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Side-by-side financial comparison of CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC (CWST) and MERCER INTERNATIONAL INC. (MERC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($469.1M vs $449.5M, roughly 1.0× MERCER INTERNATIONAL INC.). CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC runs the higher net margin — -0.5% vs -68.7%, a 68.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (9.7% vs -8.0%). CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($39.3M vs $32.0M). Over the past eight quarters, CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC's revenue compounded faster (17.3% CAGR vs -9.9%).

Casella Waste Systems, Inc. is a waste management company based in Rutland, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1975 with a single truck, Casella is a regional, vertically integrated solid waste services company. Casella provides resource management expertise and services to residential, commercial, municipal and industrial customers, primarily in the areas of solid waste collection and disposal, transfer, recycling and organics services. The company provides integrated solid waste services in...

Mercer is an American consulting firm founded in 1945. It is one of the four operating subsidiaries of global professional services firm Marsh McLennan. Mercer is headquartered in New York City with offices in 43 countries and operations in 130 countries. The company primarily provides human resources and financial services consulting services to its clients.

CWST vs MERC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CWST
CWST
1.0× larger
CWST
$469.1M
$449.5M
MERC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CWST
CWST
+17.7% gap
CWST
9.7%
-8.0%
MERC
Higher net margin
CWST
CWST
68.1% more per $
CWST
-0.5%
-68.7%
MERC
More free cash flow
CWST
CWST
$7.3M more FCF
CWST
$39.3M
$32.0M
MERC
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CWST
CWST
Annualised
CWST
17.3%
-9.9%
MERC

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Revenue
$469.1M
$449.5M
Net Profit
$-2.5M
$-308.7M
Gross Margin
33.3%
Operating Margin
2.5%
-62.0%
Net Margin
-0.5%
-68.7%
Revenue YoY
9.7%
-8.0%
Net Profit YoY
-151.5%
-1947.7%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.04
$-4.61

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$469.1M
$449.5M
Q3 25
$485.4M
$458.1M
Q2 25
$465.3M
$453.5M
Q1 25
$417.1M
$507.0M
Q4 24
$427.5M
$488.4M
Q3 24
$411.6M
$502.1M
Q2 24
$377.2M
$499.4M
Q1 24
$341.0M
$553.4M
Net Profit
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$-2.5M
$-308.7M
Q3 25
$10.0M
$-80.8M
Q2 25
$5.2M
$-86.1M
Q1 25
$-4.8M
$-22.3M
Q4 24
$4.9M
$16.7M
Q3 24
$5.8M
$-17.6M
Q2 24
$7.0M
$-67.6M
Q1 24
$-4.1M
$-16.7M
Gross Margin
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
33.3%
Q3 25
35.0%
Q2 25
33.8%
Q1 25
32.8%
Q4 24
33.2%
Q3 24
35.1%
Q2 24
35.4%
Q1 24
32.3%
Operating Margin
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
2.5%
-62.0%
Q3 25
6.1%
-14.8%
Q2 25
4.1%
-12.9%
Q1 25
0.8%
1.3%
Q4 24
4.3%
10.3%
Q3 24
5.9%
1.8%
Q2 24
6.1%
-8.8%
Q1 24
2.0%
-0.1%
Net Margin
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
-0.5%
-68.7%
Q3 25
2.1%
-17.6%
Q2 25
1.1%
-19.0%
Q1 25
-1.2%
-4.4%
Q4 24
1.1%
3.4%
Q3 24
1.4%
-3.5%
Q2 24
1.9%
-13.5%
Q1 24
-1.2%
-3.0%
EPS (diluted)
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$-0.04
$-4.61
Q3 25
$0.16
$-1.21
Q2 25
$0.08
$-1.29
Q1 25
$-0.08
$-0.33
Q4 24
$0.08
$0.25
Q3 24
$0.10
$-0.26
Q2 24
$0.12
$-1.01
Q1 24
$-0.07
$-0.25

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$123.8M
$186.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.1B
$1.6B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.6B
$68.1M
Total Assets
$3.3B
$2.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.72×
23.58×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$123.8M
$186.8M
Q3 25
$192.7M
$98.1M
Q2 25
$217.8M
$146.5M
Q1 25
$267.7M
$181.5M
Q4 24
$358.3M
$184.9M
Q3 24
$519.0M
$239.0M
Q2 24
$208.5M
$263.2M
Q1 24
$189.5M
$274.3M
Total Debt
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$1.1B
$1.6B
Q3 25
$1.1B
$1.5B
Q2 25
$1.1B
$1.5B
Q1 25
$1.1B
$1.5B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$1.5B
Q3 24
$1.0B
$1.6B
Q2 24
$976.6M
$1.6B
Q1 24
$980.9M
$1.6B
Stockholders' Equity
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$1.6B
$68.1M
Q3 25
$1.6B
$359.5M
Q2 25
$1.6B
$446.5M
Q1 25
$1.5B
$437.4M
Q4 24
$1.6B
$429.8M
Q3 24
$1.5B
$516.8M
Q2 24
$1.0B
$487.7M
Q1 24
$1.0B
$573.6M
Total Assets
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$3.3B
$2.0B
Q3 25
$3.3B
$2.3B
Q2 25
$3.3B
$2.4B
Q1 25
$3.2B
$2.3B
Q4 24
$3.2B
$2.3B
Q3 24
$3.1B
$2.5B
Q2 24
$2.5B
$2.5B
Q1 24
$2.5B
$2.6B
Debt / Equity
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
0.72×
23.58×
Q3 25
0.72×
4.30×
Q2 25
0.72×
3.42×
Q1 25
0.72×
3.44×
Q4 24
0.70×
3.43×
Q3 24
0.68×
3.09×
Q2 24
0.94×
3.22×
Q1 24
0.96×
2.82×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$96.6M
$46.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$39.3M
$32.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
8.4%
7.1%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
12.2%
3.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$84.7M
$-80.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$96.6M
$46.2M
Q3 25
$93.6M
$-30.1M
Q2 25
$89.5M
$-4.5M
Q1 25
$50.1M
$-3.0M
Q4 24
$109.8M
$71.2M
Q3 24
$91.8M
$-13.9M
Q2 24
$72.1M
$62.2M
Q1 24
$7.7M
$-29.2M
Free Cash Flow
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$39.3M
$32.0M
Q3 25
$27.6M
$-60.1M
Q2 25
$23.1M
$-28.9M
Q1 25
$-5.4M
$-23.1M
Q4 24
$32.9M
$50.4M
Q3 24
$40.4M
$-41.2M
Q2 24
$27.5M
$44.3M
Q1 24
$-22.6M
$-47.7M
FCF Margin
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
8.4%
7.1%
Q3 25
5.7%
-13.1%
Q2 25
5.0%
-6.4%
Q1 25
-1.3%
-4.6%
Q4 24
7.7%
10.3%
Q3 24
9.8%
-8.2%
Q2 24
7.3%
8.9%
Q1 24
-6.6%
-8.6%
Capex Intensity
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
12.2%
3.1%
Q3 25
13.6%
6.6%
Q2 25
14.3%
5.4%
Q1 25
13.3%
4.0%
Q4 24
18.0%
4.2%
Q3 24
12.5%
5.4%
Q2 24
11.8%
3.6%
Q1 24
8.9%
3.3%
Cash Conversion
CWST
CWST
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
Q3 25
9.37×
Q2 25
17.19×
Q1 25
Q4 24
22.51×
4.26×
Q3 24
15.91×
Q2 24
10.29×
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CWST
CWST

Transferred Over Time$120.9M26%
Resource Solutions Region$92.9M20%
Collection$90.9M19%
Mid Atlantic Region$89.6M19%
National Accounts$60.9M13%
Landfill Revenue$8.3M2%
Processing Services$2.1M0%
Transportation$1.4M0%

MERC
MERC

Other$215.3M48%
Solid Wood$110.2M25%
Lumber$54.9M12%
Pallets$23.7M5%
Energyandchemicals$18.7M4%
Manufactured Products$14.1M3%
Biofuels$10.0M2%
Wood Residuals$2.6M1%

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