Candriam S.C.A. Increases Stock Position in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM)

Candriam S.C.A. raised its position in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) by 43.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 916,273 shares of the business services provider’s stock after buying an additional 277,916 shares during the quarter. Waste Management comprises approximately 1.1% of Candriam S.C.A.’s portfolio, making the stock its 17th biggest position. Candriam S.C.A. owned 0.23% of Waste Management worth $184,895,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in WM. Swedbank AB raised its position in shares of Waste Management by 67.2% in the 3rd quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 1,765,594 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $366,537,000 after purchasing an additional 709,678 shares during the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc raised its position in Waste Management by 7.6% in the 3rd quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 1,741,090 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $361,450,000 after buying an additional 122,696 shares during the last quarter. United Advisor Group LLC raised its position in Waste Management by 27.6% in the 3rd quarter. United Advisor Group LLC now owns 1,198 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $249,000 after buying an additional 259 shares during the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank increased its position in shares of Waste Management by 3.9% during the 3rd quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 84,039 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $17,446,000 after purchasing an additional 3,120 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fiduciary Family Office LLC purchased a new stake in Waste Management in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $539,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.40% of the company’s stock.

Waste Management Price Performance

Shares of NYSE WM opened at $230.55 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.73, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.76. Waste Management, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $196.59 and a fifty-two week high of $235.81. The company has a market cap of $92.71 billion, a PE ratio of 33.90, a P/E/G ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.78. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $217.30 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $214.49.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The business services provider reported $1.70 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.79 by ($0.09). Waste Management had a net margin of 12.45% and a return on equity of 37.93%. As a group, equities analysts expect that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be given a dividend of $0.825 per share. This represents a $3.30 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.43%. This is a boost from Waste Management’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. Waste Management’s payout ratio is presently 48.53%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Waste Management from $227.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. William Blair restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Waste Management in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Waste Management from $243.00 to $252.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Scotiabank increased their target price on Waste Management from $250.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Oppenheimer increased their target price on Waste Management from $231.00 to $237.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Waste Management has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $236.65.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Charles C. Boettcher sold 693 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.59, for a total value of $152,868.87. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 45,542 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,046,109.78. This represents a 1.50 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Johnson Varkey sold 560 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $220.11, for a total value of $123,261.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 9,152 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,014,446.72. This trade represents a 5.77 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 75,173 shares of company stock worth $17,075,967. 0.18% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Waste Management 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.