Waste Management, Inc. $WM Shares Purchased by Banque Transatlantique SA

Key Points

• Banque Transatlantique SA has increased its shareholding in Waste Management, Inc. by 252.4%, acquiring an additional 1,868 shares and raising its total stake to 2,608 shares valued at approximately $558,000.
• Wall Street analysts have largely upgraded their ratings on Waste Management, with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $254.35 amidst expectations for the company to post 7.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
• Waste Management announced a quarterly dividend of $0.825 per share, translating to an annualized yield of 1.5%, with a payout ratio of 48.96%.

Banque Transatlantique SA boosted its stake in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM - Free Report) by 252.4% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,608 shares of the business services provider's stock after buying an additional 1,868 shares during the period. Banque Transatlantique SA's holdings in Waste Management were worth $558,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Westend Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Waste Management by 126.9% in the 1st quarter. Westend Capital Management LLC now owns 118 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 66 shares during the period. West Branch Capital LLC grew its position in Waste Management by 69.0% in the 1st quarter. West Branch Capital LLC now owns 120 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. Saudi Central Bank acquired a new position in Waste Management in the 1st quarter valued at about $37,000. GKV Capital Management Co. Inc. acquired a new position in Waste Management in the 1st quarter valued at about $38,000. Finally, New Age Alpha Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Waste Management in the 1st quarter valued at about $45,000. 80.40% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Waste Management Stock Down 2.2%

Shares of Waste Management stock traded down $4.87 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $220.08. The company had a trading volume of 2,110,690 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,680,656. The company's 50-day moving average is $227.85 and its two-hundred day moving average is $229.65. Waste Management, Inc. has a twelve month low of $199.69 and a twelve month high of $242.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.51, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.82. The company has a market cap of $88.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.64.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, July 28th. The business services provider reported $1.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.89 by $0.03. Waste Management had a net margin of 11.36% and a return on equity of 34.37%. The business had revenue of $6.43 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.37 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.82 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 19.0% on a year-over-year basis. Waste Management has set its FY 2025 guidance at EPS. Analysts anticipate that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 12th will be paid a $0.825 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 12th. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.5%. Waste Management's payout ratio is currently 48.96%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Melius Research raised Waste Management to a "strong-buy" rating and set a $263.00 target price for the company in a research report on Monday, June 9th. Raymond James Financial lifted their target price on Waste Management from $255.00 to $256.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 22nd. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Waste Management from $245.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Scotiabank boosted their price objective on Waste Management from $265.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a "sector outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 31st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Waste Management from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $225.00 to $277.00 in a research report on Friday, May 23rd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $254.35.

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.