Waste Management (WM) Expected to Announce Earnings on Monday

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) is expected to release its earnings data after the market closes on Monday, April 28th. Analysts expect Waste Management to post earnings of $1.68 per share and revenue of $6.14 billion for the quarter. Individual interested in listening to the company’s earnings conference call can do so using this link.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The business services provider reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.79 by ($0.09). Waste Management had a return on equity of 37.93% and a net margin of 12.45%. On average, analysts expect Waste Management to post $8 EPS for the current fiscal year and $9 EPS for the next fiscal year.

Waste Management Stock Up 0.6 %

WM stock opened at $230.84 on Monday. 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 firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $227.89 and a 200-day simple moving average of $219.11. The company has a market capitalization of $92.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.95, a PEG ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.66. Waste Management has a twelve month low of $196.59 and a twelve month high of $239.32.

Waste Management Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 14th were issued a dividend of $0.825 per share. This is a positive change from Waste Management’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. This represents a $3.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.43%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 14th. Waste Management’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.53%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. CIBC lifted their price target on Waste Management from $227.00 to $247.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 5th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $227.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Waste Management from $242.00 to $255.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. UBS Group upped their target price on Waste Management from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, April 11th. Finally, Scotiabank upped their price objective on Waste Management from $255.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $237.76.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP John J. Morris sold 19,153 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.71, for a total value of $4,303,870.63. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 85,257 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $19,158,100.47. This trade represents a 18.34 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Johnson Varkey sold 124 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $234.96, for a total transaction of $29,135.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 8,491 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,995,045.36. The trade was a 1.44 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 95,577 shares of company stock valued at $21,662,464 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.18% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Waste Management

A hedge fund recently raised its stake in Waste Management stock. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) by 51.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,861 shares of the business services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,320 shares during the quarter. Brighton Jones LLC’s holdings in Waste Management were worth $1,384,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.40% 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.