📊 CLH Key Takeaways
Is Clean Harbors Inc. (CLH) a Good Investment?
Clean Harbors exhibits severe fundamental deterioration masked by reported earnings. The company burns $92.1M in free cash flow while generating only $6.3M in operating cash flow on $1.5B revenue (0.4% margin), signaling critical earnings quality issues. Abysmal returns of 2.3% ROE and 0.8% ROA indicate the business destroys shareholder capital despite being debt-financed.
Clean Harbors shows solid core fundamentals with double-digit operating margins, healthy free cash flow generation, and strong liquidity, which supports resilience in a capital-intensive environmental services business. However, the reported growth quality is mixed because net income was flat, EPS declined, leverage is meaningful, and several data points appear internally inconsistent, which reduces confidence in the apparent revenue surge.
Why Buy Clean Harbors Inc. Stock? CLH Key Strengths
- Strong liquidity position with 2.34x current ratio provides operational flexibility
- Moderate leverage at 0.99x debt-to-equity maintains balanced capital structure
- Essential waste management sector with stable demand dynamics
- Strong operating cash flow and positive free cash flow indicate good cash conversion and internal funding capacity
- Liquidity appears healthy, with solid cash reserves and current and quick ratios above 2x
- Operating profitability and mid-teens ROE suggest the business remains fundamentally productive
CLH Stock Risks: Clean Harbors Inc. Investment Risks
- Negative free cash flow of -$92.1M despite positive net income indicates severe earnings quality issues and unsustainable cash burn
- Operating cash flow of only $6.3M represents 0.4% of revenue, suggesting reported profits are not supported by actual cash generation
- Extremely low returns on equity (2.3%) and assets (0.8%) demonstrate poor capital efficiency and shareholder value destruction
- Revenue growth appears unusually large relative to flat net income, raising questions about growth quality or comparability
- Leverage is material, with debt roughly equal to equity, which could constrain flexibility if earnings soften
- Reported data has internal inconsistencies, including gross margin versus operating margin and balance sheet relationships, which increases analytical uncertainty
Key Metrics to Watch
- Operating cash flow-to-net income conversion ratio and path to positive FCF
- Return on equity trend and evidence of improved capital deployment
- Organic vs acquisition-driven revenue breakdown and organic growth sustainability
- Free cash flow after capital expenditures
- Debt leverage and net income/EPS conversion from revenue growth
Clean Harbors Inc. (CLH) Financial Metrics & Key Ratios
💡 AI Analyst Insight
Strong liquidity with a 2.34x current ratio provides a solid financial cushion.
CLH Profit Margin, ROE & Profitability Analysis
CLH vs Market Sector: How Clean Harbors Inc. Compares
How Clean Harbors Inc. compares to Market sector averages
Sector benchmarks are approximate industry averages. Actual sector performance may vary.
Is Clean Harbors Inc. Stock Overvalued? CLH Valuation Analysis 2026
Based on fundamental analysis, Clean Harbors Inc. shows some fundamental concerns relative to the Market sector in 2026.
Note: This is a fundamental analysis based on SEC filings. For P/E ratio, price targets, and market-based valuation, consult financial data providers. This is not investment advice.
Clean Harbors Inc. Balance Sheet: CLH Debt, Cash & Liquidity
CLH Revenue & Earnings Growth: 5-Year Financial Trend
5-Year Trend Summary: Clean Harbors Inc.'s revenue has grown significantly by 58% over the 5-year period, indicating strong business expansion. The most recent EPS of $6.95 reflects profitable operations.
CLH Revenue Growth, EPS Growth & YoY Performance
CLH Quarterly Earnings & Performance
| Quarter | Revenue | Net Income | EPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2026 | $1.4B | $58.7M | $1.09 |
| Q3 2025 | $1.5B | $58.7M | $2.12 |
| Q2 2025 | $1.5B | $58.7M | $2.36 |
| Q1 2025 | $1.4B | $58.7M | $1.09 |
| Q3 2024 | $1.4B | $69.8M | $1.68 |
| Q2 2024 | $1.4B | $69.8M | $2.13 |
| Q1 2024 | $1.3B | $69.8M | $1.29 |
| Q3 2023 | $1.4B | $45.3M | $1.68 |
Data sourced from SEC EDGAR 10-Q quarterly filings. Figures may represent quarterly or cumulative values.
Clean Harbors Inc. Dividends, Buybacks & Capital Allocation
CLH SEC Filings: Latest 10-K & 10-Q Analysis
Access official SEC EDGAR filings for Clean Harbors Inc. (CIK: 0000822818)
📋 Recent SEC Filings
❓ Frequently Asked Questions about CLH
What is the AI rating for CLH?
Clean Harbors Inc. (CLH) has a Combined AI Rating of SELL from Claude (SELL) and ChatGPT (HOLD) with 74% combined confidence, based on fundamental analysis of SEC EDGAR filings.
What are CLH's key strengths?
Claude: Strong liquidity position with 2.34x current ratio provides operational flexibility. Moderate leverage at 0.99x debt-to-equity maintains balanced capital structure. ChatGPT: Strong operating cash flow and positive free cash flow indicate good cash conversion and internal funding capacity. Liquidity appears healthy, with solid cash reserves and current and quick ratios above 2x.
What are the risks of investing in CLH?
Claude: Negative free cash flow of -$92.1M despite positive net income indicates severe earnings quality issues and unsustainable cash burn. Operating cash flow of only $6.3M represents 0.4% of revenue, suggesting reported profits are not supported by actual cash generation. ChatGPT: Revenue growth appears unusually large relative to flat net income, raising questions about growth quality or comparability. Leverage is material, with debt roughly equal to equity, which could constrain flexibility if earnings soften.
What is CLH's revenue and growth?
Clean Harbors Inc. reported revenue of $1.5B.
Does CLH pay dividends?
Clean Harbors Inc. does not currently pay dividends.
Where can I find CLH SEC filings?
Official SEC filings for Clean Harbors Inc. (CIK: 0000822818) including 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports are available on SEC EDGAR.
What is CLH's EPS?
Clean Harbors Inc. has a diluted EPS of $1.19.
How is the AI analysis conducted?
Two independent AI systems — Claude (Anthropic) and ChatGPT (OpenAI) — analyze SEC EDGAR filings including 10-K annual reports and 10-Q quarterly reports. Each AI evaluates financial health, profitability ratios, balance sheet strength, and growth metrics. The combined rating reflects both perspectives for balanced insights.
Is CLH a good stock to buy right now?
Based on our AI fundamental analysis in May 2026, Clean Harbors Inc. has a SELL rating with 74% confidence. Review the strengths and risks sections above before making a decision. This is not investment advice.
Is CLH stock overvalued or undervalued?
Valuation metrics for CLH: ROE of 2.3% (sector avg: 15%), net margin of 4.3% (sector avg: 12%). Compare these metrics with sector averages to assess valuation.
Should I buy CLH stock in 2026?
Our dual AI analysis gives Clean Harbors Inc. a combined SELL rating for 2026. Revenue is data pending, with profitability at or below sector average. Always conduct your own research.
What is CLH's free cash flow?
Clean Harbors Inc.'s operating cash flow is $6.3M, with capital expenditures of $98.4M. FCF margin is -6.3%.
How does CLH compare to other Market stocks?
Vs Default sector averages: Net margin 4.3% (avg: 12%), ROE 2.3% (avg: 15%), current ratio 2.34 (avg: 1.8).