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ULS vs. WM: UL vs. Waste Management Stock Comparison

How do UL (ULS) 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

UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM) both fall under the Commercial & Professional Services industry group, but ULS is classified in Professional Services while WM is classified in Commercial Services & Supplies.

Waste Management (WM) carries decades of public-market history since June 22, 1988, while UL (ULS) listed on April 12, 2024 — long-window comparisons have far more historical data on the WM side.

Company profile comparison for UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM)
Profile ItemULSWM
NameUL Solutions Inc. Class A Common StockWaste Management Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCommercial & Professional ServicesCommercial & Professional Services
GICS IndustryProfessional ServicesCommercial Services & Supplies
GICS Sub-IndustryResearch & Consulting ServicesEnvironmental & Facilities Services
Market Capitalization15.88 billion USD93.95 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateApril 12, 2024June 22, 1988
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ULS
WM
GSPC
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UL (ULS) 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 UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricULSWM
Total Return (1Y)-3.81%19.43%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)--13.45%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)--9.97%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ULS
WM
GSPC
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UL (ULS) 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 UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricULSWM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)42.88%21.31%
Beta (5Y)0.520.37
Max Drawdown (5Y)-38.75%-18.14%
Avg. Volume (3M)879.46K2.24M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ULS 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 UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricULSWM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.190.71
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.281.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both UL (ULS) at 36.51% and Waste Management (WM) at 31.68% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

36.51%

Max
47.06%
ULS
36.51%
Q3
25.43%
Median
14.11%
Q1
3.92%
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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UL (ULS) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their ROE against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both UL (ULS) at 16.13% and Waste Management (WM) at 11.78% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

16.13%

Max
23.28%
ULS
16.13%
Q3
11.35%
Median
5.65%
Q1
0.87%
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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UL (ULS) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their net margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both UL (ULS) at 19.81% and Waste Management (WM) at 19.08% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

19.81%

Max
38.50%
ULS
19.81%
Q3
18.84%
Median
10.40%
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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UL (ULS) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricULSWM
ROE (TTM)36.51%31.68%
ROA (TTM)11.46%6.69%
Net Margin (TTM)16.13%11.78%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.81%19.08%
Gross Margin (TTM)50.69%40.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Waste Management (WM) at 14.24% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while UL (ULS) at 6.38% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for WM.

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

EPS Growth

Both UL (ULS) at -1.23% and Waste Management (WM) at -1.62% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricULSWM
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.38%14.24%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.60%8.56%
EPS Growth (YoY)-1.23%-1.62%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)2.98%7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

UL (ULS) at 2.09 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Waste Management (WM) at 0.82 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WM.

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

2.09

Max
3.63
Q3
2.14
ULS
2.09
Median
1.55
Q1
1.09
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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UL (ULS) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

UL (ULS) at 0.54 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Waste Management (WM) at 2.37 uses more debt funding than most peers.

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.54

Max
2.37
Q3
1.25
Median
0.88
ULS
0.54
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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UL (ULS) 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 UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricULSWM
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.090.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.542.37
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.112.94

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both UL (ULS) at 0.74% and Waste Management (WM) at 1.52% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

0.74%

Max
4.33%
Q3
1.80%
ULS
0.74%
Median
0.60%
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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UL (ULS) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

UL (ULS) at 22.42% 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.

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

22.42%

Max
99.58%
Q3
41.99%
ULS
22.42%
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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UL (ULS) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricULSWM
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.74%1.52%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)22.42%48.03%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both UL (ULS) at 31.21 and Waste Management (WM) at 31.01 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

31.21

Max
49.47
Q3
33.76
ULS
31.21
Median
24.16
Q1
16.01
Min
1.89

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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UL (ULS) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both UL (ULS) at 4.98 and Waste Management (WM) at 3.60 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

4.98

Max
7.17
ULS
4.98
Q3
3.35
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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UL (ULS) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both UL (ULS) at 9.32 and Waste Management (WM) at 9.52 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

ULS

Commercial & Professional Services industry group

9.32

Max
11.25
ULS
9.32
Q3
6.08
Median
2.92
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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UL (ULS) vs. Waste Management (WM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Commercial & Professional Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for UL (ULS) and Waste Management (WM)
MetricULSWM
P/E Ratio (TTM)31.2131.01
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.983.60
P/B Ratio (MRQ)9.329.52
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.94%2.64%