If you’re Googling holiday trash pickup times this week, you’re not alone, and the companies behind those green and blue trucks have had a solid year on Wall Street.
• Waste Management stock is trading in a tight range. Where is WM stock headed?
Waste Management Inc (NYSE:WM) closed at $220.34 on Tuesday, up roughly 9% year-to-date, while rival Republic Services Inc (NYSE:RSG) closed at $213.06, a gain of about 5.91% year-to-date.
Both stocks sit below summer highs in the mid-$250s but remain well above their 52-week lows, reflecting steady demand in the decidedly unglamorous business of hauling garbage.
Fundamentals have generally supported the move. WM’s third-quarter revenue climbed to about $6.4 billion from $5.6 billion a year earlier, helped by disciplined growth, cost optimization and expanding sustainability projects such as new renewable natural gas facilities and recycling investments.
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Republic Services posted third-quarter revenue of $4.2 billion, up 3.3% year over year, with adjusted earnings per share of $1.90 and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 32.8%, an 80-basis-point improvement despite softer volumes.
Management now expects full-year 2025 revenue near the low end of its guidance range but reaffirmed all other targets, underscoring confidence in margins and cash generation.
Wall Street remains broadly constructive on both names. Recent analyst ratings lean Buy, with price targets mostly clustered in the mid-$230s to mid-$260s, suggesting modest upside from current levels even after a choppy second half.
So, after you confirm whether your bins go out a day late this week, the market’s verdict is clear: America’s trash problem continues to be a quietly profitable business for the companies picking it up.
RSG Benzinga Edge Rankings
According to Benzinga Edge stock rankings, which score momentum, value, growth and quality, Republic Services earns a standout Quality score of 90.09, signaling strong fundamentals despite softer momentum and value readings.
WM Benzinga Edge Rankings
Benzinga Edge stock rankings show Waste Management with a middling Quality score of 51.82 and subdued Momentum and Value scores (28.02 and 21.43), but a positive short- and medium-term price trend.
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