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Clean Harbors Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 18 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 11 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Q4 Adjusted EBITDA rose 8%: Q4 Adjusted EBITDA rose 8% to $278.7 million from $257.2 million, with the margin at 18.6% against 18.0%. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow reached $509.3 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $509.3 million for 2025, against $357.9 million. Management attributed the increase to higher Adjusted EBITDA, working capital and lower net capital expenditures. Source
  • ES margin up for 15th straight quarter: ES Adjusted EBITDA margin rose 50 basis points to 25.8% in Q4, the 15th consecutive quarter of year-over-year expansion. Full-year ES margin rose 60 basis points to 25.9%. Source
  • SKSS margin up 310 basis points: SKSS Adjusted EBITDA margin rose 310 basis points in Q4, with Adjusted EBITDA of $30.0 million against $24.6 million. Management tied the improvement to its charge-for-oil pricing strategy for waste oil collection. Source
  • Buyback authorization expanded by $350 million: The Board authorized a $350 million expansion of the buyback program, to be funded from available cash. About $250 million remained at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Depot Connect acquisition for $130 million: Agreement to acquire DCI businesses for about $130 million: five locations in Ohio, Louisiana and Texas, with about $40 million of revenue and $11 million of Adjusted EBITDA a year. Source
  • Record safety rate, TRIR of 0.49: Management described its best-ever safety performance, with a record Total Recordable Incident Rate of 0.49. Source

“We believe that our results also demonstrate our consistency in executing our pricing initiatives, cost management plans and network efficiencies.”

Eric Gerstenberg, Co-Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Environmental Services Adjusted EBITDA, first quarter 2026 SourceFirst quarter 20264% to 7%, year over yearNew
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, first quarter 2026 SourceFirst quarter 20261% to 3%, year over yearNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$1.20 billion to $1.26 billion, midpoint $1.23 billionNew
GAAP net income (basis for Adjusted EBITDA range) SourceFull year 2026$410 million to $461 millionNew
Adjusted free cash flow SourceFull year 2026$480 million to $540 million, midpoint $510 millionNew
Net cash from operating activities SourceFull year 2026$820 million to $940 millionNew
Additions to property, plant and equipment SourceFull year 2026(465) to (525), in millionsNew
Cash investments in strategic growth projects SourceFull year 2026110 to 110, in millionsNew
Proceeds from sale and disposal of fixed assets SourceFull year 202615 to 15, in millionsNew
Depreciation and amortization, interest expense and income taxes SourceFull year 2026D&A 450 to 440; interest expense, net 144 to 139; provision for income taxes 145 to 167, in millionsNew
Accretion of environmental liabilities and stock-based compensation SourceFull year 2026accretion 16 to 15; stock-based compensation 35 to 38, in millionsNew
Share repurchase program SourceProgram availability after expansion$350 million expansion; $600 million of availabilityRaised from approximately $250 million of availability remaining as of December 31, 2025

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: First-quarter 2026 guidance given for Environmental Services and consolidated Adjusted EBITDA growth. Source
  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted free cash flow ranges given; the third-quarter release gave full-year 2025 ranges. Source
  • New: Agreement signed to acquire certain Depot Connect International businesses for about $130 million. Source
  • New: $50 million strategic investment announced to expand the vacuum truck fleet. Source
  • Guidance raised: Share repurchase program expanded by $350 million, to $600 million of availability. Source

Fourth-quarter and full-year results

  • Fourth-quarter revenue and operating income rose: Q4 revenues were $1.50 billion, against $1.43 billion a year earlier. Income from operations rose 16% to $158.4 million, against $137.0 million. Source
  • Q4 Adjusted EBITDA rose 8%: Q4 Adjusted EBITDA rose 8% to $278.7 million from $257.2 million, with the margin at 18.6% against 18.0%. Source
  • Full-year revenue reached $6.03 billion: Full-year revenues grew 2% to $6.03 billion from $5.89 billion. The release describes the figure as a record. Source
  • Full-year Adjusted EBITDA up 5%: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA grew 5% to $1.17 billion from $1.12 billion, and the margin was 19.4% against 19.0%. Source
  • Full-year net income and EPS declined: Full-year net income was $391.0 million, or $7.28 per diluted share, against $402.3 million, or $7.42, in 2024. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow reached $509.3 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $509.3 million for 2025, against $357.9 million. Management attributed the increase to higher Adjusted EBITDA, working capital and lower net capital expenditures. Source

Environmental Services segment

  • ES margin up for 15th straight quarter: ES Adjusted EBITDA margin rose 50 basis points to 25.8% in Q4, the 15th consecutive quarter of year-over-year expansion. Full-year ES margin rose 60 basis points to 25.9%. Source
  • Technical Services revenue grew 8%: ES revenue grew 6% in Q4, led by Technical Services, which grew 8%. Source
  • Safety-Kleen Environmental revenue up 7%: Safety-Kleen Environmental Services revenue in the segment rose 7% in Q4, driven by pricing and higher volumes, particularly vacuum services. Source
  • Field Services revenue up 13%: Field Services revenue grew 13% in Q4, supported by large-scale emergency response projects. Source
  • Incineration utilization consistent with expectations: Incineration utilization, excluding the new Kimball incinerator, was 87%, which management called consistent with its expectations. Landfill volumes rose 56% on project activity. Source

“We expect to achieve growth in revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and margins again in 2026, as we continue to deliver value to our shareholders.”

Mike Battles, Co-Chief Executive Officer

Safety-Kleen Sustainability Solutions segment

  • SKSS margin up 310 basis points: SKSS Adjusted EBITDA margin rose 310 basis points in Q4, with Adjusted EBITDA of $30.0 million against $24.6 million. Management tied the improvement to its charge-for-oil pricing strategy for waste oil collection. Source
  • Waste oil collected at higher CFO rate: The company gathered 56 million gallons of waste oil in Q4 at a CFO rate nearly 50% above the third-quarter rate. Source
  • Direct lubricant gallons grew: Management said growth in direct lubricant gallons sold also supported the year-over-year margin improvement. Source
  • Full-year SKSS Adjusted EBITDA lower: SKSS Adjusted EBITDA for 2025 was $137.5 million against $147.0 million in 2024, per the segment table. Source

Costs, taxes and corporate spending

  • Cost of revenues and SG&A rose: Q4 cost of revenues was $1,040.7 million against $1,003.5 million, and SG&A was $193.9 million against $182.0 million. Source
  • Corporate costs rose in Q4: Corporate costs in Adjusted EBITDA were $87.0 million in Q4, against $78.0 million. Full-year corporate costs were $311.3 million against $297.5 million. Source
  • Depreciation and amortization increased: Depreciation and amortization was $446.0 million for 2025, against $400.9 million in 2024. Source
  • Tax provision higher than prior year: The provision for income taxes was $33.4 million in Q4, against $19.4 million. For 2025 it was $137.0 million against $131.1 million. Source

“We deploy capital with a clear focus on maximizing shareholder returns, whether through acquisitions, internal investments, stock repurchases or debt reduction, and we look to continue to deploy capital in the most accretive way in 2026.”

Eric Dugas, Chief Financial Officer

Demand and 2026 expectations

  • Disposal and recycling demand expected high: Management expects the disposal and recycling network to remain in high demand in 2026, citing reshoring, PFAS and a growing pipeline of remediation and project work. Source
  • Safety-Kleen Environmental stable growth expected: Management expects another year of stable growth for Safety-Kleen Environmental in 2026. Source
  • Modest economic assumptions underlie 2026: Management said its 2026 expectations rest on modest economic assumptions. Source

Capital, cash and share repurchases

  • Record $250 million of 2025 buybacks: The company repurchased $250.0 million of its shares in 2025, at about $222 per share, compared with $55.2 million in 2024. Source
  • Buyback authorization expanded by $350 million: The Board authorized a $350 million expansion of the buyback program, to be funded from available cash. About $250 million remained at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose to $866.7 million: Net cash from operating activities was $866.7 million for 2025, against $777.8 million in 2024. Source
  • Capital spending slightly lower: Additions to property, plant and equipment were $424.9 million in 2025, against $432.2 million. Cash investments in strategic growth projects were $43.3 million. Source
  • Debt principal repaid, new debt issued: Principal payments on debt of $2,009.9 million were offset by $2,005.0 million of debt proceeds in 2025. Source
  • Year-end cash rose to $826.3 million: Cash and cash equivalents were $826.3 million at December 31, 2025, against $687.2 million a year earlier. Source

Acquisitions, fleet and field expansion

  • Depot Connect acquisition for $130 million: Agreement to acquire DCI businesses for about $130 million: five locations in Ohio, Louisiana and Texas, with about $40 million of revenue and $11 million of Adjusted EBITDA a year. Source
  • Vacuum fleet investment of $50 million: A $50 million investment will expand the vacuum truck fleet over two years, with a five-year payback as vacuum offerings are cross-sold. Source
  • Field Services expansion planned: Management expects to grow and expand Field Services through additional branch locations and customer relationships. Source
  • Greater direct blended sales planned at SKSS: For SKSS, management will focus on greater direct blended sales, Group III production and partnership opportunities. Source
  • Kimball incinerator and Phoenix Hub milestones: Management cited the first-year ramp-up of the new Kimball incinerator and the creation of the Phoenix Hub among 2025 operational milestones. Source

Safety, turnover and emergency response

  • Record safety rate, TRIR of 0.49: Management described its best-ever safety performance, with a record Total Recordable Incident Rate of 0.49. Source
  • Voluntary turnover at five-year low: Voluntary turnover fell by 150 basis points to a five-year low, according to management. Source
  • Emergency events and PFAS study: Management cited nearly 22,000 emergency response events handled in 2025 and the issuance of a PFAS incineration study with the EPA. Source

Coming up, as management said on 18 February 2026

  • Depot Connect acquisition closing expected: The Depot Connect acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2026, funded from available cash and subject to customary conditions. Source
  • Further acquisitions expected in 2026: Management said it expects to remain active on acquisitions in 2026. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cited select market headwinds that affected the ES segment, even as it reported growth. Source
  • External: Management cited further weakening in base oil pricing as a factor in the SKSS business. Source
  • Demand: Management noted reduced customer spending in Industrial Services over the past two years. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The Q3 release expected Q4 Adjusted EBITDA growth in the six to eight percent range; the February release reports 8% growth. Source
  • Met: The Q3 release said management was on track for a record level of 2025 adjusted free cash flow; the February release calls it a record. Source
  • Not stated: The Q3 release said management expected to achieve the SKSS profitability target in 2025; the February release does not address it.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.