Core Insights - Waste Management (WM) is positioned as a leading provider of waste collection, recycling, and landfill services in North America, offering both reliable dividend income and business quality [2] Dividend Growth - WM's board approved a 10% increase in the dividend rate for 2025, raising the quarterly payout from $0.75 to $0.825 per share, marking 22 consecutive years of annual increases [4] - The company has raised its full-year free cash flow outlook to between $2.8 billion and $2.9 billion, indicating strong cash flow to support the dividend [5] Business Performance - WM's core collection and disposal franchise experienced a 7.1% year-over-year revenue growth in Q2, contributing to a total revenue of approximately $6.4 billion, which is a 19% increase year over year [6] - The integration of the Stericycle acquisition has positively impacted growth rates, with CEO Jim Fish highlighting robust organic growth and operational efficiency [7]

Core Insights - Waste Management's stock closed at $216.91, down 1.35% from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.06% [1] - The stock has decreased by 2.02% over the past month, lagging behind the Business Services sector's gain of 0.95% and the S&P 500's gain of 3.94% [1] Earnings Performance - Waste Management is set to release its earnings on October 27, 2025, with analysts expecting earnings of $2.02 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 3.06% [2] - The consensus estimate projects revenue of $6.49 billion, indicating a 15.79% increase from the same quarter last year [2] Annual Forecast - For the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $7.58 per share and revenue of $25.37 billion, representing changes of +4.84% and +14.99% respectively compared to the previous year [3] - Recent changes to analyst estimates suggest a positive outlook for the business [3] Stock Performance and Valuation - The Zacks Rank system, which incorporates estimate changes, currently ranks Waste Management at 3 (Hold) [5] - The Forward P/E ratio for Waste Management is 29.02, which is a discount compared to the industry average Forward P/E of 30.6 [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 2.69, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 2.53 [7] Industry Context - The Waste Removal Services industry is part of the Business Services sector and has a Zacks Industry Rank of 159, placing it in the bottom 36% of over 250 industries [7] - The top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [8]

Looking for a stock that has been consistently beating earnings estimates and might be well positioned to keep the streak alive in its next quarterly report? Waste Management (WM) , which belongs to the Zacks Waste Removal Services industry, could be a great candidate to consider.This garbage and recycling hauler has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 1.40%.For the last ...

Core Points - Wallbridge Mining Company Limited has sold the Detour East property to Agnico Eagle Mines Limited for $8 million in cash and a 2% NSR royalty, with a $4 million buyback option for Agnico Eagle [1][2] - The transaction enhances Wallbridge's financial position and allows the company to focus on the exploration and development of its Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend Property in Quebec [2] Financial Impact - The sale provides immediate liquidity of $8 million to Wallbridge, which will be utilized to advance its core assets, specifically the Fenelon and Martiniere projects [2] Strategic Focus - Wallbridge aims to prioritize its two core assets, Fenelon and Martiniere, while maintaining exposure to the potential of the Detour East property through the 2% NSR royalty [2][4] - The company holds a contiguous mineral property position of 598 km along the Detour-Fenelon gold trend, which includes the flagship PEA stage Fenelon Gold Project and the earlier exploration stage Martiniere Gold Project [4]

Core Insights - WM reported strong second-quarter 2025 results, with adjusted earnings of $1.92 per share, exceeding the consensus estimate by 1.6%, and total revenues of $6.4 billion, surpassing expectations by 1.4% and increasing 19% year-over-year [1] Financial Performance - The company's effective pricing and cost control strategies are crucial for profitability, focusing on aligning price adjustments with service quality and demand while optimizing operational processes [2] - WM has consistently paid dividends since 1998, with payouts increasing from $970 million in 2021 to $1.21 billion in 2024, indicating a commitment to long-term shareholder value [3] Strategic Moves - The acquisition of Stericycle is expected to enhance WM's earnings and cash flows within a year, with anticipated annual run-rate synergies exceeding $125 million, positioning WM favorably in the medical waste industry [4] Financial Challenges - The Stericycle acquisition has increased WM's debt load, raising concerns about financial flexibility and potential impacts on shareholder returns if cash flow does not meet expectations [5] - WM's liquidity appears weak, with a current ratio of 0.86 in Q2 2025, down from 1.07 in the previous year, indicating challenges in covering short-term obligations [6]

Group 1: Acquisition Details - INVL Private Equity Fund II, the largest private equity fund in the Baltics, signed an agreement to acquire a 75% stake in Eesti Keskkonnateenused (EKT), Estonia's largest waste management group, with the transaction expected to be completed by the end of 2025, subject to regulatory approval [1][2] - Current EKT shareholders (management) will retain a 25% stake in the company [1] Group 2: EKT Operations - EKT provides a wide range of waste management and municipal services, including collection and processing of household waste, secondary raw materials, construction waste, hazardous waste, bio-waste, and street cleaning, with consolidated revenue of EUR 77 million in 2024 and approximately 800 employees [2] Group 3: Growth Strategy and Future Plans - EKT is working on a major hazardous waste incineration project to boost its capacity from 2,000 to 15,000 tonnes a year, and aims to expand sorting and recycling capabilities to enhance contributions to Estonia's circular economy goals [3] - The acquisition is expected to open more opportunities for EKT to successfully implement its growth strategy [3] Group 4: Fund's Investment Strategy - INVL Private Equity Fund II aims to invest EUR 10-60 million in companies across various sectors that have the potential to become regional leaders, focusing on acquiring majority or significant minority stakes [6][7] - The fund seeks attractive opportunities in the Baltics, Poland, Romania, and the broader EU, with a strategy centered on long-term value creation through active investment management [6][7] Group 5: Management and Background - The fund is managed by INVL Asset Management, a leading Baltic alternative asset manager with over 30 years of experience, managing or supervising EUR 2 billion in assets across various investment strategies [8]

Core Viewpoint - Wallbridge Mining Company Limited announced positive results from the first six drill holes of the second phase at its Martiniere gold project, confirming the geological continuity of the Dragonfly fault system and indicating the potential for a more extensive mineralized gold system than previously estimated [1][2]. Drilling Results - The first six holes of Phase 2 drilling have shown multiple high-grade gold intercepts, with notable results including: - MR-25-128: 5.99 g/t Au over 4.7 m, including 42.70 g/t Au over 0.5 m - MR-25-129B: 6.13 g/t Au over 3.4 m and 13.24 g/t Au over 2.0 m - MR-25-130A: 4.30 g/t Au over 3.6 m, including 11.30 g/t Au over 0.5 m - MR-25-131: 6.79 g/t Au over 1.0 m, including 14.58 g/t Au over 3.3 m, with a peak of 45.40 g/t Au over 0.9 m [2][4][5]. Drilling Program Overview - The second phase of the 2025 Martiniere diamond drilling program commenced in mid-July, with a total of 22 holes and 2 hole extensions completed, totaling 10,840 meters. The program has been expanded beyond the initial 10,000–15,000 meter plan due to positive results [3][7]. Geological Insights - The drilling has focused on the Dragonfly and Horsefly areas, with results suggesting significant potential to expand the mineralized footprint. The mineralization is associated with mafic volcanics and younger felsic porphyry dykes, occurring along shear and breccia zones [1][8]. Future Plans - The company plans to continue drilling into mid-October, with an expectation to complete approximately 18,000 meters of drilling at Martiniere during 2025. Assay results for an additional 10 holes totaling 4,850 meters are pending [7][12].

Core Insights - Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) is experiencing a steady decline in stock price despite no significant news, raising questions about whether it is a buying opportunity or time to sell [1] - The company's performance is heavily influenced by housing construction, which is perceived to be on hold, but there is a belief that the stock is currently undervalued and represents a buying opportunity [1] Company Overview - Waste Management, Inc. provides a range of environmental services including waste collection, recycling, landfill gas-to-energy production, and renewable natural gas [2] - Additional services offered by the company include composting, remediation, industrial waste handling, regulated waste disposal, and secure information destruction solutions [2] Investment Perspective - While Waste Management is acknowledged as a potential investment, there are opinions that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential with less downside risk [3]

Core Viewpoint - WM (NYSE: WM) is set to release its third quarter financial results on October 27, 2025, after market close, followed by an investor conference call on October 28, 2025, at 10 a.m. ET [1] Financial Results Announcement - The third quarter financial results will be announced after the market closes on October 27, 2025 [1] - An investor conference call will take place on October 28, 2025, at 10 a.m. ET [1] Access Information - Listeners can access a live audio webcast of the conference call by visiting investors.wm.com and selecting "Events & Presentations" from the website menu [1] - A replay of the audio webcast will be available at the same location after the conclusion of the call [1]

Microsoft - Microsoft has a significant backlog of remaining performance obligations in its cloud business, driven by growing demand from AI developers for computational power, while its enterprise software business continues to provide stable cash flow and support for new data center investments [1][2] - The Azure cloud computing segment has reached a valuation of $75 billion, growing 39% year over year in fiscal 2025's fourth quarter, with management indicating that growth will continue despite supply constraints [2] - Microsoft is planning to spend a record $30 billion in capital expenditures this quarter [1] Gates Foundation - The Gates Foundation remains the largest holder of Microsoft shares, with 26,191,207 shares valued at approximately $13.4 billion as of the end of June [4] - Bill Gates has donated $5 billion in 2022 and previously pledged $15 billion in 2021 to fund the foundation's efforts, which has a portfolio worth about $48 billion, with over two-thirds invested in three major stocks [4][5] - The investment strategy of the Gates Foundation is heavily influenced by Warren Buffett, who has been a longtime friend of Gates [7] Berkshire Hathaway - Berkshire Hathaway constitutes 25% of the Gates Foundation's trust fund, with a current holding of 24,123,684 shares valued at $11.8 billion [9][10] - The stock has seen a decline in value since May due to Buffett's announcement of retirement, leading to reduced investor confidence [11] - Despite this, Berkshire's operating results have been strong, with operating earnings exceeding expectations [12] Waste Management - Waste Management represents 15% of the Gates Foundation's trust, with 32,234,344 shares valued at about $7 billion [14] - The company has a strong competitive position due to regulatory hurdles that limit new landfill openings, making its existing assets highly valuable [16] - Waste Management reported an EBITDA margin of 29.9% last quarter, with overall EBITDA growth of 19%, reflecting strong organic growth despite challenges from a newly acquired business segment [17][18]