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Houston, Texas-based Waste Management, Inc. (WM) provides environmental solutions to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in the United States and internationally. The company has a market cap of $90.7 billion and offers collection services, including picking up and transporting waste and recyclable materials from where it was generated to a transfer station, recovery facility, and more.
WM stock has lagged behind the broader market over the past year, declining 4.3% compared to the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 19.9% surge. Moreover, in 2026, the stock has risen by nearly 3.3%, underperforming the SPX’s 12.9% rise.
Focusing on its industry benchmark, the State Street Industrials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) has risen 23.5% over the past year, outperforming the stock. In 2026, XLI has grown 19.7% and has outpaced the stock.
On July 29, WM stock declined 1.2% following the release of its Q2 2026 earnings. The company’s revenue for the quarter amounted to $6.7 billion and missed the Street’s estimates. Moreover, its adjusted EPS came in at $2.20, successfully topping Wall Street’s forecasts. Waste Management expects full-year revenue in the range of $26.28 billion to $26.48 billion.
For the current year, which ends in December, analysts expect WM’s EPS to increase 8.5% to $8.14 on a diluted basis. The company met or surpassed the consensus estimate in two of the last four quarters, while missing on two occasions.
Among the 28 analysts covering WM stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on 18 “Strong Buy” ratings, one “Moderate Buy,” and nine “Holds.”
The configuration has remained more or less unchanged over the past three months.
On Aug. 4, UBS analyst Jon Windham maintained a “Buy” rating for WM stock and raised its price target from $265 to $270.
WM’s mean price target of $261.50 offers a 15.3% upside compared to the current market price. Its Street-high target of $277 implies a 22.1% upside from current levels.
