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Casella Waste (CWST) Risk Analysis

Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning. Casella Waste disclosed 24 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Casella Waste reported the most risks in the “Production” category.

Risk Overview Q4, 2025

Source: the company's latest filing for the period ended Dec 31, 2025, filed Feb 20, 2026

Risk Distribution
24Risks
Sector Avg.Finance & CorporateTech & InnovationLegal & RegulatoryProductionAbility to SellMacro & Political
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy

Risk Change Over Time

Casella Waste disclosed risks per quarterNo. of Risks202122232425Q3Q4Q12023Q4Q4Q4Showing: Q4, 2025
Risks removedRisks addedRisks changedCasella Waste Risk Factors
Risk Changed (1)
  • Technology - Risk 1
    Inability to effectively adopt and manage artificial intelligence technologies could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and competitive position.

    We are evaluating and may increasingly incorporate artificial intelligence, including generative artificial intelligence, into certain aspects of our operations, customer engagement, and internal processes, including route optimization, asset utilization, pricing, forecasting and decision support. The development, adoption, and use of artificial intelligence technologies are evolving rapidly and remain subject to uncertainty. If we are unable to effectively integrate artificial intelligence into our systems and processes, realize anticipated efficiencies or insights, or otherwise adapt to the use of artificial intelligence, our ability to compete and operate efficiently could be adversely affected. Further, emerging technologies may require substantial investment and present risks to our existing business model. The use of artificial intelligence also presents risks, including the potential for inaccurate, biased, or inconsistent outputs; privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity concerns; risks associated with automated or assisted decision-making; and the potential exposure or misuse of confidential or proprietary information. In addition, artificial intelligence technologies are subject to existing and evolving laws and regulations, including those relating to intellectual property, privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity, and may give rise to increased compliance costs, litigation, or reputational harm. Ineffective or inadequate development, testing, deployment, or oversight of artificial intelligence systems by us or our third-party vendors could result in unintended consequences and increased operating costs. If we are unable to effectively manage the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

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Production (1)

Risk Highlights Q4, 2025

Main Risk Category
Production
With 8 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
24
+1
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 32
Recent Changes
2Risks added
1Risks removed
1Risks changed
Since Dec 2025
Number of Risk Changed
1
-1
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 1

Risk Word Cloud

significant disruptions in our information technology systems or cybersecurity incidents could negatively impact our business and our relationships with customers, adversely affecting our financial results and exposing us to litigation risk.adversely affecting our financial resultswe are subject to general macroeconomic risks in the waste industry that are impacted by economic factors outside of our control, which, if realized, may adversely affect our business, operating results and financial performance.subject to general macroeconomic riskswe have substantial debt and have the ability to incur additional debt. the principal and interest payment obligations of such debt may restrict our future operations.ability to incur additional debtour business is geographically concentrated and is therefore subject to regional economic downturns.subject to regional economic downturnsif we are unable to attract, hire or retain key team members and a high-quality workforce, or if our succession planning does not develop an adequate pipeline of future leaders, it could disrupt our business, jeopardize our strategic priorities and result in increased costs, negatively impacting our results of operations.adequate pipeline of future leadersthe business and assets we operate expose us to safety, operational and other risks, and our insurance coverage and self-insurance reserves may be inadequate to cover all significant risk exposures.operate expose us to safetyour enterprise risk management process may not be effective in mitigating the risks to which we are subject, or in reducing the potential for losses in connection with such risks.our enterprise risk management processsignificant disruptions in our information technology systems or cybersecurity incidents could negatively impact our business and our relationships with customers, adversely affecting our financial results and exposing us to litigation risk.exposing us to litigation riskour growth strategy focuses on complementing or expanding our business through the acquisition of companies or assets, or the development of new operations. however, we may be unable to successfully identify, evaluate and complete these transactions and, if completed, we may be unable to successfully integrate and realize the anticipated benefits of acquired businesses. such acquired businesses may also pose significant risks and could have a negative effect on our operations.anticipated benefits of acquired businessesthe waste industry is subject to extensive government regulations, including environmental laws and regulations, and we incur substantial costs to comply with such laws and regulations. failure to comply with environmental or other laws and regulations, as well as enforcement actions and litigation arising from an actual or perceived breach of such laws and regulations, could subject us to fines, penalties, and judgments, and impose limits on our ability to operate and expand.subject to extensive government regulations

Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 24

Manufacturing2 | 8.3%
  • Manufacturing - Risk 1Added
    Alternatives to landfill disposal could reduce our disposal volumes and adversely affect our revenues and operating results.

    Many of the states and local jurisdictions in which we operate require counties and municipalities to adopt solid waste management plans designed to reduce landfill disposal through source reduction, recycling, composting, organics diversion, and similar programs. Certain jurisdictions also restrict or prohibit the disposal of specific waste streams, such as yard waste and organics, in landfills. In addition, many of our customers are voluntarily increasing diversion to alternatives to landfill disposal and reducing the amount of waste they generate. Large commercial and industrial customers increasingly have adopted zero-waste or landfill-diversion goals, and some jurisdictions have enacted, or are considering, regulations such as extended producer responsibility, organics diversion, and minimum recycled content requirements. While these initiatives support environmental sustainability and climate goals, they have reduced, and are expected to continue to reduce, landfill disposal volumes and may adversely affect demand for and pricing of landfill disposal services. As a result, we may not be able to operate our landfills at historical volumes or maintain current pricing levels. If we are unable to expand or adapt our service offerings to manage diverted waste streams or support customers' waste reduction objectives, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

  • Manufacturing - Risk 2Changed
    The business and assets we operate expose us to safety, operational and other risks, and our insurance coverage and self-insurance reserves may be inadequate to cover all significant risk exposures.

    The provision of resource management services, including the operation of landfills, a substantial fleet of trucks and other waste-related assets, involves risks. These risks include, among others, the risk of truck accidents, equipment defects, malfunctions and failures, improper use of dangerous equipment, the release of hazardous substances, natural disasters, fire and explosion, any of which could result in environmental liability, personal injury, loss of life, business interruption or property damage or destruction. We carry a range of insurance policies intended to protect our assets and operations, including general liability insurance, property damage and environmental risk insurance. While we endeavor to purchase insurance coverage appropriate to our risk assessment and seek to minimize our exposure to these risks through maintenance, training and compliance programs, we are unable to predict with certainty the frequency, nature or magnitude of claims for direct or consequential damages, and as a result our insurance program may not fully cover us for losses we may incur. In addition, as a result of a number of catastrophic weather and other events in the United States, insurance companies have incurred substantial losses and accordingly in many cases they have substantially reduced the nature and amount of insurance coverage available to the market, have broadened exclusions, and/or have substantially increased the cost of such coverage. It is likely that the tight insurance markets will continue into the foreseeable future. A partially or completely uninsured claim against us (including liabilities associated with cleanup or remediation at our facilities), if successful and of sufficient magnitude, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Any future difficulty in obtaining insurance could also impair our ability to secure future contracts, which may be conditioned upon the availability of adequate insurance coverage. In addition, claims associated with risks we have retained under our self-insurance programs may exceed our recorded reserves, which could negatively impact future earnings. See Note 3, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to our consolidated financial statements included under Item 8. "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for disclosure about our self-insurance liabilities and related costs.

Employment / Personnel2 | 8.3%
Costs4 | 16.7%

See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.

FAQ

What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment. They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result. It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
How do companies disclose their risk factors?
Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process. Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”. Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report. According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing. You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector. Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements. A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
What are all the risk factor categories?
TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below. 1. Financial & Corporate Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results. Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing. Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments. Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances. 2. Legal & Regulatory Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company. Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation. Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy. Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives. 3. Production Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory. Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers. Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls. Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation. 4. Technology & Innovation Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development. Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology. Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks. Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying. 5. Ability to Sell Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers. Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes. Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration. Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation. 6. Macro & Political Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions. Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19. International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company. Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.