Republic Services Raises 2026 Guidance and Authorizes $5 Billion Buyback as Revenue Grows 8.2%

Republic Services raised its full-year revenue, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow guidance and authorized $5 billion for share repurchases after third-quarter revenue rose 8.2%, according to the earnings release it filed with an 8-K on Thursday after the market close.

The waste and recycling company reported net income of $592 million, or $1.93 a diluted share, for the quarter ended Sept. 30, up from $550 million, or $1.76, a year earlier. Adjusted EPS rose 2.1% to $1.94 from $1.90. Revenue reached $4.56 billion, compared with $4.21 billion.

"Positive growth trends across the business and improved performance in Environmental Solutions reinforce our confidence in the opportunities ahead," President and CEO Jon Vander Ark said in the release.

Environmental Solutions rebounds

Of the 8.2% revenue increase, 4.8 percentage points came from organic growth in the recycling and waste business, 2.1 points from the environmental solutions business and 1.3 points from acquisitions.

Environmental Solutions revenue rose to $529 million from $433 million a year earlier, and its adjusted EBITDA margin widened to 25.4% from 21.0%. The recycling and waste business generated $4.03 billion of revenue with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 32.6%, down from 34.2%.

Pricing remained the main lever. Core price lifted total revenue by 5.3%, and average yield added 2.9%, while lower volume subtracted 0.6%. The average recycled commodity price at Republic's recycling centers was $142 a ton, up $16 from a year earlier.

Company-wide adjusted EBITDA was $1.45 billion, with a margin of 31.8% of revenue, compared with 32.8% a year earlier.

Guidance moves higher

Republic increased its 2026 revenue guidance to $17.425 billion to $17.475 billion and raised its adjusted EBITDA outlook to $5.550 billion to $5.575 billion. It now expects adjusted free cash flow of $2.565 billion to $2.585 billion. The company said the guidance is based on current economic conditions and does not assume significant changes in the overall economy for the rest of the year.

In a separate section of the 8-K, Republic said it expects full-year net income attributable to the company of $2.210 billion to $2.220 billion and operating cash flow of $4.510 billion to $4.570 billion.

New buyback and dividend

On Oct. 28, the board approved a $5 billion share repurchase authorization that takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, and runs through Dec. 31, 2029. As of Sept. 30, $0.8 billion remained under the prior authorization, which continues through the end of 2026.

The board also declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.670 a share, payable Jan. 15, 2027, to shareholders of record on Jan. 4.

Through the first nine months, Republic generated $3.52 billion of operating cash flow and $2.28 billion of adjusted free cash flow. It invested $1.12 billion in acquisitions and returned $1.43 billion to shareholders, including $848 million of buybacks and $577 million of dividends.

By the numbers

• $4.56 billion: third-quarter revenue, up 8.2%
• $1.94: adjusted EPS, up 2.1%
• $1.93: diluted EPS, up 9.7%
• $5 billion: new buyback authorization for 2027 through 2029
• $5.550 billion to $5.575 billion: raised 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance

Sources

1. Republic Services Form 8-K with third-quarter 2026 earnings release (Exhibit 99.1), filed Oct. 29, 2026 (accession 0001060391-26-000326)

This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not investment advice. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

Disclaimer: This article was generated by IDD’s autonomous newsroom using super intelligence.