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Side-by-side financial comparison of Global Payments (GPN) and Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Waste Connections, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.4B vs $1.3B, roughly 1.8× Global Payments). Global Payments runs the higher net margin — 16.4% vs 10.9%, a 5.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Waste Connections, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (5.0% vs -47.1%). Global Payments produced more free cash flow last quarter ($347.0M vs $172.6M). Over the past eight quarters, Waste Connections, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (7.0% CAGR vs -25.9%).

Global Payments Inc. is an American multinational financial technology company that provides payment technology and services to merchants, issuers and consumers. In June 2021, the company was named to the Fortune 500. The company processes payments made through credit cards, debit cards, and digital and contactless payments.

Waste Connections, Inc. is a North American integrated waste services company that provides waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling services, primarily of solid waste. It has operations in both the United States and Canada. Its headquarters is located in The Woodlands, Texas. It is the third largest waste management company in North America.

GPN vs WCN — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WCN
WCN
1.8× larger
WCN
$2.4B
$1.3B
GPN
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
WCN
WCN
+52.1% gap
WCN
5.0%
-47.1%
GPN
Higher net margin
GPN
GPN
5.5% more per $
GPN
16.4%
10.9%
WCN
More free cash flow
GPN
GPN
$174.4M more FCF
GPN
$347.0M
$172.6M
WCN
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WCN
WCN
Annualised
WCN
7.0%
-25.9%
GPN

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Revenue
$1.3B
$2.4B
Net Profit
$217.5M
$258.5M
Gross Margin
89.7%
42.5%
Operating Margin
5.9%
17.7%
Net Margin
16.4%
10.9%
Revenue YoY
-47.1%
5.0%
Net Profit YoY
-61.6%
231.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.91
$1.01

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
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
$1.3B
$2.4B
Q3 25
$2.0B
$2.5B
Q2 25
$2.0B
$2.4B
Q1 25
$2.4B
$2.2B
Q4 24
$2.5B
$2.3B
Q3 24
$2.6B
$2.3B
Q2 24
$2.6B
$2.2B
Q1 24
$2.4B
$2.1B
Net Profit
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
$217.5M
$258.5M
Q3 25
$635.2M
$286.3M
Q2 25
$241.6M
$290.3M
Q1 25
$305.7M
$241.5M
Q4 24
$567.2M
$-196.0M
Q3 24
$315.1M
$308.0M
Q2 24
$374.8M
$275.5M
Q1 24
$313.3M
$230.1M
Gross Margin
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
89.7%
42.5%
Q3 25
72.3%
42.8%
Q2 25
74.5%
42.1%
Q1 25
61.8%
42.0%
Q4 24
62.1%
41.4%
Q3 24
63.6%
42.5%
Q2 24
63.5%
42.1%
Q1 24
61.9%
41.1%
Operating Margin
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
5.9%
17.7%
Q3 25
38.8%
17.9%
Q2 25
21.8%
19.1%
Q1 25
19.5%
17.5%
Q4 24
33.1%
-8.8%
Q3 24
18.3%
20.3%
Q2 24
22.3%
18.9%
Q1 24
18.7%
17.7%
Net Margin
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
16.4%
10.9%
Q3 25
31.6%
11.6%
Q2 25
12.3%
12.1%
Q1 25
12.7%
10.8%
Q4 24
22.5%
-8.7%
Q3 24
12.1%
13.2%
Q2 24
14.6%
12.3%
Q1 24
12.9%
11.1%
EPS (diluted)
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
$0.91
$1.01
Q3 25
$2.64
$1.11
Q2 25
$0.99
$1.12
Q1 25
$1.24
$0.93
Q4 24
$2.23
$-0.76
Q3 24
$1.24
$1.19
Q2 24
$1.47
$1.07
Q1 24
$1.22
$0.89

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$8.3B
$46.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$19.5B
$8.8B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$22.9B
$8.2B
Total Assets
$53.3B
$21.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.85×
1.07×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
$8.3B
$46.0M
Q3 25
$2.6B
$117.6M
Q2 25
$2.6B
$110.2M
Q1 25
$2.9B
$111.2M
Q4 24
$2.5B
$62.4M
Q3 24
$2.9B
$115.3M
Q2 24
$2.1B
$78.7M
Q1 24
$2.2B
$112.0M
Total Debt
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
$19.5B
$8.8B
Q3 25
$13.3B
$8.6B
Q2 25
$14.2B
$8.3B
Q1 25
$15.0B
$8.4B
Q4 24
$15.2B
$8.1B
Q3 24
$15.2B
$8.2B
Q2 24
$15.6B
$7.7B
Q1 24
$15.6B
$7.8B
Stockholders' Equity
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
$22.9B
$8.2B
Q3 25
$22.7B
$8.1B
Q2 25
$22.6B
$8.4B
Q1 25
$22.2B
$8.0B
Q4 24
$22.3B
$7.9B
Q3 24
$22.8B
$8.3B
Q2 24
$22.4B
$8.0B
Q1 24
$22.2B
$7.8B
Total Assets
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
$53.3B
$21.1B
Q3 25
$48.0B
$20.8B
Q2 25
$48.5B
$20.7B
Q1 25
$47.6B
$20.3B
Q4 24
$46.9B
$19.8B
Q3 24
$50.0B
$20.1B
Q2 24
$50.8B
$19.3B
Q1 24
$51.8B
$19.1B
Debt / Equity
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
0.85×
1.07×
Q3 25
0.59×
1.07×
Q2 25
0.63×
1.00×
Q1 25
0.67×
1.05×
Q4 24
0.68×
1.03×
Q3 24
0.67×
0.99×
Q2 24
0.70×
0.96×
Q1 24
0.70×
1.00×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$515.2M
$556.9M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$347.0M
$172.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
26.1%
7.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
12.7%
16.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.37×
2.15×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$2.0B
$1.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
$515.2M
$556.9M
Q3 25
$768.7M
$677.4M
Q2 25
$817.5M
$638.2M
Q1 25
$555.1M
$541.5M
Q4 24
$653.4M
$568.9M
Q3 24
$1.7B
$558.3M
Q2 24
$736.9M
$611.4M
Q1 24
$416.3M
$490.3M
Free Cash Flow
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
$347.0M
$172.6M
Q3 25
$598.9M
$380.3M
Q2 25
$665.4M
$352.9M
Q1 25
$427.5M
$329.1M
Q4 24
$469.4M
$172.2M
Q3 24
$1.6B
$286.2M
Q2 24
$557.7M
$394.2M
Q1 24
$270.9M
$320.4M
FCF Margin
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
26.1%
7.3%
Q3 25
29.8%
15.5%
Q2 25
34.0%
14.7%
Q1 25
17.7%
14.8%
Q4 24
18.7%
7.6%
Q3 24
60.0%
12.2%
Q2 24
21.7%
17.5%
Q1 24
11.2%
15.5%
Capex Intensity
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
12.7%
16.2%
Q3 25
8.5%
12.1%
Q2 25
7.8%
11.9%
Q1 25
5.3%
9.5%
Q4 24
7.3%
17.6%
Q3 24
6.4%
11.6%
Q2 24
7.0%
9.7%
Q1 24
6.0%
8.2%
Cash Conversion
GPN
GPN
WCN
WCN
Q4 25
2.37×
2.15×
Q3 25
1.21×
2.37×
Q2 25
3.38×
2.20×
Q1 25
1.82×
2.24×
Q4 24
1.15×
Q3 24
5.48×
1.81×
Q2 24
1.97×
2.22×
Q1 24
1.33×
2.13×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

GPN
GPN

Integrated And Embedded Solutions$869.3M65%
Point Of Sale And Software Solutions$281.7M21%
Other$178.4M13%

WCN
WCN

Southern$552.9M23%
Central$450.9M19%
Landfill$386.5M16%
Transfer$370.6M16%
Other$347.9M15%
Exploration And Production Waste Treatment Recovery And Disposal$171.1M7%
Solid Waste Recycling$51.2M2%
Intermodal And Other$42.3M2%

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