XML Financial LLC Grows Position in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM)

XML Financial LLC raised its holdings in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) by 3.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 4,935 shares of the business services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 165 shares during the period. XML Financial LLC’s holdings in Waste Management were worth $1,053,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Waste Management by 170.5% during the first quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 119 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Sachetta LLC acquired a new stake in Waste Management during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. acquired a new stake in Waste Management during the second quarter worth about $31,000. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Management during the first quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Pacific Capital Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Waste Management during the fourth quarter valued at about $36,000. 80.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Waste Management

In other Waste Management news, VP Michael J. Watson sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $220.00, for a total transaction of $330,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 44,144 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,711,680. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Waste Management news, VP Michael J. Watson sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.00, for a total transaction of $330,000.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 44,144 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,711,680. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, VP Michael J. Watson sold 4,208 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $204.28, for a total value of $859,610.24. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 45,644 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,324,156.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.18% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Waste Management Trading Up 0.6 %

NYSE:WM traded up $1.28 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $209.38. 901,367 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,701,842. The stock has a market capitalization of $84.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.27, a PEG ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 0.74. Waste Management, Inc. has a 12 month low of $149.71 and a 12 month high of $225.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.21, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.07. The company has a fifty day moving average of $209.32 and a 200 day moving average of $207.49.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The business services provider reported $1.82 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.82. The business had revenue of $5.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.43 billion. Waste Management had a net margin of 12.13% and a return on equity of 39.52%. The firm’s revenue was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.51 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Waste Management, Inc. will post 7.24 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WM has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. StockNews.com cut shares of Waste Management from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on shares of Waste Management from $215.00 to $204.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 26th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Waste Management from $202.00 to $214.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Waste Management to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on shares of Waste Management in a research note on Wednesday, May 22nd. They issued a “buy” rating and a $241.00 price objective on the stock. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $215.83.

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.