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WMWaste Management, Inc.Sell5.4·$206.83
SellHigh Confidence
Investment thesis

Waste Management is a high-quality business with a 30% return on equity and top-tier peer ranking on quality, but the stock has only 6.2% upside to analyst targets, two recent earnings misses, and sits below its 200-day moving average, leaving insufficient margin of safety at current prices.

Thesis pillars

  • Exceptional Return On Equity→Stable
  • Thin Upside To Analyst Target→Stable
  • Recent Earnings Miss Pattern↑Improving
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

Waste Management, Inc. (WM) Stock Analysis

SellVALUE-TRAP 1/5High Confidence

Industrials · Waste Management

Sell if holding. Momentum 3.4/10 is below the 5.0 floor at $206.83 — engine's falling-knife protection flags exit rather than catching a breakdown. Specifics: Leverage penalty (D/E 2.4): -1.5; Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7.

Waste Management, Inc. is a holding company and all operations are conducted by its subsidiaries. When the terms "the Company," "we," "us" or "our" are used in this document, those terms refer to Waste Management, Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries and... Read more

$206.83+13.1% A.UpsideScore 5.4/10#3 of 9 Waste Management
QualityF-score7 / 9FCF yield2.83%
IncomeYield1.82%(5y avg 1.49%)Payout50.07%sustainable
Stop $200.39Target $233.93(analyst − 10%)A.R:R 2.6:1
Analyst target$259.92+25.7%25 analysts
$233.93our TP
$206.83price
$259.92mean
$277

Sell if holding. Momentum 3.4/10 is below the 5.0 floor at $206.83 — engine's falling-knife protection flags exit rather than catching a breakdown. Specifics: Leverage penalty (D/E 2.4): -1.5; Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7. Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Score 5.4/10, high confidence.

Passes 6/8 gates (favorable risk/reward ratio, clean insider activity, news events none recent, earnings proximity 32d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on weak momentum. Suitability: moderate.

news + 30-day 8-K events · 5-min refresh

Recent developments

updated 2026-09-26
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Tue, Oct 27, 202632d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
Positive news sentiment (+0.67)
Risks
Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7
Leverage penalty (D/E 2.4): -1.5
Consecutive earnings misses (2)

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)29.4
P/E (Fwd)22.8
Mkt Cap$83.1B
EV/EBITDA13.6
Profit Mgn11.1%
ROE29.8%
Rev Growth4.0%
Beta0.43
Dividend1.82%
Rating analysts39

Quality Signals

Piotroski F7/9MoatNarrow

Options Flow

P/C0.91neutral
IV33%normal

Material Events(8-K, last 90d)

  • 2026-08-26Item 5.02MEDIUM
    On August 24, 2026, James C. Fish, Jr. notified the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Waste Management, Inc.
    SEC filing →

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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About TrendMatrix. TrendMatrix is a publisher of general securities research and market commentary. We publish on a regular schedule. All content is the same for every subscriber in a tier — we do not provide personalized investment advice and we do not take into account any individual subscriber's financial situation, investment objectives, risk tolerance, tax situation, or holdings.

Not investment advice. TrendMatrix is not a registered investment adviser. Our content is for informational and educational purposes only. Consult your own licensed investment adviser, broker, or tax professional before making any investment decision.

Conflicts and positions. The TrendMatrix editorial team frequently holds personal long-term positions in securities discussed. We disclose positions held at the time of publication on each piece. We maintain a trading-window policy: we do not initiate or close positions in the same direction as a TrendMatrix publication within 24 hours before or 72 hours after publication.

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Performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Performance figures reflect the published model only and do not reflect any individual subscriber's actual results.

Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

3 floor-breakers

Price action weak — below key moving averages, no momentum carry. Needs a base before trend-continuation setups apply.static

Macd
0.0
Volume
1.8
Ma Position
2.2
Rsi
3.0
Obv
10.0
Capitulation risk (RSI 25, below 200MA)Volume accumulation (rising OBV)Below 200-MA but MA still rising (+0.8%/30d) — pullback in uptrend, not confirmed weakness

Growth below the gate floor. Component breakdown shows what dragged the score down.static

Revenue Growth
3.5
Earnings Growth
3.7

Ranks in the bottom of its industry peers on the composite signal. Better names in the same sector exist.static

Growth Rank
2.5
Value Rank
5.0
Quality Rank
8.1
Superior ROE vs peers
GatesMomentum 3.4<4.5Executive change: officer departure/appointmentA.R:R 2.6 ≥ 1.5Insider activity: OKNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 32d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARSuitability: Moderate
RSI
25 · Oversold
↓ 20D MA↓ 50D MA↓ 200D MADEATH CROSSSupport $206.21Resistance $221.24

Price Targets

$200
$234
A.Upside+13.1%
A.R:R2.6:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeRisk-Off

Risk Alerts

! momentum at 3.4 (below the engine's 4.5 threshold)

Earnings

B
B
M
M
2/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-10-27 (32d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WM stock a buy right now?

Sell if holding. Momentum 3.4/10 is below the 5.0 floor at $206.83 — engine's falling-knife protection flags exit rather than catching a breakdown. Specifics: Leverage penalty (D/E 2.4): -1.5; Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7. Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Prior stop was $200.39. Score 5.4/10, high confidence.

What is the WM stock price target?

Take-profit target: $233.93 (+13.1% upside). Prior stop was $200.39. Stop-loss: $200.39.

What are the risks of investing in WM?

Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7; Leverage penalty (D/E 2.4): -1.5; Consecutive earnings misses (2).

Is WM overvalued or undervalued?

Waste Management, Inc. trades at a P/E of 29.4 (forward 22.8). TrendMatrix value score: 5.4/10. Verdict: Sell.

What do analysts say about WM?

39 analysts cover WM with a consensus score of 4.0/5. Average price target: $260.

What does Waste Management, Inc. do?Waste Management, Inc. is a holding company and all operations are conducted by its subsidiaries. When the terms "the...

Waste Management, Inc. is a holding company and all operations are conducted by its subsidiaries. When the terms "the Company," "we," "us" or "our" are used in this document, those terms refer to Waste Management, Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries and consolidated variable interest entities. When we use the term "WMI," we are referring only to Waste Management, Inc., the parent holding company.

Related stocks: CLH (Clean Harbors, Inc.) · RSG (Republic Services, Inc.) · WCN (Waste Connections, Inc.) · GFL (GFL Environmental Inc. Subordin)
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