SNS Financial Group LLC Cuts Stake in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM)

SNS Financial Group LLC lowered its holdings in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) by 5.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,233 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 70 shares during the quarter. SNS Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Waste Management were worth $249,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in WM. Private Advisor Group LLC grew its holdings in Waste Management by 15.6% during the 4th quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 87,843 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $17,726,000 after buying an additional 11,861 shares in the last quarter. Financial Perspectives Inc grew its holdings in Waste Management by 43.7% during the 4th quarter. Financial Perspectives Inc now owns 987 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $199,000 after buying an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its holdings in Waste Management by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 23,510 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $4,744,000 after buying an additional 136 shares in the last quarter. Chapman Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in Waste Management by 4.7% during the 4th quarter. Chapman Investment Management LLC now owns 23,084 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $4,658,000 after buying an additional 1,045 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Jackson Hole Trust purchased a new position in Waste Management during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $805,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.40% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Waste Management

In other news, SVP Rafael Carrasco sold 4,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $225.89, for a total value of $903,560.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 18,531 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,185,967.59. The trade was a 17.75 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Johnson Varkey sold 560 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.11, for a total value of $123,261.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 9,152 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,014,446.72. The trade was a 5.77 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 16,055 shares of company stock valued at $3,578,340. Corporate insiders own 0.18% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. William Blair reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Waste Management in a research note on Friday, January 31st. StockNews.com cut Waste Management from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. CIBC lifted their target price on Waste Management from $228.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 4th. Argus lifted their target price on Waste Management from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 31st. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on Waste Management from $243.00 to $252.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Waste Management has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $235.94.

Waste Management Price Performance

Shares of WM stock opened at $228.40 on Thursday. Waste Management, Inc. has a twelve month low of $196.59 and a twelve month high of $230.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $91.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.59, a P/E/G ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.78. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $212.84 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $212.70. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.00.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The business services provider reported $1.70 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.79 by ($0.09). Waste Management had a return on equity of 38.88% and a net margin of 12.45%. On average, analysts predict that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 14th will be issued a $0.825 dividend. This represents a $3.30 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.44%. This is a boost from Waste Management’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. Waste Management’s dividend payout ratio is currently 44.12%.

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.