Republic Services Stock Outlook: Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish?

Phoenix, Arizona-based Republic Services, Inc. (RSG) provides environmental services across the United States and Canada. The company, which has a market capitalization of $66.4 billion, is engaged in the collection and processing of recyclable, solid waste, and industrial waste materials; the transportation and disposal of non-hazardous and hazardous waste streams; and other environmental solutions. The U.S. waste services industry is consolidated among a small number of large national providers, with Republic Services and Waste Management (WM) its two biggest publicly traded names.

RSG shares have lagged the broader market over the past year, declining 5.6% while the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) surged 19.3%. The underperformance has continued in 2026, with the stock rising nearly 4.6% year to date against the SPX's 12.4% gain.

The picture is similar against its industry benchmark. The State Street Industrials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) has climbed 21% over the past year, outperforming the stock, and has grown 18% in 2026, again outpacing RSG.

Fundamentals and earnings outlook

RSG's fundamentals have made the stock less compelling for investors and analysts. The company's annual sales growth of 4.2% over the last two years lagged the sector median, a shortfall attributed to its large revenue base, which makes it difficult to generate incremental demand. The company has also posted flat unit sales over the past two years, and analysts forecast tepid growth over the next 12 months due to weak demand. Demand in this business reflects recurring residential, commercial, and industrial waste volumes rather than discretionary purchases, and large incumbent haulers have historically relied on collection pricing and acquisitions for growth rather than volume gains.

For the current fiscal year, which ends in December, analysts expect RSG's diluted EPS to increase 3.6% to $7.27. The company has surpassed the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters. With the fiscal year closing in December, the remaining quarterly reports will show whether that beat streak continues, making them the clearest near-term checkpoint for the cautious growth forecasts.

Wall Street's ratings and price targets

Among the 26 analysts covering RSG stock, the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy," based on 12 "Strong Buy" ratings, two "Moderate Buys," and 12 "Holds." That configuration has remained more or less unchanged over the past three months. The split leaves bullish and neutral views nearly evenly balanced, so any shift in that mix is worth watching alongside results.

On July 15, Wells Fargo analyst Jerry Revich maintained a "Buy" rating on Republic Services and set a price target of $234.

RSG's mean price target of $248.13 implies an 11% upside compared to the current market price, while its Street-high target of $281 implies a 25.7% upside from current levels. The spread between Revich's $234 target and the Street high illustrates the range of opinion sitting beneath the Moderate Buy consensus.

On the date of publication, Aritra Gangopadhyay did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com and is available via Yahoo Finance.