Sign in

WASTE MANAGEMENT (WM)

WM, North America's leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions, operates primarily in the United States and Canada. The company manages waste from collection to disposal, while also recovering valuable resources and creating renewable energy . WM owns or operates the largest network of landfills in North America and manages transfer stations to efficiently transport waste. Their business is divided into four reportable segments: Collection and Disposal - East Tier, Collection and Disposal - West Tier, Recycling Processing and Sales, and WM Renewable Energy .

  1. Collection and Disposal - Provides comprehensive waste management services, including Commercial, Industrial, Residential, and Other Collection services, as well as Landfill and Transfer operations, across the East and West Tiers .
  2. Recycling Processing and Sales - Manages the processing and sale of recyclable materials, contributing to resource recovery and sustainability efforts .
  3. WM Renewable Energy - Focuses on creating renewable energy from waste, supporting environmental sustainability and energy recovery .

You might also like

NamePositionExternal RolesShort Bio

James C. Fish, Jr.

ExecutiveBoard

President, CEO, and Director

Director of Caterpillar Inc.

CEO since 2016, with over 20 years at WM. Previously held roles such as CFO and SVP of Eastern Group. Focuses on sustainability, digital transformation, and inclusion.

View Report →

Charles C. Boettcher

Executive

EVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer

None mentioned

Oversees corporate development and legal functions. Held various legal leadership roles at WM since 2017.

Christopher P. DeSantis

Executive

SVP – Operations

None mentioned

Joined WM in 2009. Promoted to SVP – Operations in October 2023 after serving as Area VP – New England.

Devina A. Rankin

Executive

EVP and CFO

None mentioned

CFO since 2017. Oversees financial strategy and risk management. Signed certifications as CFO as of October 2024.

Donald J. Smith

Executive

SVP – Operations

None mentioned

Joined WM in 2012. Promoted to SVP – Operations in January 2023 after serving as Area VP – Texas & Oklahoma Area.

Johnson Varkey

Executive

SVP and Chief Information Officer

None mentioned

CIO since January 2024. Previously VP – Enterprise Digital Services.

Michael J. Watson

Executive

SVP and Chief Customer Officer

None mentioned

Chief Customer Officer since 2018. Focuses on customer experience and operational excellence.

Rafael E. Carrasco

Executive

SVP – Enterprise Strategy

None mentioned

Joined WM in 2017. Previously SVP – Operations and Area VP for Greater Mid-Atlantic Area. Focuses on strategic initiatives.

Tara J. Hemmer

Executive

SVP and Chief Sustainability Officer

None mentioned

Leads WM's sustainability initiatives, including $2.5B investments in recycling and renewable energy. Former SVP – Operations.

Andr\u00e9s R. Gluski

Board

Director

President and CEO of AES Corporation; Chairman of Council of the Americas

Director since 2015. Expertise in energy policy, sustainability, and governance.

Bruce E. Chinn

Board

Director

Chairman of AIChE Foundation; Board Member of Alliance to End Plastic Waste

Director since February 2023. Former CEO of Chevron Phillips Chemical. Expertise in sustainability and renewable energy.

Kathleen M. Mazzarella

Board

Non-Executive Chair of the Board

Chairman, President, and CEO of Graybar Electric; Director at Cigna and Core & Main

Director since 2015. Became Non-Executive Chair in May 2023. Extensive leadership experience and governance expertise.

Maryrose T. Sylvester

Board

Director

Director at Harley-Davidson, Vontier, and Flex Ltd.

Director since 2021. Former U.S. Managing Director at ABB Ltd. Expertise in technology and sustainability.

Thomas L. Bené

Board

Director

President and CEO of Breakthru Beverage Group

Joined WM's Board in March 2024. Former CEO of Sysco Corporation and National Restaurant Association.

Victoria M. Holt

Board

Director

Director at Piper Sandler, A. O. Smith, and Flex Ltd.

Director since 2013. Former CEO of Proto Labs. Expertise in innovation and risk management.

William B. Plummer

Board

Director

Director at Global Payments Inc.

Director since 2019. Former CFO of United Rentals. Expertise in finance, M&A, and risk management.

  1. Given that your leverage is expected to rise to 3.6x after the Stericycle acquisition and recent tuck-in acquisitions, how do you plan to manage debt reduction while continuing to invest in growth opportunities and return value to shareholders, especially considering the temporary suspension of your share repurchase program?

  2. With certain segments of your collection volumes trending behind full-year expectations, particularly in industrial and roll-off services, what specific strategies are you implementing to mitigate these volume declines, and how confident are you in the sustainability of your cost optimization efforts?

  3. Considering softness in industrial volumes and potential economic uncertainties, how confident are you in maintaining your pricing power to sustain margin expansion into 2025, and what factors could impact your ability to do so?

  4. How might the upcoming election outcomes impact your renewable natural gas (RNG) business, particularly regarding RIN pricing and the regulatory environment, and how does this influence your investment plans for RNG projects?

  5. With the planned acquisition of Stericycle introducing medical waste as a new vertical, what integration risks do you foresee, and how do you plan to address potential cultural and operational challenges to ensure the projected financial and strategic benefits are realized?

Research analysts who have asked questions during WASTE MANAGEMENT earnings calls.

James Schumm

TD Cowen

4 questions for WM

Also covers: CLH, CWST, GFL +5 more

Konark Gupta

Scotiabank

4 questions for WM

Also covers: CAE, CNI, GFL +3 more

Noah Kaye

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

4 questions for WM

Also covers: AMRC, BWA, CARR +15 more

Sabahat Khan

RBC Capital Markets

4 questions for WM

Also covers: ACM, ATS, DOOO +8 more

Tobey Sommer

Truist Securities, Inc.

4 questions for WM

Also covers: AMN, AMTM, ASGN +26 more

Toni Kaplan

Morgan Stanley

4 questions for WM

Also covers: ADT, ARMK, BFAM +17 more

Trevor Romeo

William Blair

4 questions for WM

Also covers: AMN, ASGN, CCRN +8 more

Bryan Burgmeier

Citigroup Inc.

3 questions for WM

Also covers: AVY, GFL, OI +4 more

David Manthey

Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated

3 questions for WM

Also covers: AIT, BECN, BLDR +13 more

Jerry Revich

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

3 questions for WM

Also covers: AGCO, ALSN, ATMU +28 more

Kevin Chiang

CIBC Capital Markets

3 questions for WM

Also covers: CAE, CP, GFL +4 more

Brian Butler

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

2 questions for WM

Also covers: CLH, CWST, GEF +8 more

Faiza Alwy

Deutsche Bank

2 questions for WM

Also covers: ABM, ADV, ARMK +16 more

Patrick Brown

Raymond James

2 questions for WM

Also covers: BLX, CLH, CWST +8 more

Stephanie Moore

Jefferies

2 questions for WM

Also covers: APG, ARCB, BFAM +25 more

Tyler Brown

Raymond James Financial, Inc.

2 questions for WM

Also covers: CLH, CWST, MLM +7 more

George Bancroft

Gabelli Funds

1 question for WM

Also covers: DCO, GHM, HEI +1 more

Harold Ander

Jefferies

1 question for WM

Stephanie Benjamin Moore

Jefferies

1 question for WM

Also covers: APG, ARCB, ARMK +22 more
Program DetailsProgram 1Program 2
Approval DateN/AN/A
End Date/DurationFebruary 2024 April 2024
Total Additional AmountN/A$250 million
Remaining Authorization$1,238 million $1,238 million
DetailsCompleted in February 2024 Completed in April 2024
YearAmount Due (Millions)Debt TypeInterest Rate (%)% of Total Debt
2025422Senior Notes3.1252.5% = (422 / 16,653) * 100
2025500Senior Notes0.753.0% = (500 / 16,653) * 100
2026250Senior Notes7.3751.5% = (250 / 16,653) * 100
2027750Senior Notes3.154.5% = (750 / 16,653) * 100
2027750Senior Notes4.9504.5% = (750 / 16,653) * 100
2028600Senior Notes7.003.6% = (600 / 16,653) * 100
2028500Senior Notes1.153.0% = (500 / 16,653) * 100
2029250Senior Notes7.3751.5% = (250 / 16,653) * 100
2029475Senior Notes2.002.9% = (475 / 16,653) * 100
2029750Senior Notes4.8754.5% = (750 / 16,653) * 100
2030750Senior Notes4.6254.5% = (750 / 16,653) * 100
20311,000Senior Notes1.506.0% = (1,000 / 16,653) * 100
2031750Senior Notes4.9504.5% = (750 / 16,653) * 100
2032500Senior Notes7.753.0% = (500 / 16,653) * 100
20321,000Senior Notes4.156.0% = (1,000 / 16,653) * 100
2033500Senior Notes4.6253.0% = (500 / 16,653) * 100
20341,250Senior Notes4.8757.5% = (1,250 / 16,653) * 100
2035450Senior Notes3.902.7% = (450 / 16,653) * 100
2039600Senior Notes6.1253.6% = (600 / 16,653) * 100
2041475Senior Notes2.952.9% = (475 / 16,653) * 100
2045750Senior Notes4.104.5% = (750 / 16,653) * 100
20491,000Senior Notes4.156.0% = (1,000 / 16,653) * 100
2050500Senior Notes2.503.0% = (500 / 16,653) * 100
NameStart DateEnd DateReason for Change
Ernst & Young LLP2002 PresentCurrent auditor

Notable M&A activity and strategic investments in the past 3 years.

CompanyYearDetails

Stericycle, Inc.

2024

Waste Management, Inc. acquired all outstanding shares of Stericycle for a total enterprise value of approximately $7.2 billion (including $1.4 billion of net debt) at $62.00 per share in cash, expecting annual cost synergies over $125 million while expanding its healthcare and regulated medical waste businesses; the deal was announced on June 3, 2024, and closed on November 4, 2024.

Tuck-in acquisitions in New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Arizona

2024

Waste Management completed solid waste and recycling tuck-in acquisitions with a total consideration of $780 million (comprising primarily cash and minor purchase price holdbacks) to strategically expand its operations in key growth markets and enhance customer relationships, aligning with its broader operational synergies.

Solid Waste and Recycling Acquisitions

2023

In 2023, Waste Management’s acquisitions were completed with a total consideration of $138 million (plus additional related considerations in prior periods), with allocations to property, intangible assets, and tax-deductible goodwill arising from expected integration synergies; these transactions remain in the measurement period for potential adjustments.

Seven Businesses in the Solid Waste Segment

2022

The acquisition of seven businesses for $216 million involved $202 million in cash, $14 million in holdbacks, and allocations to property, customer relationships, and significant tax-deductible goodwill driven by synergy expectations, with additional holdback payments related to prior year acquisitions and ongoing measurement period adjustments.

Recent press releases and 8-K filings for WM.

Waste Management reports strong quarter and endorses long-term hold thesis
·$WM
Earnings
Guidance Update
  • WM delivered a healthy top- and bottom-line beat, driving the stock up over 3% on the quarter’s results.
  • CEO Jim Fish labeled WM a “forever stock”, emphasizing consistent performance year in, year out and a buy-and-hold strategy.
  • The Stericycle acquisition boosted healthcare solutions EBITDA margins by 170 bps, while core pricing and cost controls further lifted overall gross margins.
  • Commercial and industrial segments—especially construction & demolition—have improved sequentially for four consecutive quarters, with June the strongest month in Q2, indicating economic resilience.
  • Industry-wide landfill airspace is declining over the next 15 years, but WM holds the best-located sites in 9 of the 10 largest U.S. MSAs with longer remaining lives, providing a strategic advantage.
Jul 30, 2025, 12:00 AM
Waste Management outlines 2027 financial targets and growth strategy
·$WM
Guidance Update
New Projects/Investments
M&A
  • 2027 targets: Revenue of $28.5 – 29.25 billion and adjusted operating EBITDA of $8.85 – 9.15 billion.
  • Sustainability investments: $3 billion committed to recycling plant automation and renewable natural gas, aiming for 14–15% revenue growth in the sustainability segment and 35% labor reduction in automated plants.
  • Healthcare unit expansion: Acquired Stericycle as a tuck-in to capture waste services from an aging population, positioning the healthcare solutions business for secular growth.
  • Solid waste M&A: Expects 0.5–1% of revenue growth from additional tuck-in deals in the fragmented traditional solid waste market.
  • Automation roadmap: Deploying side-loader trucks to eliminate hard-to-fill roles and targeting fully autonomous collection vehicles within two years to boost efficiency and safety.
Jun 25, 2025, 12:21 PM
Waste Management Q1 2025 Delivers Strong EBITDA Growth and Strategic Integration
·$WM
Earnings
M&A
New Projects/Investments
  • Operating EBITDA grew by over 12% year-over-year, driven by strong performance in collection, disposal, and sustainability businesses, with recycling and renewable energy margins up by over 20%.
  • The company advanced its cost optimization efforts, achieving operating expenses at 60.5% of revenue (a 40 basis point improvement) and reducing labor dependencies through automation, supporting robust EBITDA margin expansion.
  • A healthy M&A pipeline is in place with expectations to close over $500 million in solid waste acquisitions, alongside proactive integration of WM Healthcare Solutions and Stericycle synergies.
Apr 29, 2025, 2:01 PM
Waste Management Inc Reports Strong Q1 2025 Earnings
·$WM
Earnings
Revenue Acceleration/Inflection
New Projects/Investments
  • Revenue reached $6,018 million with a 16.7% increase year-over-year, indicating robust top-line growth.
  • WM Healthcare Solutions delivered $95 million in adjusted operating EBITDA, highlighting the success of its new business segment.
  • The results reflect strong operational performance and disciplined cost management, with management expressing confidence in achieving the 2025 outlook.
Apr 28, 2025, 12:00 AM
WM Announces New High-Tech Recycling and RNG Facilities
·$WM
New Projects/Investments
  • WM plans to invest approximately $3 billion in a sustainability strategy from 2022-2026, aiming to add 39 recycling facilities and 20 RNG facilities across the U.S.
  • The company has grand opening events for four projects, including new or upgraded recycling sites near Baltimore and Central Texas, and RNG facilities in Chicago and Philadelphia, with over $323 million in executed investments.
  • Upgrades involve state-of-the-art technology such as artificial intelligence and automation to boost recycling capacity and renewable natural gas production.
Apr 2, 2025, 12:05 PM