The company's Neutral Growth pillar suggests revenue trends have been neither accelerating sharply nor declining. For the most current quarter's figures, the investor relations page is the authoritative source.
For the most recent quarter's results, visit GFL Environmental's investor relations page directly.
GFL Price History
+22.4% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in GFL Environmental Inc.?
Based on GFL Environmental 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.
GFL Long-term Outlook
GFL's fundamental outlook is shaped by a Neutral Growth profile against a backdrop of Weak Quality and Weak Risk ratings. While the environmental services sector benefits from non-discretionary demand — municipalities and industries must manage waste regardless of economic cycles — GFL's ability to convert that demand into strong returns appears constrained. The Elevated Valuation pillar adds another layer of caution, as the market appears to be pricing in an optimistic scenario that the current pillar profile does not fully support.
Growth drivers
- Non-discretionary demand for waste collection and disposal services
- Potential for tuck-in acquisitions in fragmented regional markets
- Growing regulatory requirements around soil remediation and liquid waste
Key risks
- High leverage or balance sheet risk reflected in the Weak Risk pillar
- Elevated valuation leaving limited room for execution shortfalls
- Competitive pressure from larger, better-capitalized waste management operators
GFL vs Peers
GFL Environmental competes in a sector that includes both large national operators and regional specialists.
Clean Harbors focuses heavily on hazardous waste and environmental emergency response, giving it a distinct service niche compared to GFL's non-hazardous focus.
The Toronto-listed shares of GFL trade in Canadian dollars and are the primary listing for Canadian institutional investors tracking the same underlying business.
Casella operates as a regional solid waste company concentrated in the northeastern United States, competing with GFL in certain overlapping geographies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does GFL Environmental do?
GFL Environmental provides environmental services across Canada and the United States. Its three main business lines cover non-hazardous solid waste collection and disposal, contaminated soil remediation and civil services, and industrial liquid waste management. The company serves municipal, residential, and commercial and industrial customers.
Does GFL pay dividends?
Yes, GFL Environmental pays a regular dividend. However, given the company's Weak Risk pillar rating, investors may want to assess the dividend's sustainability relative to the company's overall financial health. The complete dividend and cash flow picture is available to UQS Pro members.
When does GFL report earnings?
GFL Environmental follows a quarterly earnings reporting schedule, consistent with other North American-listed companies. Exact upcoming dates are not provided by our data source — check GFL's investor relations page for the current earnings calendar.
Is GFL a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates GFL as Poor overall, driven by Weak ratings across Quality, Moat, and Risk pillars, alongside an Elevated Valuation. This combination suggests the stock carries meaningful risk relative to its current price. Investors should review the full pillar breakdown before drawing conclusions.
Is GFL overvalued?
GFL's Valuation pillar is rated Elevated, indicating the stock's current price appears high relative to the underlying quality and risk profile. An Elevated valuation is a concern when paired with Weak Quality and Weak Risk ratings, as there is less financial cushion to justify a premium price.
How does GFL compare to its competitors?
GFL competes with companies like Clean Harbors and Casella Waste Systems. Clean Harbors focuses on hazardous waste services, while Casella operates as a regional solid waste specialist. GFL's broader geographic footprint and multi-service model differentiate it, though its current pillar ratings lag what investors might expect from a premium-priced environmental services operator.
What is GFL's market cap bracket?
GFL Environmental is classified as a large-cap company, meaning it carries a market capitalization that places it among the larger publicly traded environmental services businesses in North America.
Who founded GFL Environmental?
GFL Environmental was founded by Patrick Dovigi, who built the company through a series of acquisitions in the environmental services sector. The company was incorporated in 2007 and has grown significantly since then. Its founding history is widely documented in public filings and business media.
Is GFL a long-term quality investment?
As a long-term quality indicator, GFL's current UQS profile raises questions. Weak ratings in Quality, Moat, and Risk suggest the business has not yet demonstrated the durable financial characteristics typically associated with long-term compounders. The Neutral Growth pillar offers some offset, but the Elevated Valuation limits the margin of safety.
What is the main competitive advantage of GFL Environmental?
GFL's Moat pillar is rated Weak, suggesting its competitive advantages are not yet strongly differentiated from peers. The company's scale across Canada and the United States and its multi-service model provide some operational breadth, but these have not translated into the kind of durable moat that UQS scoring rewards.
What sector does GFL belong to?
GFL Environmental operates in the Industrials sector, specifically within environmental and waste management services. This segment benefits from non-discretionary demand, as waste collection and remediation are essential services for municipalities and businesses regardless of economic conditions.
Is GFL a growth stock or value stock?
Based on UQS pillar labels, GFL sits in an uncomfortable middle ground. Its Growth pillar is Neutral — neither a strong growth story nor a stagnant one — while its Valuation pillar is Elevated. That combination means it does not clearly fit the profile of either a classic growth stock or an attractively priced value opportunity.
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Pro Analysis
GFL — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2026 | 29.3 | 15.9 | 31.0 | 46.0 | 24.5 | 31.3 | -1.1 |
| May 10, 2026 | 30.4 | 7.0 | 31.0 | 54.9 | 36.9 | 29.0 | +3.6 |
| May 9, 2026 | 26.8 | 15.8 | 31.0 | 31.4 | 24.5 | 34.3 | -3.5 |
| May 8, 2026 | 30.3 | 7.0 | 31.0 | 54.9 | 36.9 | 28.7 | +1.3 |
| May 7, 2026 | 29.0 | 11.7 | 31.0 | 54.9 | 17.9 | 31.3 | +1.5 |
| May 4, 2026 | 27.5 | 11.7 | 31.0 | 47.8 | 17.9 | 30.6 | -0.1 |
| May 3, 2026 | 27.6 | 11.7 | 31.0 | 47.8 | 17.9 | 31.5 | 0.0 |
| May 2, 2026 | 27.6 | 11.7 | 31.0 | 47.8 | 17.9 | 31.0 | +0.4 |
| Apr 26, 2026 | 27.2 | 11.7 | 31.0 | 45.9 | 17.9 | 30.9 | +0.3 |
| Apr 25, 2026 | 26.9 | 11.7 | 31.0 | 44.1 | 17.9 | 31.4 | 0.0 |
GFL — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 15.9/100 (25%)GFL Environmental Inc. currently shows below-average quality metrics, suggesting challenges with profitability.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 46.0/100 (20%)GFL Environmental Inc. shows steady but unspectacular growth, typical for mature companies.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 24.5/100 (15%)GFL Environmental Inc. presents elevated risk with concerns around leverage or financial stability.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 31.3/100 (15%)GFL Environmental Inc. appears expensively valued relative to its fundamentals and growth prospects.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 31/100 (25%)GFL Environmental Inc. operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. 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 GFL.
Score Composition
Financial Data
More Stock Analysis
How is the GFL UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for GFL Environmental 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 GFL Environmental 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 GFL Environmental 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.