Is Waste Management Stock Outperforming the Dow?

Waste Management, Inc_ logo and chart data-by Piotr Swat via Shutterstock

With a market cap of $97.4 billion, Waste Management, Inc. (WM) is a provider of environmental solutions to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers. The Houston, Texas-based company offers collection services and owns and operates transfer stations as well as landfill gas-to-energy facilities that produce renewable electricity.

Companies valued at $10 billion or more are generally described as “large-cap stocks”, and Waste Management fits this criterion perfectly. The company operates the largest disposal network in North America and leads in the beneficial use of landfill gas, with a growing portfolio of renewable natural gas facilities and the most landfill gas-to-electricity plants in North America. It also boasts the largest heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet in the industry across North America.

Waste Management currently trades nearly 1% below its all-time high of $242.58 recorded on Jun. 3. WM's stock has gained 2.7% over the past three months, surpassing the broader Dow Jones Industrials Average's ($DOWI1.6% dip.

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Longer term, Waste Management stock has surged nearly 19% on a YTD basis, whereas DOWI has decreased marginally. Additionally, shares of WM soared 19.3% over the past 52 weeks, notably outperforming the Dow Jones’ 10.2% rise over the same time frame.

Despite some fluctuations, Waste Management stock has been trading above its 50-day moving average since mid-May and above its 200-day moving average since mid-January.

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Shares of Waste Management fell marginally in the trading session after the release of its mixed Q1 2025 results on Apr. 28. The company reported revenue of $6 billion, up 16.7% year-over-year, driven by core business growth, sustainability investments, and value creation from the Stericycle acquisition. However, the figure fell short of Wall Street expectations. Meanwhile, adjusted EPS came in at $1.67, down 4.6% from the prior-year quarter but slightly exceeded the Street estimate of $1.65.

Compared to its rival, Clean Harbors, Inc. (CLH) has lagged behind the WM stock. CLH stock has fallen 1.6% on a YTD basis and climbed 5.1% over the past 52 weeks.

Among the 22 analysts covering the WM stock, the consensus rating is a “Moderate Buy.” Its mean price target of $254 suggests a modest 5.7% upside potential from current price levels.


On the date of publication, Aditya Sarawgi did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.