Clarkston Capital Partners LLC Purchases 2,112 Shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM)

Clarkston Capital Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM - Free Report) by 3.1% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 70,874 shares of the business services provider's stock after purchasing an additional 2,112 shares during the period. Clarkston Capital Partners LLC's holdings in Waste Management were worth $14,302,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates boosted its stake in Waste Management by 892.9% in the 4th quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 139 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. General Partner Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Management during the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Waste Management during the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Hurley Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Management in the fourth quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Waste Management during the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.40% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Waste Management

In related news, CEO James C. Fish, Jr. sold 44,405 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $228.43, for a total value of $10,143,434.15. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 211,061 shares in the company, valued at approximately $48,212,664.23. This trade represents a 17.38 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP John J. Morris sold 19,153 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $224.71, for a total transaction of $4,303,870.63. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 85,257 shares of the company's stock, valued at $19,158,100.47. The trade was a 18.34 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 95,577 shares of company stock valued at $21,662,464 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.18% of the company's stock.

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Waste Management Stock Performance

WM traded up $1.91 on Friday, reaching $228.36. The company had a trading volume of 620,768 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,632,972. The stock has a market cap of $91.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.59, a P/E/G ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.66. 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 $239.32. The company's fifty day moving average is $227.19 and its 200 day moving average is $218.04.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The business services provider reported $1.70 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.79 by ($0.09). Waste Management had a return on equity of 37.93% and a net margin of 12.45%. As a group, analysts predict that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 14th were paid a $0.825 dividend. This is a boost from Waste Management's previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 14th. This represents a $3.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.45%. Waste Management's payout ratio is 48.53%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $231.00 to $237.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. UBS Group increased their price objective on Waste Management from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday. StockNews.com cut Waste Management from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on Waste Management from $255.00 to $238.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. Finally, William Blair reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Waste Management in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $237.76.

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.