Based on the aggregated intelligence of 170,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, waste hauler Republic Services (NYSE: RSG) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Republic's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Republic facts

   
Headquarters (Founded) Phoenix (1996)
Market Cap $11.6 billion
Industry Waste management
Trailing-12-Month Revenue $8.1 billion
Management CEO Donald Slager
CFO Tod Holmes
Return on Equity (Average, Past 3 Years) 5.5%
Cash/Debt $71.3 million /$6.8 billion
Dividend Yield 2.6%
Competitors Waste Management (NYSE: WM)

Sources: Capital IQ (a division of Standard & Poor's) and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 96% of the 495 members who have rated Republic believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bulls include All-Star JBouchard, who is ranked in the top 0.5% of our community, and goqqq.

Earlier this year , JBouchard tapped Republic as a solid income opportunity: "Fairly priced, reasonable dividend yield, in a sector that's always going to be needed. Not sexy, but seems to perform well."

Over the past five years, Republic has even grown its top line at a brisk rate of 23%. That's faster than other waste-management plays such as Veolia Environnement's (NYSE: VE) 6.6% and Stericycle's (Nasdaq: SRCL) 18.8%, let alone Waste Management's annual drop of 0.9%.

CAPS member goqqq elaborates on the Republic bull case:

Waste haulers have extremely high operating leverage by nature of their fixed-cost structure (in large part because of trucks and landfill operations). If Republic can generate enough waste volume to cover its fixed costs, incremental revenue translates into high margins and profitability. The firm has an exclusive contract with the city of Las Vegas, lasting until 2035. Republic has created a monopoly in the growing Las Vegas region, virtually ensuring years of strong cash flow.

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