Clean HarborsCLH +0.16%87 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 14.80% as of Mar. 2026, which is 2% above its 10-year median of 14.50. GuruFocus rates CLH with a GF Score™ of 87/100 and a GF Value™ of $243.80 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 248 Waste Management companies, Clean Harbors ranks better than 71.37% on this metric.
Joel Greenblatt defined Return on Capital differently in his book The Little Book That Still Beats the Market (Little Books. Big Profits). He defines ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % as EBIT divided by the total of Property, Plant and Equipment and net working capital. Clean Harbors's annualized ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 14.80%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Clean Harbors's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % or its related term are showing as below:
CLH'
s ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 5.19 Med: 14.5 Max: 26.9
Current: 20.91
During the past 13 years, Clean Harbors's highest ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was 26.90%. The lowest was 5.19%. And the median was 14.50%.
CLH's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is ranked better than 71.37% of 248
companies
in the Waste Management industry
Industry Median: 11.035
vs CLH: 20.91
Clean Harbors's 5-Year average Growth Rate of ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was 10.80% per year.
The way Joel Greenblatt defines Return on Capital is a more accurate measure of how efficiently the company generates returns onthe capital actually invested in the business. EBIT is used instead of net income because the tax and interest payment may be affected by factors other than the core business operation. Intangible assets are not included in the calculation because they don't need to be replaced.
Clean Harbors ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Related Terms
Clean Harbors ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Clean Harbors's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % 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, ONT: ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Comparison
For the Waste Management subindustry, Clean Harbors's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % vs Waste Management Industry
For the Waste Management industry and Industrials sector, Clean Harbors's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Clean Harbors's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % falls into.
Joel Greenblatt defined Return on Capital differently in his book The Little Book That Still Beats the Market (Little Books. Big Profits) . He defines Return on Capital as follows:
EBIT stands for Earnings Before Interest and Taxes.
Fixed Assets are also known as non-current assets. They include the Property, Plant and Equipment that the firm needs in its operation.
GuruFocus calculates net working capital as: (Accounts Receivable + Total Inventories + Other Current Assets) - (Accounts Payable & Accrued Expense + Deferred Revenue + Other Current Liabilities). We're trying to account for OPERATING assets and liabilities (part of daily business) when calculating working capital. Cash and marketable securities are considered NON-OPERATING assets and are not included in calculation. We will also back out all interest bearing debt, short term debt and the portion of long term debt that is due in the current period from the current liabilities. This debt will be considered when computing cost of capital and it would be inappropriate to count it twice.
Note:
The EBIT data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) EBIT 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.
What does a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 14.80% mean?
Clean Harbors (CLH) has a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 14.80% as of Mar. 2026. Joel Greenblatt's return on capital is the ratio of EBIT to average fixed assets and net working capital. View historical data on Clean Harbors and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 14.50. Over the past decade, Clean Harbors' ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 5.19 to 26.90. According to the industry distribution chart, Clean Harbors ranks #71 out of 248 companies in the Waste Management industry, placing it in the top 28.6%.
Is Clean Harbors' ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % too high?
Clean Harbors' current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 14.80% is near median its 10-year median of 14.50. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 5.19 to a high of 26.90. The Waste Management industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 11.04. Clean Harbors' value of 14.80% is 34.1% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Clean Harbors ranks #71 out of 248 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' ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % compare to GFL and CWST?
According to the Waste Management industry distribution chart, Clean Harbors ranks #71 out of 248 companies for ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %. This puts Clean Harbors in the upper half of its industry. The industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 11.04. Clean Harbors' value of 14.80% is 34.1% above this benchmark. Historically, Clean Harbors' own ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 5.19 to 26.90 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 14.50 vs. the industry median of 11.04, 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % for a Waste Management company?
The median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % among Waste Management companies is 11.04, based on 248 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Clean Harbors's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 14.80% is 34.1% 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % mean?
A high ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Joel Greenblatt's return on capital is the ratio of EBIT to average fixed assets and net working capital. View historical data on Clean Harbors and its competitors. For the Waste Management industry, the median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 11.04 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Clean Harbors's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 14.80%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 14.50. 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 $243.80, compared to a current price of $291.20 — trading 19.4% above its estimated fair value. The current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 14.80%, which is near median its 10-year median of 14.50 and 34.1% above the Waste Management industry median of 11.04. Clean Harbors' overall GF Score™ is 87/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % calculated?
ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Clean Harbors (CLH), the current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 14.80% 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 $291.20 is trading 19.4% above its estimated GF Value™ of $243.80.
GuruFocus considers Clean Harbors to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for CLH:
ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %: 14.80% (near median its 10-year median of 14.50)
GF Value™: $243.80 vs. price of $291.20 (19.4% above fair value)
Industry Position: 34.1% above the Waste Management median (#71 of 248)
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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