Inspire Investing LLC Trims Position in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM)

Inspire Investing LLC trimmed its position in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) by 40.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,235 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 851 shares during the period. Inspire Investing LLC’s holdings in Waste Management were worth $263,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in WM. ARS Wealth Advisors Group LLC increased its holdings in Waste Management by 3.1% during the second quarter. ARS Wealth Advisors Group LLC now owns 1,577 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $336,000 after buying an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Waste Management by 29.7% in the 1st quarter. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 214 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares during the period. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in Waste Management by 1.2% during the first quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,273 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $911,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Cypress Asset Management Inc. TX grew its holdings in Waste Management by 1.2% during the first quarter. Cypress Asset Management Inc. TX now owns 4,256 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $907,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the period. Finally, GYL Financial Synergies LLC increased its position in Waste Management by 3.8% in the second quarter. GYL Financial Synergies LLC now owns 1,362 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $290,000 after buying an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. 80.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Waste Management Price Performance

WM stock opened at $207.62 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.21. Waste Management, Inc. has a 12 month low of $149.71 and a 12 month high of $225.00. The stock has a market cap of $83.27 billion, a PE ratio of 33.98, a P/E/G ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.74. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $208.09 and a 200 day moving average price of $208.70.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The business services provider reported $1.82 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.82. The firm had revenue of $5.40 billion for 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 company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.51 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Waste Management Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Investors of record on Friday, September 13th will be paid a $0.75 dividend. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.44%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. Waste Management’s dividend payout ratio is presently 49.10%.

Insider Activity at Waste Management

In other news, VP Michael J. Watson sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $220.00, for a total transaction of $330,000.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 44,144 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,711,680. The sale 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.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Erste Group Bank reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Waste Management in a report on Friday, June 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Waste Management to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on Waste Management from $215.00 to $204.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective on Waste Management from $226.00 to $216.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, CIBC dropped their price objective 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. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $215.83.

Waste Management Company 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.