RSG 10-K Analysis: Cash Flow Compounder or Acquisition Treadmill?
Republic Services grew free cash flow 15.8% to $2.4 billion in FY2025 — four and a half times faster than revenue. But the 10-K reveals the Q4 earnings beat was entirely tax-manufactured (3.4% ETR vs 21.5% Q1-Q3), revenue is decelerating on a 3-year arc (7.1% to 3.5% to a guided 3.0%), and acquisitions now account for 37% of total growth and rising. At 30.7x earnings, investors face a $6.1B 2029 refinancing wall and unquantified PFAS risk against $2.3B in closure obligations.