Short Interest in Clean Harbors, Inc. (NYSE:CLH) Decreases By 17.8%

Clean Harbors, Inc. (NYSE:CLH - Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totalling 615,700 shares, a drop of 17.8% from the March 15th total of 748,700 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 488,900 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.3 days. Currently, 1.2% of the company's stock are sold short.

Clean Harbors Trading Up 1.2 %

Shares of Clean Harbors stock opened at $207.25 on Friday. Clean Harbors has a 1-year low of $178.29 and a 1-year high of $267.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 2.21 and a quick ratio of 1.76. The stock has a market cap of $11.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.93 and a beta of 1.11. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $203.26 and its 200-day simple moving average is $230.05.

Clean Harbors (NYSE:CLH - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 19th. The business services provider reported $1.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.36 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $1.43 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.43 billion. Clean Harbors had a return on equity of 16.33% and a net margin of 6.83%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 6.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.82 EPS. Analysts predict that Clean Harbors will post 7.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other Clean Harbors news, CFO Eric J. Dugas acquired 1,050 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 10th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $191.38 per share, with a total value of $200,949.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 24,238 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,638,668.44. This trade represents a 4.53 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Robert Speights sold 2,725 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $190.44, for a total value of $518,949.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 40,008 shares in the company, valued at $7,619,123.52. This represents a 6.38 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 5.90% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Clean Harbors

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CLH. Traynor Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Clean Harbors by 3.6% in the fourth quarter. Traynor Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,450 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $334,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Williamson Legacy Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Clean Harbors by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Williamson Legacy Group LLC now owns 3,727 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $858,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the period. Deutsche Bank AG increased its position in shares of Clean Harbors by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 5,793 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $1,333,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in Clean Harbors by 10.1% in the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 619 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $142,000 after buying an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its stake in Clean Harbors by 17.8% during the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 384 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $88,000 after buying an additional 58 shares during the period. 90.43% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently issued reports on CLH. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Clean Harbors from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday. Oppenheimer decreased their price target on shares of Clean Harbors from $256.00 to $254.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 20th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on shares of Clean Harbors from $284.00 to $270.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 20th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their target price on Clean Harbors from $290.00 to $285.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 20th. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on Clean Harbors from $285.00 to $272.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 20th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $260.40.

Clean Harbors Company Profile

Clean Harbors, Inc provides environmental and industrial services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Environmental Services and Safety-Kleen Sustainability Solutions. The Environmental Services segment collects, transports, treats, and disposes hazardous and non-hazardous waste, such as resource recovery, physical treatment, fuel blending, incineration, landfill disposal, wastewater treatment, lab chemicals disposal, and explosives management services; and offers CleanPack services, including collection, identification, categorization, specialized packaging, transportation, and disposal of laboratory chemicals and household hazardous waste.

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