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RSG vs. WM: Republic Services vs. Waste Management Stock Comparison

How do Republic Services (RSG) 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

Republic Services (RSG) 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.

Company profile comparison for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Management (WM)
Profile ItemRSGWM
NameRepublic Services, 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 Capitalization65.56 billion USD89.50 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJuly 1, 1998June 22, 1988
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

RSG
WM
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): 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 Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Management (WM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricRSGWM
Total Return (1Y)-12.65%-1.03%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

RSG
WM
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): 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 Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricRSGWM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.79%19.23%
Beta (5Y)0.400.44
Avg. Volume (3M)1.78M2.20M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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RSG 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.

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Waste Management (WM) at 29.94% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Republic Services (RSG) at 18.35% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for WM.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

18.35%

Max
53.04%
Q3
25.86%
RSG
18.35%
Median
14.00%
Q1
2.97%
Min
-28.46%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

29.94%

Max
53.04%
WM
29.94%
Q3
25.86%
Median
14.00%
Q1
2.97%
Min
-28.46%
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Republic Services (RSG) at 12.99% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Waste Management (WM) at 10.99%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

12.99%

Max
26.63%
RSG
12.99%
Q3
11.66%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-13.34%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

10.99%

Max
26.63%
Q3
11.66%
WM
10.99%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-13.34%
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Republic Services (RSG) at 20.20% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Waste Management (WM) at 17.52%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

20.20%

Max
38.33%
RSG
20.20%
Q3
17.72%
Median
9.47%
Q1
3.22%
Min
-4.52%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

17.52%

Max
38.33%
Q3
17.72%
WM
17.52%
Median
9.47%
Q1
3.22%
Min
-4.52%
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricRSGWM
ROE (TTM)18.35%29.94%
ROA (TTM)6.18%6.60%
Net Margin (TTM)12.99%10.99%
Operating Margin (TTM)20.20%17.52%
Gross Margin (TTM)43.05%40.61%

Growth

Revenue Growth

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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

Revenue Growth Metrics

Revenue growth metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricRSGWM
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.49%14.24%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.08%8.56%

EPS Growth

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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth Metrics

EPS growth metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricRSGWM
EPS Growth (YoY)5.55%-1.62%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.46%7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 0.67 and Waste Management (WM) at 0.93 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.67

Max
3.17
Q3
2.04
Median
1.51
Q1
1.13
RSG
0.67
Min
0.45

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.93

Max
3.17
Q3
2.04
Median
1.51
Q1
1.13
WM
0.93
Min
0.45
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Republic Services (RSG) at 1.18 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Waste Management (WM) at 2.28 uses more debt funding than most peers.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.18

Max
2.61
Q3
1.38
RSG
1.18
Median
0.93
Q1
0.40
Min
0.01

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.28

Max
2.61
WM
2.28
Q3
1.38
Median
0.93
Q1
0.40
Min
0.01
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Republic Services (RSG) 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 Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricRSGWM
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.670.93
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.182.28
Net Debt / EBITDA2.692.97

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 1.14% and Waste Management (WM) at 1.53% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.14%

Max
4.01%
Q3
1.68%
RSG
1.14%
Median
0.48%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

1.53%

Max
4.01%
Q3
1.68%
WM
1.53%
Median
0.48%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Republic Services (RSG) at 35.22% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Waste Management (WM) at 49.49% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

35.22%

Max
90.59%
Q3
36.71%
RSG
35.22%
Median
16.64%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

49.49%

Max
90.59%
WM
49.49%
Q3
36.71%
Median
16.64%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricRSGWM
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.14%1.53%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)35.22%49.49%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 30.53 and Waste Management (WM) at 32.30 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

30.53

Max
67.48
Q3
35.82
RSG
30.53
Median
20.98
Q1
14.64
Min
4.14

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

32.30

Max
67.48
Q3
35.82
WM
32.30
Median
20.98
Q1
14.64
Min
4.14
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Republic Services (RSG) at 3.93 and Waste Management (WM) at 3.52 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.93

Max
6.61
RSG
3.93
Q3
3.34
Median
1.33
Q1
0.66
Min
0.09

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

3.52

Max
6.61
WM
3.52
Q3
3.34
Median
1.33
Q1
0.66
Min
0.09
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Republic Services (RSG) at 5.48 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Waste Management (WM) at 8.95 carries an above-peer premium to book — WM is pricier on assets.

RSG

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

5.48

Max
12.70
Q3
6.61
RSG
5.48
Median
3.22
Q1
1.81
Min
-4.70

WM

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

8.95

Max
12.70
WM
8.95
Q3
6.61
Median
3.22
Q1
1.81
Min
-4.70
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Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricRSGWM
P/E Ratio (TTM)30.5332.30
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.933.52
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.488.95
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.76%2.39%