Category Archives: CLH

Clean Harbors: Coincidence Confirmed, Again

On February 9, 2012, we posted Edson Gould’s Speed Resistance Lines [SRL] regarding Clean Harbors (CLH).  Our hope at the time was that our prior work on the top of Gould’s work would be handily refuted or confirmed.  At the time we posed the following SRL:

For us, our expectation was that the Clean Harbors would, at minimum, descend to the conservative downside target of $43.53.  Well, the timing and coincidence were in our favor as CLH fell –40% to the appointed levels that we thought the stock should descend.

As with all Speed Resistance Lines, there is a chance that the stock will continue to move higher.  However, at each point higher we readjust the SRL and arrive at new downside target.  In the case of CLH, the stock increased from the $67.60 price to as high as $70.30 thereby requiring an adjustment of the downside targets higher as well.  Remember, if the stock does not hit downside targets avoid it.  When and if the stock falls to the target, review for potential investment.

Finally, for no explicable reason, when all seemed in favor of the stock, CLH declined from the $70.30 peak to the low of $37.09 achieved in January 2016.  By achieving such an improbable low (improbable to those who were buying CLH in February 2012) CLH stock price appeared to be worth considering.  For this reason, we iterated a review of CLH for investment consideration on December 14, 2015. Since our mid-December 2015 review, CLH has increased by +39%.

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At this point, we’d consider our general analysis of CLH a success from the December 2015 posting.  What do we see going forward?  We see two critical upside resistance levels to watch for.  The first upside resistance is at $59.00 and the second upside resistance level is at $69.00.  Obtaining a +39% gaining in a 1-year period might suggest that an investor consider selling all of their CLH holdings and reinvesting the funds somewhere else.

The Cold Hard Truth

Granted, luck and timing have a lot to say in any and all the work that we produce, however, that does not mean that our efforts on the topic should be dismissed as there may be some value in what we’re trying to accomplish.  Since the very first of our SRLs we’ve had more than 80% of the SRL downside targets achieved at the point of the initial examination.  This generally could could be considered a success.  However, of the 20% that have not been successful are positions that we’ve taken a real world investment in, which totally sucks.

In spite of the prevailing reality we continue to attempt to mitigate the available information with the stocks of interest to us.  We’ll narrow down this situation to a point where the SRL will work and/or we’ll still be able to benefit regardless of whether an immediate rebound is experienced.

Clean Harbors Meets Downside Target

On January 28, 2015 we said the following:

“So far, CLH has adhered to the SRL that was initially outlined in 2012.  If we consider the period of 2007 to 2009, when the stock fell as low as $20.54 and extend that same decline to the current period, then CLH could decline as low as $41.40.  This assumption is predicated on the stock market not experiencing a precipitous decline from the current level.  A broad market decline would easily bring CLH to the ascending $23.43 level in the SRL.”

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The assessment was based on our February 2012 review of Clean Harbors when the stock was trading at $64.28.  Since Clean Harbors has reached our technical target, it is now time to assess the fundamentals through a source like Value Line Investment Survey and Morningstar.  Morningstar typically gives a bearish case on a stock so if Clean Harbors has full coverage it be helpful to carefully read the negative assessment to contrast the upside review.

Clean Harbors Update

On February 9, 2012, we posted Edson Gould’s Speed Resistance Lines (SRL) for Clean Harbors (CLH) with the downside risk for the stock.  At the time, the downside targets were:

  • $43.53 (conservative downside target)
  • $31.00 (mid range)
  • $22.53 (extreme downside target)

Since that time, we’ve revised the downside targets to reflect the following minor changes.

  • $43.97 (conservative downside target)
  • $33.70 (mid range)
  • $23.43 (extreme downside target)

A visual of the downside targets reveals the value of Gould’s SRL.

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So far, CLH has adhered to the SRL that was initially outlined in 2012.  If we consider the period of 2007 to 2009, when the stock fell as low as $20.54 and extend that same decline to the current period, then CLH could decline as low as $41.40.  This assumption is predicated on the stock market not experiencing a precipitous decline from the current level.  A broad market decline would easily bring CLH to the ascending $23.43 level in the SRL. 

While the fundamentals are not glowing for CLH as it goes through the process of spinning off its oil and gas services unit, which could “…take more than a year for the spinoff to be completed…”, there are expectations that the current actions will refocus the company.

Speculators, those willing to accept the downside risk of –36%, could purchase CLH with 25% of intended funds at $45.10 and $41.40.  The final purchase would be at $31.00 or below.  Investors, those willing to hold for 5 years or more, would want to re-assess CLH at $34 and below.

Clean Harbors (CLH): Downside Targets

On February 9, 2012, when the stock was trading at $64.28, we reviewed the Speed Resistance Lines for Clean Harbors (CLH).  At that time we indicated the Clean Harbors had the following downside targets (found here):

  • $43.53
  • $31.00
  • $22.53

Currently, Clean Harbors (CLH) has declined to the $54.80 level which, in our view, happens to be a critical support level for shareholders of the stock.  As can be seen in the chart below, the price of CLH fell below the 200-day moving average (red line) on June 1, 2012.  Additionally, on three occasions the price of CLH attempted and failed to exceed the 200-day moving average (red line).

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CLH is now bouncing along the support level of $55 (blue line).  It is not clear whether the stock is going to retest the 200-day moving average which presently sits at $61.94.  However, any additional decline in the stock price will likely lead to falling to $47.83.