Clean HarborsCLH +0.43%87 Operating Margin % is 8.15% as of Mar. 2026, which is 5% below its 10-year median of 8.57. GuruFocus rates CLH with a GF Score™ of 87/100 and a GF Value™ of $243.43 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 241 Waste Management companies, Clean Harbors ranks better than 62.66% on this metric.
Operating Margin % is calculated as Operating Income divided by its Revenue. Clean Harbors's Operating Income for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was $119 Mil. Clean Harbors's Revenue for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was $1,460 Mil. Therefore, Clean Harbors's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 8.15%.
Good Sign:
Clean Harbors Inc operating margin is expanding. Margin expansion is usually a good sign.
The historical rank and industry rank for Clean Harbors's Operating Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
CLH'
s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.74 Med: 8.57 Max: 12.29
Current: 11.24
CLH's Operating Margin % is ranked better than 62.66% of 241
companies
in the Waste Management industry
Industry Median: 6.61
vs CLH: 11.24
Clean Harbors's 5-Year Average Operating Margin % Growth Rate was 6.60% per year.
Just like Gross Margin %, it is important to see a company maintains its operating margin over time. Among the same industry, a company with higher operating margin is more efficient in its operation. It is also more stable during industry slowdown or recessions. Peter Lynch prefers those with higher margins than those with lower margins.
Be Aware
Operating Margin % can be manipulated by adjusting the rate of depreciation, depletion and amortization (DDA).
If a company is facing competition, its Operating Margin % may decline. Often the Operating Margin % declines well before the company's Revenue or even profit decline. Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important indicator of whether the company is facing problems.
For instance, by 2012, Nokia (NOK)'s problems were well known and its stock had lost more than 90% of its market value since 2007. But Nokias Operating Margin % had already been in decline since 2002, although its Earnings per Share (Diluted) were still rising. Investors who paid attention to Operating Margin % would have avoided this huge loss. The same can be said for Research-in-Motion (RIMM).
Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important screening filter for GuruFocus. GuruFocus's Buffett-Munger screener requires that the profit margin is either consistent or expanding. The Model Portfolio of the Buffett-Munger screener has outperformed the market every year since inception in 2009.
Clean Harbors Operating Margin % Related Terms
Clean Harbors Operating Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Clean Harbors's Operating Margin % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
CLH vs GFL, CWST, NVRI: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Waste Management subindustry, Clean Harbors's Operating Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Operating Margin % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Clean Harbors Operating Margin % vs Waste Management Industry
For the Waste Management industry and Industrials sector, Clean Harbors's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Clean Harbors's Operating Margin % falls into.
Operating Margin % - also known as operating income margin, operating profit margin and return on sales (ROS) - is the ratio of Operating Income divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.
Clean Harbors's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Clean Harbors (CLH) has a Operating Margin % of 8.15% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Clean Harbors and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 8.57. Over the past decade, Clean Harbors' Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.74 to 12.29. According to the industry distribution chart, Clean Harbors ranks #90 out of 241 companies in the Waste Management industry, placing it in the top 37.3%.
Is Clean Harbors' Operating Margin % too high?
Clean Harbors' current Operating Margin % of 8.15% is near median its 10-year median of 8.57. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.74 to a high of 12.29. The Waste Management industry median Operating Margin % is 6.61. Clean Harbors' value of 8.15% is 23.3% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Clean Harbors ranks #90 out of 241 companies in the Waste Management industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Clean Harbors has a GF Score™ of 87/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Clean Harbors' Operating Margin % compare to GFL and CWST?
According to the Waste Management industry distribution chart, Clean Harbors ranks #90 out of 241 companies for Operating Margin %. This puts Clean Harbors in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 6.61. Clean Harbors' value of 8.15% is 23.3% above this benchmark. Historically, Clean Harbors' own Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.74 to 12.29 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 8.57 vs. the industry median of 6.61, Clean Harbors has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Operating Margin % for a Waste Management company?
The median Operating Margin % among Waste Management companies is 6.61, based on 241 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Operating Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Operating Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Clean Harbors's current Operating Margin % of 8.15% is 23.3% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Operating Margin % mean?
A high Operating Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Clean Harbors and its competitors. For the Waste Management industry, the median Operating Margin % is 6.61 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Clean Harbors's current Operating Margin % is 8.15%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 8.57. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Clean Harbors stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Clean Harbors (CLH) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $243.43, compared to a current price of $300.06 — trading 23.3% above its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is 8.15%, which is near median its 10-year median of 8.57 and 23.3% above the Waste Management industry median of 6.61. Clean Harbors' overall GF Score™ is 87/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Operating Margin % calculated?
Operating Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Clean Harbors (CLH), the current Operating Margin % is 8.15% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Clean Harbors (CLH) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Clean Harbors stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $300.06 is trading 23.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of $243.43.
GuruFocus considers Clean Harbors to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for CLH:
Operating Margin %: 8.15% (near median its 10-year median of 8.57)
GF Value™: $243.43 vs. price of $300.06 (23.3% above fair value)
Industry Position: 23.3% above the Waste Management median (#90 of 241)
No single metric tells the full story. See the CLH stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Clean Harbors Inc is an environmental and industrial services provider that provides parts cleaning and related environmental services to commercial, industrial, and automotive customers. Its business segments are Environmental Services and Safety-Kleen Sustainability Solutions. Environmental Services includes waste collection, transportation, treatment, recycling, and disposal, along with industrial maintenance services. Safety-Kleen Sustainability Solutions provides used oil collection and manufactures base oil, vacuum gas oil, and lubricants. The company generates the majority of its revenues from the Environmental Services segment and operates in the United States, with maximum revenue, and Canada.
87GF Score
Get the complete analysis for CLH
Operating Margin % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
CLH has been successfully added to your 
