Clean Harbors (NYSE:CLH) Issues Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.04 EPS

08 May 2026, 11:30 by Doug Wharley · The Cerbat Gem

Clean Harbors (NYSE:CLH – Get Free Report) released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The business services provider reported $1.19 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.15 by $0.04, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $1.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.47 billion. Clean Harbors had a net margin of 6.53% and a return on equity of 14.37%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.09 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Clean Harbors’ conference call:

Company beat Q1 expectations, with consolidated adjusted EBITDA up 6% to $248M and management raising 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance to $1.24B–$1.30B (midpoint $1.27B), implying ~9% growth vs. 2025.
SKSS outperformed materially — Q1 adjusted EBITDA rose 17% with a 320 bp margin improvement, driven by charge-for-oil actions and a late-quarter base oil price rally; management now expects SKSS ~ $165M of EBITDA for 2026.
Environmental Services showed continued momentum: 16th consecutive quarter of margin improvement, strong project/PFAS work (landfill volumes +34%) and field-service expansion (opened branches), supported by a new PFAS framework and EPA/DoD guidance that bolsters the sales pipeline.
Balance sheet and capital allocation remain constructive with cash and marketable securities of roughly $670M, net debt/EBITDA ~2x, $25M of share buybacks in Q1 and $575M remaining authorization, while management continues to fund strategic CapEx and tuck‑in M&A.
Caveats and risks include persistent weakness/uncertainty in industrial services (refinery turnaround cadence), uncertainty around the duration of elevated base‑oil spreads, and typical Q1 seasonal negative adjusted free cash flow, which could pressure near‑term results if market conditions reverse.

Clean Harbors Stock Up 1.9%

Shares of NYSE:CLH traded up $5.28 on Friday, reaching $287.65. The company had a trading volume of 624,850 shares, compared to its average volume of 522,960. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.33 billion, a PE ratio of 38.98 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a current ratio of 2.34, a quick ratio of 2.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99. Clean Harbors has a 52-week low of $201.34 and a 52-week high of $316.98. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $294.75 and its 200-day simple moving average is $260.80.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

CLH has been the subject of a number of research reports. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Clean Harbors from $310.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, April 20th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Clean Harbors from $290.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Clean Harbors from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, April 11th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Clean Harbors from $309.00 to $313.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Clean Harbors from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Clean Harbors presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $318.83.

Get Our Latest Report on CLH

Insider Activity at Clean Harbors

In other Clean Harbors news, EVP Brian P. Weber sold 4,683 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $293.39, for a total transaction of $1,373,945.37. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 48,728 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,296,307.92. This represents a 8.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Marcy L. Reed sold 836 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $287.94, for a total transaction of $240,717.84. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 5,081 shares in the company, valued at $1,463,023.14. This represents a 14.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 13,597 shares of company stock valued at $3,895,286 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 5.00% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Clean Harbors

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of CLH. Cinctive Capital Management LP acquired a new position in shares of Clean Harbors during the fourth quarter worth $271,000. Certuity LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Clean Harbors in the 3rd quarter worth $224,000. Vise Technologies Inc. purchased a new position in Clean Harbors during the 4th quarter worth $208,000. Opal Capital LLC acquired a new position in Clean Harbors during the 4th quarter valued at about $184,000. Finally, CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC raised its stake in Clean Harbors by 46.3% in the fourth quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 762 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $179,000 after buying an additional 241 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.43% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Clean Harbors

Here are the key news stories impacting Clean Harbors this week:

Positive Sentiment: Company raised full‑year guidance, citing stronger margins and improved profitability — management lifted adjusted EBITDA and adjusted free‑cash‑flow ranges. Clean Harbors Lifts Guidance On Margin Strength Clean Harbors beats profit view, raises full-year outlook
Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings beat consensus — reported EPS $1.19 vs. estimate $1.15, showing year‑over‑year improvement. CLH Beats Q1 Earnings Estimates
Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised forecasts and price targets after the print (Needham, Oppenheimer, Wells Fargo among those boosting targets/ratings), supporting upside thesis. Analysts Boost Forecasts Needham Raises Target to $325
Neutral Sentiment: Full Q1 call transcript and presentation available — useful for drilling into margin drivers, segment trends and capex plans. Q1 2026 Earnings Transcript Earnings Call Transcript
Neutral Sentiment: Longer‑term growth narrative reiterated by analysts and commentators — quality growth story remains though near‑term execution is being watched. Quality Growth Story Zacks Growth Thesis
Negative Sentiment: Revenue slightly missed expectations (reported $1.46B vs ~ $1.47B expected), which, combined with Q1 cash consumption from elevated capex and investments, sparked the negative market reaction. Sales Below Estimates Revenue Miss & Cash-Flow Usage Analysis
Negative Sentiment: Significant insider selling noted in recent months, which could weigh on sentiment for some investors. Insider Trading & Ownership Notes

About Clean Harbors

(Get Free Report)

Clean Harbors, Inc is a leading provider of environmental, energy and industrial services in North America. The company specializes in the collection, transportation and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, emergency spill response and remediation, industrial cleaning and on-site field services. Its comprehensive service offering also includes chemical neutralization, drum crushing, high-pressure water blasting, tank cleaning and vacuum services designed to help customers meet stringent environmental regulations.

Founded in 1980 by Alan S.