Chapman Financial Group LLC Purchases New Position in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM)

Chapman Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 8,180 shares of the business services provider's stock, valued at approximately $1,733,000. Waste Management accounts for 1.4% of Chapman Financial Group LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest position.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Waste Management by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,866 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $781,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 0.7% in the fourth quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC now owns 6,768 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $1,366,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Covestor Ltd boosted its stake in Waste Management by 8.2% during the fourth quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 609 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $123,000 after buying an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 2.4% during the 4th quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC now owns 2,039 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $411,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Maia Wealth LLC grew its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 4.1% in the fourth quarter. Maia Wealth LLC now owns 1,213 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $259,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.40% of the company's stock.

Waste Management Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of WM stock traded up $1.49 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $235.56. 1,663,594 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,642,834. The stock has a market cap of $94.79 billion, a PE ratio of 34.64, a PEG ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a current ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.73. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $228.49 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $220.79. Waste Management, Inc. has a 1 year low of $196.59 and a 1 year high of $239.32.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 28th. The business services provider reported $1.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.59 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $6.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.14 billion. Waste Management had a net margin of 12.45% and a return on equity of 37.93%. Waste Management's revenue for the quarter was up 16.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.75 EPS. Research analysts predict that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.7 EPS for the current year.

Waste Management Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 14th were issued a $0.825 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 14th. This is a positive change from Waste Management's previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.40%. Waste Management's dividend payout ratio is currently 49.77%.

Insider Transactions at Waste Management

In other news, CFO Devina A. Rankin sold 4,126 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $228.11, for a total value of $941,181.86. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 62,639 shares of the company's stock, valued at $14,288,582.29. The trade was a 6.18 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CAO John A. Carroll sold 1,251 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $225.92, for a total value of $282,625.92. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 8,420 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,902,246.40. This represents a 12.94 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 83,522 shares of company stock worth $18,987,684 over the last three months. 0.18% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WM has been the topic of several recent research reports. HSBC upgraded shares of Waste Management from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their target price for the company from $210.00 to $265.00 in a research report on Friday, April 25th. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their target price on shares of Waste Management from $255.00 to $238.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Citigroup increased their price target on Waste Management from $260.00 to $271.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, May 1st. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of Waste Management from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Friday, April 25th. Finally, CIBC boosted their price target on Waste Management from $227.00 to $247.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, March 5th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $243.29.

Waste Management 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.