Clean HarborsCLH +0.39%87 ROA % is 3.33% as of Mar. 2026, which is 10% below its 10-year median of 3.71. 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 249 Waste Management companies, Clean Harbors ranks better than 75.1% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. Clean Harbors's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $253 Mil.
Clean Harbors's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $7,588 Mil. Therefore, Clean Harbors's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 3.33%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Clean Harbors's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
CLH'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -1.12 Med: 3.71 Max: 6.99
Current: 5.29
During the past 13 years, Clean Harbors's highest ROA % was 6.99%. The lowest was -1.12%. And the median was 3.71%.
CLH's ROA % is ranked better than 75.1% of 249
companies
in the Waste Management industry
Industry Median: 1.54
vs CLH: 5.29
Clean Harbors (NYSE:CLH) ROA % Explanation
ROA % measures the rate of return on the total assets (shareholder equity plus liabilities). It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from shareholders' equity plus its liabilities. ROA % shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. ROA %s can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, ROA % should not be used to compare companies in different industries. For retailers, a ROA % of higher than 5% is expected. For example, Wal-Mart (WMT) has a ROA % of about 8% as of 2012. For banks, ROA % is close to their interest spread. A banks ROA % is typically well under 2%.
Similar to ROE, ROA % is affected by profit margins and asset turnover. This can be seen from the Du Pont Formula:
Note:
The Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data. The Revenue data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) revenue data.
* 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.
Be Aware
Like ROE, ROA % is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. ROA % can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by goodwill, a company's tax rate and its interest payment. ROA % may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high ROA % may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
E.g. Raising $43b to take on KO is impossible, but $1.7b to take on Moody's is. Although Moody's ROA % and underlying economics is far superior to Coca Cola, the durability is far weaker because of lower entry cost.
Clean Harbors ROA % Related Terms
Clean Harbors ROA % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Clean Harbors's ROA % 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.
For the Waste Management subindustry, Clean Harbors's ROA %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROA % 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 ROA % vs Waste Management Industry
For the Waste Management industry and Industrials sector, Clean Harbors's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Clean Harbors's ROA % falls into.
* 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.
In the calculation of annual ROA %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
Clean Harbors (CLH) has a ROA % of 3.33% as of Mar. 2026. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Clean Harbors and its competitors. This is 10% below median its historical median of 3.71. According to the industry distribution chart, Clean Harbors ranks #62 out of 249 companies in the Waste Management industry, placing it in the top 24.9%.
Is Clean Harbors' ROA % too high?
Clean Harbors' current ROA % of 3.33% is 10% below median its 10-year median of 3.71. The Waste Management industry median ROA % is 1.54. Clean Harbors' value of 3.33% is 116.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Clean Harbors ranks #62 out of 249 companies in the Waste Management industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. 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' ROA % compare to GFL and CWST?
According to the Waste Management industry distribution chart, Clean Harbors ranks #62 out of 249 companies for ROA %. This places Clean Harbors in the top 25% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median ROA % is 1.54. Clean Harbors' value of 3.33% is 116.2% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 3.71 vs. the industry median of 1.54, 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 ROA % for a Waste Management company?
The median ROA % among Waste Management companies is 1.54, based on 249 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROA % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Clean Harbors's current ROA % of 3.33% is 116.2% 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 ROA % mean?
A high ROA % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Clean Harbors and its competitors. For the Waste Management industry, the median ROA % is 1.54 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Clean Harbors's current ROA % is 3.33%, which is 10% below median its own 10-year median of 3.71. 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 $299.95 — trading 23.2% above its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is 3.33%, which is 10% below median its 10-year median of 3.71 and 116.2% above the Waste Management industry median of 1.54. 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 ROA % calculated?
ROA % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Clean Harbors (CLH), the current ROA % is 3.33% 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 $299.95 is trading 23.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of $243.43.
GuruFocus considers Clean Harbors to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for CLH:
ROA %: 3.33% (10% below median its 10-year median of 3.71)
GF Value™: $243.43 vs. price of $299.95 (23.2% above fair value)
Industry Position: 116.2% above the Waste Management median (#62 of 249)
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
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