ClearBridge Investments, an investment management company, released its “ClearBridge Mid Cap Strategy” Q4 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. During the quarter, the ClearBridge Mid Cap Strategy reported underperformance versus the Russell Midcap Index, which returned 0.16% during the period, as narrow market leadership and sentiment-driven trading weighed on results. Weakness in information technology and real estate holdings pressured returns, while gains in select consumer discretionary stocks provided partial support. The firm noted that elevated dispersion and uneven earnings reactions continued to shape mid-cap equity performance during the quarter. Looking ahead, the portfolio management team expressed cautious optimism, noting that improving clarity around policy, interest rates, and business investment could create a more favorable backdrop for active stock selection, particularly as valuation gaps widen and fundamentals across many mid-cap companies continue to strengthen. In addition, please check the fund’s top five holdings to know its best picks in 2025.
Casella Waste Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CWST) provides residential, commercial, and industrial solid waste, recycling, and resource management services across the northeastern United States. The one-month return of Casella Waste Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CWST) was 0.88% while its shares have traded between $82.2 to $121.24 over the last 52 weeks. On February 2, 2026, Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CWST) stock closed at approximately $102.39 per share, with a market capitalization of about $6.501 billion.
ClearBridge Investments, an investment management company, stated the following regarding Casella Waste Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CWST) in its “ClearBridge Mid Cap Strategy” Q4 2025 investor letter:
We initiated positions in Casella Waste Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CWST), a residential waste services provider with a high proportion of recurring revenue, following a transitory selloff tied to minor acquisition integration issues, where a highly recurring revenuemodel and limited exposure to near-term AI disruption support durable long-term growth.
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Casella Waste Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CWST) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 26 hedge fund portfolios held Casella Waste Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CWST) at the end of the third quarter, which was 24 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of Casella Waste Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CWST) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you’re looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.
