vs

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

Waste Connections, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.4B vs $1.6B, roughly 1.5× WATSCO INC). Waste Connections, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 9.3% vs 4.5%, a 4.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Waste Connections, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.4% vs -10.0%). Over the past eight quarters, Waste Connections, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (2.7% CAGR vs 0.4%).

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.

Watsco, Inc. is a distributor of air conditioning, heating and refrigeration equipment, and related parts and supplies (HVAC/R) in the United States. Watsco was founded more than 60 years ago as a manufacturer of parts, components, and tools used in the HVAC/R industry. In 1989, the company shifted from manufacturing to distribution, by acquiring Gemaire Distributors Inc., a South Florida-based Rheem distributor.

WCN vs WSO — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WCN
WCN
1.5× larger
WCN
$2.4B
$1.6B
WSO
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
WCN
WCN
+16.4% gap
WCN
6.4%
-10.0%
WSO
Higher net margin
WCN
WCN
4.7% more per $
WCN
9.3%
4.5%
WSO
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WCN
WCN
Annualised
WCN
2.7%
0.4%
WSO

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Revenue
$2.4B
$1.6B
Net Profit
$219.3M
$71.7M
Gross Margin
27.1%
Operating Margin
15.4%
6.4%
Net Margin
9.3%
4.5%
Revenue YoY
6.4%
-10.0%
Net Profit YoY
-9.2%
-25.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.86
$1.82

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
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
$2.4B
Q4 25
$2.4B
$1.6B
Q3 25
$2.5B
$2.1B
Q2 25
$2.4B
$2.1B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$1.5B
Q4 24
$2.3B
$1.8B
Q3 24
$2.3B
$2.2B
Q2 24
$2.2B
$2.1B
Net Profit
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
$219.3M
Q4 25
$258.5M
$71.7M
Q3 25
$286.3M
$161.6M
Q2 25
$290.3M
$183.6M
Q1 25
$241.5M
$80.1M
Q4 24
$-196.0M
$96.8M
Q3 24
$308.0M
$171.0M
Q2 24
$275.5M
$181.4M
Gross Margin
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
Q4 25
42.5%
27.1%
Q3 25
42.8%
27.5%
Q2 25
42.1%
29.3%
Q1 25
42.0%
28.1%
Q4 24
41.4%
26.7%
Q3 24
42.5%
26.2%
Q2 24
42.1%
27.1%
Operating Margin
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
15.4%
Q4 25
17.7%
6.4%
Q3 25
17.9%
11.4%
Q2 25
19.1%
13.2%
Q1 25
17.5%
7.3%
Q4 24
-8.8%
7.8%
Q3 24
20.3%
11.6%
Q2 24
18.9%
12.6%
Net Margin
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
9.3%
Q4 25
10.9%
4.5%
Q3 25
11.6%
7.8%
Q2 25
12.1%
8.9%
Q1 25
10.8%
5.2%
Q4 24
-8.7%
5.5%
Q3 24
13.2%
7.9%
Q2 24
12.3%
8.5%
EPS (diluted)
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
$0.86
Q4 25
$1.01
$1.82
Q3 25
$1.11
$3.98
Q2 25
$1.12
$4.52
Q1 25
$0.93
$1.93
Q4 24
$-0.76
$2.42
Q3 24
$1.19
$4.22
Q2 24
$1.07
$4.49

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$112.4M
$733.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$361.6M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$8.1B
$2.8B
Total Assets
$21.2B
$4.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.13×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
$112.4M
Q4 25
$46.0M
$733.3M
Q3 25
$117.6M
$524.3M
Q2 25
$110.2M
$293.0M
Q1 25
$111.2M
$431.8M
Q4 24
$62.4M
$781.9M
Q3 24
$115.3M
$550.0M
Q2 24
$78.7M
$424.9M
Total Debt
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
Q4 25
$8.8B
$361.6M
Q3 25
$8.6B
$340.8M
Q2 25
$8.3B
$338.7M
Q1 25
$8.4B
$346.4M
Q4 24
$8.1B
$337.2M
Q3 24
$8.2B
$321.0M
Q2 24
$7.7B
$307.1M
Stockholders' Equity
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
$8.1B
Q4 25
$8.2B
$2.8B
Q3 25
$8.1B
$2.8B
Q2 25
$8.4B
$2.8B
Q1 25
$8.0B
$2.7B
Q4 24
$7.9B
$2.7B
Q3 24
$8.3B
$2.7B
Q2 24
$8.0B
$2.6B
Total Assets
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
$21.2B
Q4 25
$21.1B
$4.4B
Q3 25
$20.8B
$4.6B
Q2 25
$20.7B
$4.7B
Q1 25
$20.3B
$4.5B
Q4 24
$19.8B
$4.5B
Q3 24
$20.1B
$4.5B
Q2 24
$19.3B
$4.4B
Debt / Equity
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.07×
0.13×
Q3 25
1.07×
0.12×
Q2 25
1.00×
0.12×
Q1 25
1.05×
0.13×
Q4 24
1.03×
0.13×
Q3 24
0.99×
0.12×
Q2 24
0.96×
0.12×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$545.6M
$399.8M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$388.5M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
24.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
12.5%
0.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.49×
5.57×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$535.1M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
$545.6M
Q4 25
$556.9M
$399.8M
Q3 25
$677.4M
$354.9M
Q2 25
$638.2M
$-7.4M
Q1 25
$541.5M
$-177.6M
Q4 24
$568.9M
$378.9M
Q3 24
$558.3M
$232.8M
Q2 24
$611.4M
$57.7M
Free Cash Flow
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
Q4 25
$172.6M
$388.5M
Q3 25
$380.3M
$346.1M
Q2 25
$352.9M
$-14.3M
Q1 25
$329.1M
$-185.2M
Q4 24
$172.2M
$370.9M
Q3 24
$286.2M
$223.0M
Q2 24
$394.2M
$51.3M
FCF Margin
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
Q4 25
7.3%
24.6%
Q3 25
15.5%
16.7%
Q2 25
14.7%
-0.7%
Q1 25
14.8%
-12.1%
Q4 24
7.6%
21.1%
Q3 24
12.2%
10.3%
Q2 24
17.5%
2.4%
Capex Intensity
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
12.5%
Q4 25
16.2%
0.7%
Q3 25
12.1%
0.4%
Q2 25
11.9%
0.3%
Q1 25
9.5%
0.5%
Q4 24
17.6%
0.5%
Q3 24
11.6%
0.5%
Q2 24
9.7%
0.3%
Cash Conversion
WCN
WCN
WSO
WSO
Q1 26
2.49×
Q4 25
2.15×
5.57×
Q3 25
2.37×
2.20×
Q2 25
2.20×
-0.04×
Q1 25
2.24×
-2.22×
Q4 24
3.91×
Q3 24
1.81×
1.36×
Q2 24
2.22×
0.32×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Related Comparisons