Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Decreases Position in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM)

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans reduced its holdings in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM - Free Report) by 4.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 59,676 shares of the business services provider's stock after selling 2,953 shares during the quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans' holdings in Waste Management were worth $12,398,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Activest Wealth Management boosted its stake in shares of Waste Management by 4,000.0% in the 3rd quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 123 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates lifted 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 purchasing an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. General Partner Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Waste Management during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Waste Management during the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Waste Management in the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. Institutional investors own 80.40% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. William Blair reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Waste Management in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Raymond James lifted their price target on shares of Waste Management from $235.00 to $237.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Waste Management from $227.00 to $235.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. StockNews.com downgraded Waste Management from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Citigroup raised their price objective on Waste Management from $242.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Waste Management presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $236.65.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Waste Management

In other Waste Management news, VP Donald J. Smith sold 191 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.22, for a total transaction of $42,062.02. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 6,129 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,349,728.38. This trade represents a 3.02 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO James C. Fish, Jr. sold 44,405 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $228.43, for a total transaction of $10,143,434.15. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 211,061 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $48,212,664.23. This represents a 17.38 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 95,577 shares of company stock valued at $21,662,464. Corporate insiders own 0.18% of the company's stock.

Waste Management Stock Up 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE WM traded up $1.02 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $227.26. 1,622,476 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,532,929. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.73, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.76. The business's fifty day moving average is $223.47 and its 200 day moving average is $216.19. The firm has a market capitalization of $91.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.42, a P/E/G ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.75. Waste Management, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $196.59 and a fifty-two week high of $235.81.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The business services provider reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.79 by ($0.09). Waste Management had a return on equity of 37.93% and a net margin of 12.45%. Equities research 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 declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.825 per share. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.45%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. This is a positive change from Waste Management's previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. Waste Management's payout ratio is 48.53%.

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.