Waste Management's US financial report shows declining net profit, institutional ratings diverge, and stock price rises

2026-02-21 20:47:20

China Economic Observer Network As of February 12, 2026, Waste Management (WM) in the United States has not disclosed any events outside of its scheduled releases recently. Based on publicly available information, the following developments are noteworthy:

Operational Performance

The company’s latest financial report is the Q3 2025 earnings release published on October 28, 2025 (cumulative). During the reporting period, revenue was $18.891 billion, up 16.83% year-over-year, but net profit was $1.967 billion, down 8.38% year-over-year. Investors should pay attention to the release schedule of its subsequent Q4 2025 and full-year financial reports (usually disclosed in January-February of the following year), focusing on profit recovery and the 2026 earnings guidance.

Institutional Opinions

November 24, 2025: Goldman Sachs initiated coverage of WM with a “Buy” rating and a target price of $256.

December 1, 2025: J.P. Morgan maintained an “Overweight” rating with a target price of $265.

January 21, 2026: Scotiabank downgraded the rating to “Market Perform” with a target price of $250.

Diverging institutional opinions may influence short-term market sentiment; it is important to monitor whether other institutions adjust their expectations subsequently.

Industry Policies and Environment

In January 2026, the State Council of China issued the “Solid Waste Comprehensive Management Action Plan,” proposing goals such as an annual comprehensive utilization of bulk solid waste reaching 4.5 billion tons by 2030. Although the policy directly targets the Chinese market, it may indirectly boost long-term global demand for solid waste management, and WM, as a leading player in North America, could benefit from increased industry attention.

Recent Stock Performance

WM’s stock closed at $229 on January 22, 2026, representing a 4.23% increase for the month and a 4.23% rise since the beginning of the year. On January 21, the trading volume reached $857 million, up 103.88% from the previous day, indicating a phase of increased capital activity.

Future Outlook

In the short term, focus on WM’s next earnings report for profit recovery and institutional rating changes; in the medium to long term, observe how global solid waste management policies drive industry demand.

The above content is compiled from publicly available information and does not constitute investment advice.

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.