Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) has earned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-one research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $230.72.

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on WM shares. StockNews.com cut Waste Management from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 4th. UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Waste Management from $220.00 to $226.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. CIBC increased their price target on shares of Waste Management from $228.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 4th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on Waste Management from $213.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Truist Financial raised their price target on Waste Management from $235.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Maryrose Sylvester sold 310 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.47, for a total value of $66,795.70. Following the transaction, the director now owns 3,875 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $834,946.25. This trade represents a 7.41 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 0.18% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WM. Secure Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Waste Management by 114.2% during the fourth quarter. Secure Asset Management LLC now owns 3,827 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $772,000 after purchasing an additional 2,040 shares during the period. Red Door Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Waste Management by 11.5% during the 4th quarter. Red Door Wealth Management LLC now owns 33,617 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $6,784,000 after buying an additional 3,455 shares during the period. Avior Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Waste Management by 9.8% in the 4th quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,320 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $670,000 after buying an additional 297 shares in the last quarter. Endeavor Private Wealth Inc. purchased a new position in Waste Management in the 4th quarter valued at about $123,000. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC increased its position in shares of Waste Management by 5.2% during the fourth quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 254,035 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $51,262,000 after acquiring an additional 12,577 shares during the last quarter. 80.40% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Waste Management Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE WM opened at $211.79 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.00. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $213.80 and a 200 day moving average price of $211.24. Waste Management has a 52 week low of $181.56 and a 52 week high of $230.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $85.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.77.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, October 28th. The business services provider reported $1.96 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.89 by $0.07. Waste Management had a return on equity of 39.88% and a net margin of 12.35%. The business had revenue of $5.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.51 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.63 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 7.9% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Waste Management will post 7.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 6th were paid a $0.75 dividend. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.42%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 6th. Waste Management’s dividend payout ratio is currently 45.87%.

Waste Management Company Profile

Waste Management, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of environmental solutions to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in the United States and Canada. It offers collection services, including picking up and transporting waste and recyclable materials from where it was generated to a transfer station, material recovery facility (MRF), or disposal site; and owns and operates transfer stations, as well as owns, develops, and operates landfill facilities that produce landfill gas used as renewable natural gas for generating electricity.