Capital World Investors Has $92.90 Million Stock Holdings in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM)

Capital World Investors decreased its position in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM - Free Report) by 78.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 460,397 shares of the business services provider's stock after selling 1,694,864 shares during the period. Capital World Investors owned 0.11% of Waste Management worth $92,904,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates increased its stake in shares of Waste Management by 892.9% during the fourth quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 139 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares during the period. General Partner Inc. acquired a new stake in Waste Management in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Waste Management during the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Hurley Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Waste Management during the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Waste Management during the fourth quarter worth about $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.40% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently commented on WM shares. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on Waste Management from $255.00 to $238.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Oppenheimer increased their price target on Waste Management from $231.00 to $237.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. StockNews.com cut shares of Waste Management from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. HSBC raised shares of Waste Management from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their price objective for the company from $210.00 to $265.00 in a research note on Friday. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $242.00 to $255.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $239.28.

Waste Management Stock Performance

Shares of Waste Management stock traded up $0.81 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $228.28. The company had a trading volume of 2,115,581 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,647,329. The stock has a market cap of $91.84 billion, a PE ratio of 33.57, a P/E/G ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.66. Waste Management, Inc. has a 1-year low of $196.59 and a 1-year high of $239.32. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $227.95 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $219.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.73, a current ratio of 0.76 and a quick ratio of 0.85.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM - Get Free Report) last announced 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 predict that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Increases Dividend

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Waste Management

In other news, EVP Charles C. Boettcher sold 693 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 45,542 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,046,109.78. This represents a 1.50 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CAO John A. Carroll sold 209 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.55, for a total value of $46,094.95. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 9,066 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,999,506.30. This trade represents a 2.25 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 95,577 shares of company stock valued at $21,662,464 in the last 90 days. 0.18% of the stock is currently owned by company 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.