Waste Management (NYSE:WM) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Stifel Nicolaus Analyst Says

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) had its target price raised by Stifel Nicolaus from $243.00 to $252.00 in a report published on Wednesday morning,Benzinga reports. Stifel Nicolaus currently has a buy rating on the business services provider’s stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also commented on WM. Oppenheimer increased their price target on shares of Waste Management from $230.00 to $231.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Waste Management from $214.00 to $227.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Waste Management from $213.00 to $219.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Argus increased their price objective on Waste Management from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Waste Management from $213.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $230.72.

Waste Management Price Performance

NYSE:WM opened at $213.24 on Wednesday. Waste Management has a 52-week low of $173.01 and a 52-week high of $230.39. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $217.55 and a 200 day moving average of $211.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.00, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.89. The firm has a market capitalization of $85.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.79, a P/E/G ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.75.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, October 28th. The business services provider reported $1.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $5.61 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.51 billion. Waste Management had a return on equity of 39.88% and a net margin of 12.35%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.63 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Waste Management will post 7.31 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 6th will be paid a dividend of $0.75 per share. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.41%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 6th. Waste Management’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 45.87%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Maryrose Sylvester sold 310 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.47, for a total transaction of $66,795.70. Following the transaction, the director now owns 3,875 shares in the company, valued at $834,946.25. The trade was a 7.41 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.18% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Waste Management

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Activest Wealth Management boosted its stake in Waste Management by 4,000.0% during the third quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 123 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. Fairway Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 62.9% during the second quarter. Fairway Wealth LLC now owns 171 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new stake in shares of Waste Management in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Fairscale Capital LLC bought a new position in Waste Management during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Finally, DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. raised its stake in Waste Management by 51.8% during the third quarter. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. now owns 211 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. 80.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.