Rakuten Investment Management Inc. Makes New $11.82 Million Investment in Waste Management, Inc. $WM

Rakuten Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 53,528 shares of the business services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $11,821,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P purchased a new stake in Waste Management during the second quarter valued at about $40,000. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Waste Management in the 3rd quarter valued at about $41,000. Wealth Watch Advisors INC bought a new position in Waste Management during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $43,000. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC increased its stake in Waste Management by 47.0% in the 3rd quarter. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC now owns 244 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $54,000 after purchasing an additional 78 shares during the period. Finally, Gladwyn Financial Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Waste Management in the second quarter valued at approximately $58,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.40% of the company’s stock.

Waste Management News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Waste Management this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Traders noted a Power Inflow (order-flow) signal that flashed at about $222.60 and preceded an intraday high, a short-term bullish technical cue that can attract momentum buyers. Waste Management Shares Hit Intraday High After Key Trading Signal
• Positive Sentiment: Credit and balance-sheet analysis argues WM can manage its elevated debt load responsibly, which reduces investor concern about leverage and supports the stock’s valuation. Here’s Why Waste Management (NYSE:WM) Can Manage Its Debt Responsibly
• Positive Sentiment: Longer-term industry research projects strong secular growth in the global waste management market through 2033, a tailwind for WM’s revenue growth outlook and investor sentiment toward the sector. Waste Management Market Poised to Surge to a Stunning US$ 2.30 Trillion by 2033
• Neutral Sentiment: Scotiabank reaffirmed a “sector perform” rating but trimmed its price target slightly to $250, signaling modestly less upside but no change in stance. Scotiabank rating note
• Neutral Sentiment: Barclays kept an Overweight rating but nudged its target from $266 to $265, a small adjustment that still implies meaningful upside vs. current levels. Barclays price target note
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector/company roundups and analyst commentaries (MSN, The Globe & Mail) are circulating but offer mixed, mostly descriptive takes rather than new catalyst-driven guidance. Waste management stocks Q3 recap Analysts Offer Insights on Industrial Goods Companies
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks warns WM may lack the setup for an earnings beat in the next report, flagging a potential risk that an earnings or revenue miss could pressure the stock near-term. Waste Management (WM) Earnings Expected to Grow: Should You Buy?

Waste Management Stock Performance

Waste Management stock opened at $226.33 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $91.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.64, a PEG ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.59. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $216.96 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $219.14. Waste Management, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $194.11 and a fifty-two week high of $242.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.36, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.84.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 27th. The business services provider reported $1.98 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.01 by ($0.03). Waste Management had a net margin of 10.35% and a return on equity of 33.00%. The firm had revenue of $6.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.51 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.96 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 14.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts expect that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 5th were issued a $0.825 dividend. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 5th. Waste Management’s dividend payout ratio is 51.97%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on WM shares. Scotiabank restated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $250.00 target price (down previously from $254.00) on shares of Waste Management in a report on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $232.00 to $230.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Waste Management in a report on Monday, December 29th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on Waste Management from $252.00 to $236.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Finally, DZ Bank started coverage on Waste Management in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $250.00 price objective for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $250.23.

Insider Buying and Selling at Waste Management

In other news, SVP Rafael Carrasco sold 1,380 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $217.06, for a total transaction of $299,542.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 15,540 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,373,112.40. This trade represents a 8.16% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.18% of the company’s stock.

Waste Management Profile

Waste Management, Inc (NYSE: WM) is a leading provider of integrated waste management and environmental services in North America. The company offers end-to-end solutions that span collection, transfer, disposal and recycling, along with landfill operations and related infrastructure. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Waste Management serves a broad customer base that includes residential, commercial, industrial and municipal clients.

Core services include curbside and commercial waste collection, roll-off and temporary container services, materials recovery and recycling, and engineered landfill disposal.