Gryphon Financial Partners LLC Raises Stock Position in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM)

Gryphon Financial Partners LLC lifted its stake in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) by 3.1% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 7,322 shares of the business services provider’s stock after buying an additional 217 shares during the period. Gryphon Financial Partners LLC’s holdings in Waste Management were worth $1,477,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Mission Wealth Management LP lifted its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 811.1% in the 4th quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP now owns 9,102 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $1,837,000 after purchasing an additional 8,103 shares during the last quarter. Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A. lifted its stake in Waste Management by 7.3% in the fourth quarter. Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A. now owns 154,231 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $31,122,000 after buying an additional 10,492 shares during the last quarter. LGT Fund Management Co Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 17.5% in the fourth quarter. LGT Fund Management Co Ltd. now owns 27,490 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $5,547,000 after acquiring an additional 4,100 shares during the period. Silphium Asset Management Ltd grew its position in shares of Waste Management by 36.2% during the fourth quarter. Silphium Asset Management Ltd now owns 21,462 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $4,331,000 after acquiring an additional 5,709 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in Waste Management in the 4th quarter valued at $579,000. 80.40% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Waste Management

In related news, VP Michael J. Watson sold 5,732 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $227.51, for a total value of $1,304,087.32. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 55,587 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,646,598.37. The trade was a 9.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO James C. Fish, Jr. sold 44,405 shares of Waste Management stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $228.43, for a total transaction of $10,143,434.15. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 211,061 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $48,212,664.23. This trade represents a 17.38 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 66,192 shares of company stock valued at $15,025,861. 0.18% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Waste Management Stock Performance

Shares of WM stock opened at $232.83 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.73, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.76. The stock has a market cap of $93.63 billion, a PE ratio of 34.24, a P/E/G ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.78. Waste Management, Inc. has a 1 year low of $196.59 and a 1 year high of $233.15. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $215.71 and a 200 day moving average price of $214.02.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The business services provider reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.79 by ($0.09). Waste Management had a return on equity of 37.93% and a net margin of 12.45%. Sell-side analysts forecast that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Waste Management Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be given a dividend of $0.825 per share. This is an increase from Waste Management’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. This represents a $3.30 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.42%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. Waste Management’s payout ratio is currently 48.53%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have commented on WM. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $255.00 to $238.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Scotiabank increased their price objective on Waste Management from $250.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. 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 report on Friday, January 31st. Raymond James increased their price target on Waste Management from $235.00 to $237.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price objective on shares of Waste Management from $242.00 to $255.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $235.94.

About Waste Management

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.