Analysts Set Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) PT at $215.83

Shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) have been given a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty brokerages that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $215.83.

A number of brokerages have weighed in on WM. Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on shares of Waste Management from $226.00 to $216.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Oppenheimer reduced their target price on shares of Waste Management from $229.00 to $224.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 26th. StockNews.com downgraded Waste Management from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on Waste Management from $215.00 to $213.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, CIBC lowered their target price on Waste Management from $223.00 to $213.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th.

Waste Management Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of WM opened at $204.10 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $81.86 billion, a PE ratio of 33.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.74. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.21. The company’s fifty day moving average is $208.53 and its two-hundred day moving average is $208.70. Waste Management has a fifty-two week low of $149.71 and a fifty-two week high of $225.00.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The business services provider reported $1.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.82. The firm had revenue of $5.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.43 billion. Waste Management had a return on equity of 39.52% and a net margin of 12.13%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.51 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Waste Management will post 7.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Waste Management Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Investors of record on Friday, September 13th will be issued a $0.75 dividend. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.47%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. Waste Management’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.10%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, VP Michael J. Watson sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.00, for a total transaction of $330,000.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 44,144 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,711,680. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.18% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Waste Management

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. DSM Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Management during the 4th quarter worth approximately $38,000. Dai ichi Life Insurance Company Ltd lifted its stake in Waste Management by 2.5% in the fourth quarter. Dai ichi Life Insurance Company Ltd now owns 173,782 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $31,124,000 after buying an additional 4,199 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 18.4% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 312,618 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $55,990,000 after acquiring an additional 48,549 shares during the period. Trexquant Investment LP acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Management in the 4th quarter worth about $1,673,000. Finally, Focus Financial Network Inc. ADV bought a new stake in Waste Management in the 4th quarter valued at about $4,993,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.40% 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.