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GFL vs. WM: GFL Environmental vs. Waste Management Stock Comparison

How do GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM) are both classified in the Environmental & Facilities Services sub-industry within the broader Commercial Services & Supplies industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Waste Management (WM) has more than two decades of public-market history since June 22, 1988, whereas GFL Environmental (GFL) listed on March 3, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM)
Profile ItemGFLWM
NameGFL Environmental Inc.Waste Management Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCommercial & Professional ServicesCommercial & Professional Services
GICS IndustryCommercial Services & SuppliesCommercial Services & Supplies
GICS Sub-IndustryEnvironmental & Facilities ServicesEnvironmental & Facilities Services
Market Capitalization16.72 billion USD93.95 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 3, 2020June 22, 1988
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GFL
WM
GSPC
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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: 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 GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricGFLWM
Total Return (1Y)7.30%19.43%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.51%13.45%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)3.62%9.97%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricGFLWM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)29.80%21.31%
Beta (5Y)0.660.37
Max Drawdown (5Y)-42.75%-18.14%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.45M2.24M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GFL and WM are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricGFLWM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.100.71
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.151.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

GFL Environmental (GFL) reports a negative ROE of -2.97%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Waste Management (WM) reports 31.68%, ranking against industry peers normally.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

-2.97%

Max
47.06%
Q3
25.43%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
GFL
-2.97%
Min
-20.15%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.68%

Max
47.06%
WM
31.68%
Q3
25.43%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
Min
-20.15%
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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

GFL Environmental (GFL) reports a negative net margin of -4.28%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Waste Management (WM) reports 11.78%, ranking against industry peers normally.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

-4.28%

Max
23.28%
Q3
11.35%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
GFL
-4.28%
Min
-8.60%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

11.78%

Max
23.28%
WM
11.78%
Q3
11.35%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
Min
-8.60%
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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) at 19.08% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of GFL Environmental (GFL) at 9.44%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

9.44%

Max
38.50%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
GFL
9.44%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

19.08%

Max
38.50%
WM
19.08%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
Q1
5.59%
Min
-12.00%
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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricGFLWM
ROE (TTM)-2.97%31.68%
ROA (TTM)1.11%6.69%
Net Margin (TTM)-4.28%11.78%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.44%19.08%
Gross Margin (TTM)19.78%40.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Waste Management (WM) at 14.24% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while GFL Environmental (GFL) at 7.77% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for WM.

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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Waste Management (WM) reports EPS growth of -1.62%, ranked against its industry; GFL Environmental (GFL) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricGFLWM
Revenue Growth (YoY)7.77%14.24%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.72%8.56%
EPS Growth (YoY)---1.62%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both GFL Environmental (GFL) at 0.93 and Waste Management (WM) at 0.82 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.93

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
GFL
0.93
Min
0.45

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.82

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
WM
0.82
Min
0.45
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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

GFL Environmental (GFL) at 1.04 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Waste Management (WM) at 2.37 uses more debt funding than most peers.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.04

Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
GFL
1.04
Median
0.88
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.37

WM
2.37
Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
Median
0.88
Q1
0.35
Min
0.00
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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricGFLWM
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.930.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.042.37
Net Debt / EBITDA6.752.94

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both GFL Environmental (GFL) at 0.14% and Waste Management (WM) at 1.52% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.14%

Max
4.33%
Q3
1.80%
Median
0.60%
GFL
0.14%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.52%

Max
4.33%
Q3
1.80%
WM
1.52%
Median
0.60%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

GFL Environmental (GFL) at 19.07% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Waste Management (WM) at 48.03% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

19.07%

Max
99.58%
Q3
41.99%
GFL
19.07%
Median
17.27%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

48.03%

Max
99.58%
WM
48.03%
Q3
41.99%
Median
17.27%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-17.94%
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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricGFLWM
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.14%1.52%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)19.07%48.03%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Waste Management (WM) trades at 31.01 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while GFL Environmental (GFL) has no P/E ratio this period.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

--

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89
GFL
--

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.01

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
WM
31.01
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89
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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): GFL does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; WM is benchmarked against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

GFL Environmental (GFL) at 2.25 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Waste Management (WM) at 3.60 sits in the pricier quartile — WM costs more per dollar of sales.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.25

Max
7.17
Q3
3.35
GFL
2.25
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.60

Max
7.17
WM
3.60
Q3
3.35
Median
1.33
Q1
0.69
Min
0.11
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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

GFL Environmental (GFL) at 2.42 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Waste Management (WM) at 9.52 carries an above-peer premium to book — WM is pricier on assets.

GFL

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.42

Max
11.25
Q3
6.08
Median
2.92
GFL
2.42
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

9.52

Max
11.25
WM
9.52
Q3
6.08
Median
2.92
Q1
1.55
Min
-2.78
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GFL Environmental (GFL) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for GFL Environmental (GFL) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricGFLWM
P/E Ratio (TTM)--31.01
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.253.60
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.429.52
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.55%2.64%