Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) Shares Sold by MRP Capital Investments LLC

MRP Capital Investments LLC reduced its stake in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM - Free Report) by 59.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,390 shares of the business services provider's stock after selling 7,793 shares during the period. MRP Capital Investments LLC's holdings in Waste Management were worth $965,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in WM. Gilfoyle & Co LLC acquired a new position in Waste Management during the fourth quarter valued at $30,000. A.P. Gilfoyle & Co. L.P. acquired a new position in Waste Management during the fourth quarter valued at $30,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new position in Waste Management during the first quarter valued at $29,000. Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO acquired a new position in Waste Management during the third quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, KB Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in Waste Management during the first quarter valued at $33,000. 80.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. HSBC cut shares of Waste Management from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $210.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $190.00 to $215.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $215.00 to $226.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $230.00 to $256.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, March 18th. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $215.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $204.85.

Waste Management Trading Down 0.3 %

Shares of WM stock traded down $0.56 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $205.38. The company had a trading volume of 1,166,948 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,694,805. The company's fifty day moving average is $205.65 and its 200 day moving average is $183.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.30, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.86. Waste Management, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $149.71 and a fifty-two week high of $214.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $82.42 billion, a PE ratio of 36.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.16 and a beta of 0.72.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 12th. The business services provider reported $1.74 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.53 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $5.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.19 billion. Waste Management had a net margin of 11.28% and a return on equity of 36.51%. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.30 EPS. Research analysts expect that Waste Management, Inc. will post 6.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th were given a $0.75 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 14th. This is an increase from Waste Management's previous quarterly dividend of $0.70. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.46%. Waste Management's dividend payout ratio is currently 53.00%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Waste Management

In other Waste Management news, Director John C. Pope sold 185 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $181.00, for a total value of $33,485.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 56,461 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $10,219,441. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, Director John C. Pope sold 185 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $181.00, for a total value of $33,485.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 56,461 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $10,219,441. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Charles C. Boettcher sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $209.50, for a total transaction of $523,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 29,677 shares in the company, valued at $6,217,331.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 30,242 shares of company stock valued at $5,929,355. Insiders own 0.27% of the company's stock.

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.

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