Victory Capital Management Inc. Has $34.81 Million Stake in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM)

Victory Capital Management Inc. reduced its stake in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) by 3.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 172,484 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 6,707 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Waste Management were worth $34,806,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Activest Wealth Management raised its position in Waste Management by 4,000.0% during the 3rd quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 123 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates raised its position in shares of Waste Management by 892.9% in the 4th 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 in the last quarter. General Partner Inc. bought a new position in shares of Waste Management in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Waste Management in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Waste Management in the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. 80.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Waste Management Price Performance

Shares of NYSE WM opened at $229.51 on Monday. Waste Management, Inc. has a twelve month low of $196.59 and a twelve month high of $235.81. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $218.22 and its 200-day moving average price is $214.81. The company has a market capitalization of $92.29 billion, a PE ratio of 33.75, a PEG ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.73.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The business services provider reported $1.70 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.79 by ($0.09). Waste Management had a return on equity of 37.93% and a net margin of 12.45%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.7 EPS for the current year.

Waste Management Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be issued a $0.825 dividend. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.44%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 14th. This is a boost from Waste Management’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. Waste Management’s payout ratio is 48.53%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Waste Management news, VP Michael J. Watson sold 1,547 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $228.11, for a total transaction of $352,886.17. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 44,037 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,045,280.07. The trade was a 3.39 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Tara J. Hemmer sold 4,576 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $222.12, for a total transaction of $1,016,421.12. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 58,765 shares in the company, valued at $13,052,881.80. The trade was a 7.22 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 75,173 shares of company stock valued at $17,075,967. 0.18% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on WM shares. William Blair reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Waste Management in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on Waste Management from $255.00 to $238.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Scotiabank boosted their target price on Waste Management from $250.00 to $255.00 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Oppenheimer boosted their target price on Waste Management from $231.00 to $237.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Waste Management from $227.00 to $235.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $236.65.

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.