Is Waste Management Stock Outperforming the Dow?

With a market cap of $97.4 billion, Waste Management, Inc. (WM) is a provider of environmental solutions to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers. The Houston, Texas-based company offers collection services and owns and operates transfer stations as well as landfill gas-to-energy facilities that produce renewable electricity.

Companies valued at $10 billion or more are generally described as “large-cap stocks”, and Waste Management fits this criterion perfectly. The company operates the largest disposal network in North America and leads in the beneficial use of landfill gas, with a growing portfolio of renewable natural gas facilities and the most landfill gas-to-electricity plants in North America. It also boasts the largest heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet in the industry across North America.

Waste Management currently trades nearly 1% below its all-time high of $242.58 recorded on Jun. 3. WM's stock has gained 2.7% over the past three months, surpassing the broader Dow Jones Industrials Average's ($DOWI) 1.6% dip.

Longer term, Waste Management stock has surged nearly 19% on a YTD basis, whereas DOWI has decreased marginally. Additionally, shares of WM soared 19.3% over the past 52 weeks, notably outperforming the Dow Jones’ 10.2% rise over the same time frame.

Despite some fluctuations, Waste Management stock has been trading above its 50-day moving average since mid-May and above its 200-day moving average since mid-January.

Shares of Waste Management fell marginally in the trading session after the release of its mixed Q1 2025 results on Apr. 28. The company reported revenue of $6 billion, up 16.7% year-over-year, driven by core business growth, sustainability investments, and value creation from the Stericycle acquisition. However, the figure fell short of Wall Street expectations. Meanwhile, adjusted EPS came in at $1.67, down 4.6% from the prior-year quarter but slightly exceeded the Street estimate of $1.65.

Compared to its rival, Clean Harbors, Inc. (CLH) has lagged behind the WM stock. CLH stock has fallen 1.6% on a YTD basis and climbed 5.1% over the past 52 weeks.

Among the 22 analysts covering the WM stock, the consensus rating is a “Moderate Buy.” Its mean price target of $254 suggests a modest 5.7% upside potential from current price levels.