Waste Management (WM) Stock Analysis

June 13, 2026

Here is a fundamental analysis of Waste Management (WM), benchmarking its profitability, financial strength, dividend and valuation against its industry group peers.

Performance

Cumulative Growth

GSPC

Waste Management (WM) vs. S&P 500 (GSPC): Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Waste Management (WM) and S&P 500 (GSPC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Performance at a Glance

Waste Management (WM) metric values compared with Commercial & Professional Services industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: WM	Industry group median
1-Year Return	-5.98%	-15.17%

Risk

Drawdown

GSPC

Waste Management (WM) vs. S&P 500 (GSPC): Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Risk at a Glance

Waste Management (WM) metric values compared with Commercial & Professional Services industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: WM	Industry group median
1-Year Volatility	19.03%	38.00%
Beta	0.44	0.84

Company Profile

Company profile fields for Waste Management (WM)
Profile Item	WM
Name	Waste Management, Inc.
Country/Region	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Commercial & Professional Services
GICS Industry	Commercial Services & Supplies
GICS Sub-Industry	Environmental & Facilities Services
Market Capitalization	88.13 billion USD
Currency	USD
Exchange	NYSE
Listing Date	June 22, 1988
Security Type	Common Stock

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) trades at P/E ratio of 31.76, near the industry’s usual earnings multiple. The stock is not showing a clear peer discount or premium on trailing earnings.

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.76

Group distribution

Max: 67.87
Q3: 37.72
WM: 31.76
Median: 21.61
Q1: 14.71
Min: 4.85

Largest peers

WCN: 37.98
CTAS: 37.19
WM: 31.76
RSG: 30.12
RELX: 22.64
PAYX: 22.21
ADP: 21.10

Where Waste Management (WM) stands on P/E ratio within its Commercial & Professional Services peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) trades at 3.47 on P/S ratio, in the higher sales-valuation quartile. Investors are paying up for each dollar of revenue, so stronger margins, growth, or revenue quality need to carry that price.

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.47

Group distribution

Max: 6.40
WM: 3.47
Q3: 3.14
Median: 1.30
Q1: 0.66
Min: 0.09

Largest peers

PAYX: 9.09
CTAS: 6.40
RELX: 6.19
ADP: 4.19
WCN: 4.13
RSG: 3.87
WM: 3.47

Where Waste Management (WM) stands on P/S ratio within its Commercial & Professional Services peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

Waste Management (WM) trades at 8.81 on P/B ratio, in the higher book-value quartile. The market is paying a premium to book, so stronger ROE, cleaner assets, or a better growth profile need to justify it.

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

8.81

Group distribution

Max: 8.98
WM: 8.81
Q3: 5.88
Median: 2.95
Q1: 1.89
Min: -2.68

Largest peers

RELX: 76.95
CTAS: 14.73
ADP: 14.27
PAYX: 8.98
WM: 8.81
RSG: 5.40
WCN: 4.84

Where Waste Management (WM) stands on P/B ratio within its Commercial & Professional Services peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Valuation at a Glance

Waste Management (WM) metric values compared with Commercial & Professional Services industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: WM	Industry group median
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	31.76	21.61
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	3.47	1.30
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	8.81	2.95
Free Cash Flow Yield	2.42%	5.32%

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) posts ROE of 29.94%, in the upper peer quartile. That suggests the company earns more from each dollar of shareholders’ equity than most industry peers, a useful capital-efficiency signal.

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

29.94%

Group distribution

Max: 53.04%
WM: 29.94%
Q3: 25.65%
Median: 13.99%
Q1: 2.65%
Min: -26.88%

Largest peers

ADP: 71.21%
RELX: 70.51%
CTAS: 41.30%
WM: 29.94%
RSG: 18.35%
WCN: 13.12%
PAYX: --

Where Waste Management (WM) stands on ROE within its Commercial & Professional Services peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) keeps 10.99% of revenue as net profit, roughly in line with the peer group’s normal net margin range. Its full cost stack is taking a typical share of sales for the industry.

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

10.99%

Group distribution

Max: 26.63%
Q3: 11.56%
WM: 10.99%
Median: 6.26%
Q1: 1.18%
Min: -13.34%

Largest peers

PAYX: 26.63%
RELX: 21.53%
ADP: 20.12%
CTAS: 17.57%
RSG: 12.99%
WM: 10.99%
WCN: 10.97%

Where Waste Management (WM) stands on net margin within its Commercial & Professional Services peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) turns 17.52% of revenue into operating profit, roughly in line with the peer group’s normal operating margin range. Its core cost structure looks typical for the industry.

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

17.52%

Group distribution

Max: 37.53%
Q3: 17.67%
WM: 17.52%
Median: 9.37%
Q1: 3.13%
Min: -4.52%

Largest peers

PAYX: 44.38%
RELX: 31.41%
ADP: 30.18%
CTAS: 23.22%
RSG: 20.20%
WCN: 18.75%
WM: 17.52%

Where Waste Management (WM) stands on operating margin within its Commercial & Professional Services peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Profitability at a Glance

Waste Management (WM) metric values compared with Commercial & Professional Services industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: WM	Industry group median
Return on Equity (TTM)	29.94%	13.99%
Return on Assets (TTM)	6.60%	5.24%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	10.99%	6.26%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	17.52%	9.37%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	40.61%	36.48%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Waste Management (WM) has current ratio of 0.93, in the tighter-liquidity quartile for its industry. The short-term cushion is thinner than most peers carry, even if the absolute comfort level still depends on the business model.

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.93

Group distribution

Max: 3.17
Q3: 2.01
Median: 1.51
Q1: 1.13
WM: 0.93
Min: 0.45

Largest peers

CTAS: 1.98
PAYX: 1.15
ADP: 1.04
WM: 0.93
WCN: 0.69
RSG: 0.67
RELX: 0.49

Where Waste Management (WM) stands on current ratio within its Commercial & Professional Services peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

Waste Management (WM) has debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28, in the higher-leverage quartile for its industry. The heavier reliance on borrowing can make earnings, rates, or refinancing conditions matter more.

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.28

Group distribution

Max: 2.61
WM: 2.28
Q3: 1.39
Median: 0.94
Q1: 0.45
Min: 0.01

Largest peers

RELX: 3.04
WM: 2.28
PAYX: 1.25
RSG: 1.18
WCN: 1.17
ADP: 0.69
CTAS: 0.61

Where Waste Management (WM) stands on debt-to-equity ratio within its Commercial & Professional Services peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Waste Management (WM) metric values compared with Commercial & Professional Services industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: WM	Industry group median
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.93	1.51
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	2.28	0.94
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.97	2.67

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) has dividend yield of 1.61%, in the industry’s normal income range. It provides a meaningful dividend without the red flag of an unusually high headline yield.

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.61%

Group distribution

Max: 5.49%
Q3: 2.30%
WM: 1.61%
Median: 0.97%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Largest peers

PAYX: 4.73%
ADP: 3.01%
RELX: 2.73%
WM: 1.61%
RSG: 1.19%
CTAS: 1.02%
WCN: 0.90%

Where Waste Management (WM) stands on dividend yield within its Commercial & Professional Services peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) has payout ratio of 49.49%, above the industry’s usual payout band. A larger share of earnings is going to dividends, so the cushion narrows if profit weakens.

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

49.49%

Group distribution

Max: 79.70%
WM: 49.49%
Q3: 36.60%
Median: 16.11%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Largest peers

PAYX: 95.36%
ADP: 60.45%
RELX: 57.42%
WM: 49.49%
CTAS: 36.71%
RSG: 35.22%
WCN: 32.44%

Where Waste Management (WM) stands on payout ratio within its Commercial & Professional Services peer group — the box is the group’s distribution and the dots its largest members.

Dividends at a Glance

Waste Management (WM) metric values compared with Commercial & Professional Services industry-group medians
Metric	Current stock: WM	Industry group median
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.61%	0.97%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	49.49%	16.11%