Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) Stock Position Trimmed by Trillium Asset Management LLC

Key Points

• Trillium Asset Management LLC reduced its holdings in Waste Management, Inc. by 77.9% in the first quarter, now owning 9,741 shares valued at $2.25 million.
• In recent insider transactions, CFO Devina A. Rankin sold 57,888 shares, resulting in a 40.82% decrease in their position, while SVP Rafael Carrasco sold 674 shares, representing a 3.91% decrease.
• Waste Management's stock is currently rated as a "Moderate Buy" by analysts, with an average target price of $254.35 after various rating upgrades by firms like Scotiabank and JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Trillium Asset Management LLC lessened its stake in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM - Free Report) by 77.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 9,741 shares of the business services provider's stock after selling 34,324 shares during the period. Trillium Asset Management LLC's holdings in Waste Management were worth $2,255,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Westend Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Waste Management by 126.9% during the first quarter. Westend Capital Management LLC now owns 118 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Transce3nd LLC purchased a new position in Waste Management during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. West Branch Capital LLC raised its holdings in Waste Management by 69.0% during the first quarter. West Branch Capital LLC now owns 120 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. Adalta Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Waste Management during the fourth quarter worth about $40,000. Finally, New Age Alpha Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Waste Management during the first quarter worth about $45,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.40% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WM has been the subject of several analyst reports. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a "sector perform" rating and set a $229.00 price target on shares of Waste Management in a report on Thursday, June 26th. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on shares of Waste Management from $235.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 30th. Scotiabank increased their price target on shares of Waste Management from $265.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a "sector outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 31st. CIBC increased their price target on shares of Waste Management from $244.00 to $250.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, June 26th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Waste Management from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 29th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $254.35.

Waste Management Trading Up 0.3%

NYSE:WM traded up $0.65 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $226.80. 3,371,175 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,727,353. 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 firm has a market cap of $91.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.65, a PEG ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.64. Waste Management, Inc. has a 52-week low of $199.69 and a 52-week high of $242.58. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $230.19 and a 200 day simple moving average of $229.41.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, July 28th. The business services provider reported $1.92 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.37 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.82 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 19.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.7 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, SVP Rafael Carrasco sold 674 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $236.81, for a total transaction of $159,609.94. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 16,542 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,917,311.02. The trade was a 3.91% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Devina A. Rankin sold 57,888 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $237.36, for a total transaction of $13,740,295.68. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 83,934 shares in the company, valued at $19,922,574.24. This trade represents a 40.82% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.18% of the company's stock.

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.