Brokerages Set Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) PT at $230.72

Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) has been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-one analysts that are covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, ten have assigned a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $230.72.

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on WM shares. William Blair began coverage on shares of Waste Management in a research report on Thursday, October 3rd. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded Waste Management from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Waste Management from $213.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Waste Management from $213.00 to $219.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $235.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Maryrose Sylvester sold 310 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.47, for a total value of $66,795.70. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 3,875 shares in the company, valued at $834,946.25. This trade represents a 7.41 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.18% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Waste Management

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Activest Wealth Management boosted its stake in Waste Management by 4,000.0% during the 3rd quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 123 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. Fairway Wealth LLC increased its stake in Waste Management by 62.9% in the 2nd quarter. Fairway Wealth LLC now owns 171 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Fairscale Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Waste Management in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Management in the second quarter worth $36,000. Finally, DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 51.8% in the 3rd quarter. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. now owns 211 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares during the period. 80.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Waste Management Stock Down 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE:WM opened at $204.02 on Wednesday. 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 company has a market capitalization of $81.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.20, a P/E/G ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 0.75. Waste Management has a 52-week low of $176.68 and a 52-week high of $230.39. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $216.56 and its 200-day simple moving average is $211.54.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last released its 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 net margin of 12.35% and a return on equity of 39.88%. The firm had revenue of $5.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.51 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.63 EPS. Waste Management’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Waste Management will post 7.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 6th were paid a dividend of $0.75 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 6th. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.47%. Waste Management’s payout ratio is 45.87%.

About Waste Management

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.