Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) Shares Sold by First Personal Financial Services

First Personal Financial Services decreased its position in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 66,080 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 1,194 shares during the period. Waste Management comprises 2.9% of First Personal Financial Services’ portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest position. First Personal Financial Services’ holdings in Waste Management were worth $13,718,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 94,414.4% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,591,584 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $538,013,000 after purchasing an additional 2,588,842 shares in the last quarter. Sustainable Growth Advisers LP bought a new position in Waste Management in the first quarter valued at approximately $300,594,000. Capital World Investors boosted its stake in Waste Management by 44.6% in the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,226,869 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $900,957,000 after acquiring an additional 1,303,466 shares during the last quarter. Swedbank AB bought a new position in Waste Management in the first quarter valued at approximately $193,955,000. Finally, Wulff Hansen & CO. boosted its stake in Waste Management by 20,402.6% in the second quarter. Wulff Hansen & CO. now owns 868,080 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $185,196,000 after acquiring an additional 863,846 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.40% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Scotiabank assumed coverage on shares of Waste Management in a research note on Friday, October 4th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $220.00 price objective on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Waste Management to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. 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. StockNews.com raised shares of Waste Management from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Waste Management from $213.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $226.11.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Maryrose Sylvester sold 310 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.47, for a total transaction of $66,795.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 3,875 shares in the company, valued at $834,946.25. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.18% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Waste Management Stock Performance

Shares of Waste Management stock opened at $224.12 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $210.21 and a 200-day moving average of $209.26. Waste Management, Inc. has a 1-year low of $168.73 and a 1-year high of $226.36. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.00. The company has a market cap of $89.96 billion, a PE ratio of 34.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 0.74.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, October 28th. The business services provider reported $1.96 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.07. Waste Management had a net margin of 12.35% and a return on equity of 39.88%. The company had revenue of $5.61 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.51 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.63 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 7.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 27th. Investors of record on Friday, September 13th were given a dividend of $0.75 per share. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.34%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, September 13th. Waste Management’s dividend payout ratio is 45.87%.

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.