Republic Services Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NYSE:RSG)

Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG) was the target of some unusual options trading on Wednesday. Stock traders purchased 2,371 call options on the company. This represents an increase of 436% compared to the average daily volume of 442 call options.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on RSG shares. Morgan Stanley set a $225.00 target price on shares of Republic Services in a report on Wednesday. Oppenheimer decreased their price target on Republic Services from $256.00 to $255.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Scotiabank lowered their price target on Republic Services from $246.00 to $242.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Republic Services in a research report on Monday, November 24th. They set a “buy” rating and a $255.00 target price for the company. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Republic Services from $260.00 to $233.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 31st. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Republic Services presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $245.62.

Republic Services Trading Down 4.7%

Shares of NYSE:RSG traded down $10.33 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $210.87. The company had a trading volume of 779,050 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,473,399. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $214.83 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $220.10. Republic Services has a one year low of $201.42 and a one year high of $258.75. The stock has a market cap of $65.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.64 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 0.58 and a quick ratio of 0.58.

Republic Services (NYSE:RSG) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 17th. The business services provider reported $1.76 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.62 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $4.14 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.21 billion. Republic Services had a net margin of 12.77% and a return on equity of 18.24%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.58 EPS. Republic Services has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.200-7.28 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Republic Services will post 6.86 earnings per share for the current year.

Republic Services Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 2nd will be paid a $0.625 dividend. This represents a $2.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 2nd. Republic Services’s dividend payout ratio is currently 37.20%.

Insider Activity at Republic Services

In other Republic Services news, Director Katharine Weymouth acquired 478 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 9th. The shares were bought at an average price of $209.46 per share, with a total value of $100,121.88. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 5,740 shares in the company, valued at $1,202,300.40. This represents a 9.08% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.11% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Inspire Investing LLC lifted its position in shares of Republic Services by 5.4% during the fourth quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 31,441 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $6,663,000 after buying an additional 1,599 shares during the last quarter. Investment Management Corp of Ontario increased its position in shares of Republic Services by 27.0% during the fourth quarter. Investment Management Corp of Ontario now owns 21,499 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $4,556,000 after purchasing an additional 4,573 shares in the last quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC lifted its holdings in shares of Republic Services by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 26,819 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $5,683,000 after purchasing an additional 409 shares during the last quarter. Gotham Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Republic Services by 18.9% in the fourth quarter. Gotham Asset Management LLC now owns 189,508 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $40,162,000 after buying an additional 30,175 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Evolve Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Republic Services during the fourth quarter worth about $301,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.73% of the company’s stock.

Key Republic Services News

Here are the key news stories impacting Republic Services this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat and margin expansion: Reported EPS of $1.76 topped consensus (~$1.62); net income and adjusted margins improved year-over-year, supporting the stock. PR Newswire — Q4 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Raised FY2026 EPS guidance: Company set 2026 EPS guidance at $7.20–$7.28, modestly above consensus (~$7.14), which signals confidence in underlying pricing and cost control. PR Newswire — Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Strong 2025 cash generation and shareholder returns: Republic reported robust full-year cash flow, completed ~$1.1B of acquisitions and returned ~$1.6B to shareholders — supports yield/total-return thesis. PR Newswire — Shareholder Returns
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and media takeaways / bullish commentary: Recent pieces highlight the company’s steady free-cash-flow profile and defensive business model, arguing the stock remains attractive for long-term investors. Seeking Alpha — Bullish Article
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call / transcripts available for detail: Management commentary (pricing, recycling market dynamics, M&A, capital allocation) is available in the Q4 call transcript for investors to parse guidance drivers. Seeking Alpha — Earnings Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue missed expectations: Q4 revenue (~$4.14B) came in below consensus (~$4.2–4.25B), indicating weaker volume or mix in the quarter and tempering the EPS beat. MSN — Revenue Miss
• Negative Sentiment: Cash flow softness and higher capex: Reports show operating cash flow dipped and capex rose (~15% YoY), which could pressure near-term free cash flow and limit buyback/headroom. Institutional selling noted in quarter-end holdings data (large reductions by some funds). Quiver Quant — Financial Details & Flows

About Republic Services

Republic Services, Inc is a leading provider of non-hazardous solid waste and recycling services in the United States. The company offers a broad range of waste management solutions to residential, commercial, industrial and municipal customers, positioning itself as a full-service partner for everyday waste collection as well as specialized disposal needs.

Republic’s core operations include curbside and commercial collection, transfer and hauling, materials recovery and recycling facilities, and landfill disposal.