Waste Management, Inc. $WM Stock Position Lifted by Nikulski Financial Inc.

Nikulski Financial Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) by 26.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 17,338 shares of the business services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,663 shares during the period. Nikulski Financial Inc.’s holdings in Waste Management were worth $3,809,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC grew its position in Waste Management by 101.5% in the 3rd quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 133 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Waste Management during the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Management in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $40,000. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Waste Management in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Finally, Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Waste Management during the third quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.40% of the company’s stock.

Waste Management News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: WM outperformed while the broader market dipped, attracting buyers seeking defensive exposure; coverage attributes the move to WM’s stable revenue, high customer retention and perceived resilience in volatile markets. Why the Market Dipped But Waste Management (WM) Gained Today
• Positive Sentiment: Third‑party commentary highlights WM as a “safe” pick in volatile markets (included in a popular model portfolio), reinforcing investor interest in WM’s defensive qualities and long-term cash flow profile. This attention can support multiple and demand for the shares. Is Waste Management (WM) the Best Safe Stock to Buy Amid Market Volatility?
• Positive Sentiment: Feature on WM’s safety leader emphasizes operational discipline (safety programs, risk reduction). Strong safety and operating practices lower accident-related costs and regulatory risk—factors that support reliability of free cash flow and can be viewed favorably by investors. Lessons from WM Safety Leader Chris Ball
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst roundups comparing WM to peers (e.g., Cintas, Fortune Brands) provide context on valuation and competitive positioning; useful for relative-value assessments but not an immediate catalyst. Analysts Offer Insights on Industrial Goods Companies: Waste Management (WM), Cintas (CTAS) and Fortune Brands Innovations (FBIN)
• Neutral Sentiment: Guides on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules in India for e‑waste and plastics highlight evolving regulation that could expand organized waste-management opportunities overseas. Impact on WM is speculative and long‑term—monitor for M&A or partnership signals. EPR Registration for E-Waste Management in India (2026 Updated Guide)
• Neutral Sentiment: Related guide on EPR for plastic waste in India—regulatory trend that could create future service demand but currently offers limited direct, near-term impact to WM’s U.S.-centric revenues. EPR Registration for Plastic Waste Management in India (2026 Update): Complete Guide

Insider Buying and Selling at Waste Management

In other Waste Management news, VP Donald J. Smith sold 12,194 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $233.48, for a total transaction of $2,847,055.12. Following the sale, the vice president owned 6,024 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,406,483.52. The trade was a 66.93% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, COO John J. Morris sold 4,211 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $243.38, for a total transaction of $1,024,873.18. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 99,929 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $24,320,720.02. This represents a 4.04% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 98,042 shares of company stock valued at $23,039,777 over the last 90 days. 0.18% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Waste Management Stock Down 0.1%

WM stock opened at $229.73 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $92.66 billion, a PE ratio of 34.29, a P/E/G ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 0.57. Waste Management, Inc. has a 12 month low of $194.11 and a 12 month high of $248.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.22, a current ratio of 0.89 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $232.40 and a 200 day simple moving average of $220.97.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The business services provider reported $1.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.95 by ($0.02). Waste Management had a return on equity of 32.45% and a net margin of 10.74%.The business had revenue of $6.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.39 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.70 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th were given a dividend of $0.945 per share. This represents a $3.78 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.6%. This is a boost from Waste Management’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.83. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 13th. Waste Management’s payout ratio is presently 56.42%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WM has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Waste Management from $250.00 to $273.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 18th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on Waste Management from $236.00 to $252.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their price objective on Waste Management from $255.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Wolfe Research started coverage on Waste Management in a report on Friday, March 13th. They issued a “peer perform” rating for the company. Finally, TD Cowen raised their target price on Waste Management from $265.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $254.59.

Waste Management Company 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.