Waste Management(US:WM)2025-10-27 20:40Revenue Performance - Total revenue for Q3 2025 was $6,443 million, representing a 14.9% increase from $5,609 million in Q3 2024[2] - Operating revenues for Q3 2025 reached $6,443 million, a 14.8% increase from $5,609 million in Q3 2024[26] - Total operating revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2025, were $7,908 million, a decrease of 1,465 million compared to $6,443 million in 2024[32] - Gross operating revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2025, totaled $7,170 million, compared to $6,840 million in the same period of 2024, marking an increase of 4.8%[50] - Reported gross operating revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2025, were $7,170 million, compared to $6,840 million for the same period in 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 4.8%[53] EBITDA and Profitability - Adjusted operating EBITDA for the WM Legacy Business grew 8.7%, with a margin of 28.0% in Q3 2025 compared to 29.9% in Q3 2024[4] - The Collection and Disposal business achieved an operating EBITDA margin of 37.5%, driven by technology improvements and disciplined pricing[4] - The company is affirming its adjusted operating EBITDA guidance of between $7.475 and $7.625 billion for 2025[11] - Adjusted operating EBITDA for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $1,970 million, with an adjusted operating EBITDA margin of 30.6%[48] - Recycling commodity rebates contributed $177 million to adjusted operating EBITDA for the three months ended September 30, 2025, with a margin change of 0.8%[59] Cash Flow and Liquidity - Free cash flow for the first nine months of 2025 was $2.11 billion, a 13.5% year-over-year increase[12] - Free cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $4,345 million, up from $3,879 million in 2024, indicating improved liquidity[30] - Free cash flow for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $821 million, up from $618 million in 2024[42] - The company projected free cash flow for 2025 to be between $2,800 million and $2,900 million, with capital expenditures supporting the business estimated at $2,575 million to $2,625 million[53][54] - The company reported a net cash provided by operating activities of $5,860 million for the projected free cash flow scenario[53] Income and Earnings - Consolidated net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $1,967 million, compared to $2,147 million for the same period in 2024, reflecting a decrease of 8.4%[30] - Basic earnings per common share for Q3 2025 were $1.50, compared to $1.89 in Q3 2024, reflecting a decrease of 20.6%[26] - The company reported a net income of $603 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $760 million in the same period of 2024, a decrease of 20.7%[48] Expenses and Cost Management - Operating expenses as a percentage of revenue for the WM Legacy Business improved by 160 basis points, reflecting cost discipline[6] - Adjusted SG&A expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2025, were $643 million, which is 10.0% of net revenues, compared to $499 million or 8.9% in 2024[53] - Adjusted operating expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2025, were $3,830 million, which is 59.4% of net revenues, compared to $3,399 million or 60.6% in 2024[53] - The adjusted operating expenses margin for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was 59.0%, down from 60.6% in 2024[53] Assets and Liabilities - Total assets as of September 30, 2025, amounted to $45,608 million, an increase from $44,567 million at the end of 2024[28] - The company reported a total current liability of $5,737 million as of September 30, 2025, down from $6,258 million at the end of 2024[28] - The company’s long-term debt, less current portion, was $22,482 million as of September 30, 2025, slightly down from $22,541 million at the end of 2024[28] - Cash and cash equivalents decreased to $175 million as of September 30, 2025, from $414 million at the end of 2024[28] Market Conditions and Future Outlook - The company expects total revenue for 2025 to be approximately $25.275 billion, at the low end of prior guidance due to declining recycled commodity prices[11] - The average price received for single stream recycled commodities was about $68 per ton, down from about $101 per ton in the prior year[16] - The leverage ratio is expected to improve, targeting a range of 2.5 to 3.0 times by mid-2026[12] - The company anticipates continued growth and optimization of its business, including the integration of the Stericycle acquisition, which is expected to yield synergies[19] Operational Highlights - The company completed four growth projects in Q3 2025, including new renewable natural gas facilities and recycling projects[12] - The landfill depletable tons increased to 33.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025, from 32.9 million in 2024[42] - The total collection and disposal revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $19,124 million, a decrease of $3,600 million from $15,524 million in 2024[32] - The company achieved a 3.8% internal revenue growth in collection and disposal for the three months ended September 30, 2025[36] - The recycling processing and sales segment experienced a revenue decline of 14.0% for the three months ended September 30, 2025[36]