(Bloomberg) -- The head of embattled Brazilian firm Ambipar Participacoes e Empreendimentos, along with a co-investor, appeared to lose their collateral in a debt issuance over the weekend when creditors’ representatives moved to seize their shares in a hydroelectric power company. Tércio Borlenghi Junior and his business associate Nelson Tanure had pledged shares of Empresa Metropolitana de Águas e Energia SA, or Emae, as collateral in a local bond issuance. A fund called Phoenix FIP, linked to Tanure, a ...

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Monroe Capital LLC ("Monroe†) announced it has successfully exited its strategic investment in Red Dog Equity's portfolio company Superior Waste Industries, LLC ("Superior Waste†), which was sold to GFL Environmental Inc. ("GFL†). Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Shawnee, OK, Superior Waste experienced rapid growth through a series of strategic acquisitions, including Central Disposal, Harley Hollan, Sue's Recycling and Sanitation, and SDS Roll-off Dumpsters betwee. ...

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]

Core Insights - Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN) reported strong second-quarter 2025 results, with earnings and revenues exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates [1][2] - Despite the earnings beat, the stock price has not experienced significant movement since the results were released on July 23 [1] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share were $1.29, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.2% and reflecting a 4% year-over-year increase [2][9] - Revenues reached $2.4 billion, slightly beating consensus estimates and growing 7.1% from the previous year [2][9] - Year-to-date, WCN shares have increased by 8.4%, compared to the industry's 10.7% and the Zacks S&P 500 Composite's 8.2% growth [2] Segment Performance - The Solid Waste Collection segment generated revenues of $1.6 billion, which was below the estimated $1.7 billion [3] - The Solid Waste Disposal and Transfer segment saw a significant revenue increase of 71.1% year-over-year to $756 million, also missing projections [3] - The E&P Waste Treatment, Recovery and Disposal segment's revenues rose 4.9% to $123.6 million, falling short of the estimate [4] - The Solid Waste Recycling segment's revenues grew 3.5% to $63.3 million, missing the forecast [4] - The Intermodal and Other segment's revenues increased slightly to $49.1 million, also below expectations [4] Operating Results - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $731.8 million, a decrease of 6.9% from the previous year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 32.6% [5] - Operating income was reported at $424.7 million, down from $459.5 million year-over-year [5] Balance Sheet & Cash Flow - At the end of Q2 2025, cash and cash equivalents stood at $62.4 million, down from $111.2 million in the previous quarter [6] - Long-term debt decreased to $8.1 billion from $8.4 billion [6] - Cash generated from operating activities was $611.4 million, with adjusted free cash flow at $402.6 million [7] - Capital expenditures totaled $217.2 million, and dividends paid amounted to $73.7 million [7] FY25 Outlook - For the full year 2025, Waste Connections expects revenues of $9.45 billion, which is below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.51 billion [8][9] - Adjusted EBITDA is anticipated to be $3.12 billion, representing nearly 33% of total revenues [8]

Market Overview - Wall Street has experienced a rally, with major indexes reaching new all-time closing highs, driven by optimism surrounding trade deals and a robust earnings season [1] - Despite the rally, concerns about the economy persist, particularly regarding elevated inflation and the Federal Reserve's stance on interest rates [2][5] - The Federal Reserve is expected to maintain interest rates in the range of 4.25-4.5% during its July policy meeting, influenced by strong retail sales data [4][5] Dividend-Paying Stocks - Cautious investors may consider dividend-paying stocks as a means to generate steady income and protect capital amid market volatility [3] - Teck Resources Limited (TECK) announced a dividend of $0.09 per share, with a dividend yield of 1.10% and a payout ratio of 25% [8] - Republic Services, Inc. (RSG) declared a dividend of $0.63 per share, yielding 0.95% with a payout ratio of 35% [10] - Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) announced a dividend of $0.15 per share, yielding 2.18% and a payout ratio of 57% [12] - Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (FIX) declared a dividend of $0.50 per share, with a yield of 0.26% and a payout ratio of 9% [14]

Company Performance & Outlook - Waste Management CEO Jim Fish discusses the company's revenue mix [1] - The discussion includes the company's growth outlook [1] Industry Trends - The discussion covers consumer demand in the waste management sector [1] - The discussion includes managing medical waste [1] - The discussion includes labor trends in the industry [1]

Economic Outlook - Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, expressed concerns about U.S. stagflation, highlighting the challenges of high inflation coupled with economic recession, which limits policymakers' options to improve the economy [2] - Dimon indicated that U.S. stocks are overvalued and may face a potential decline of 10%, attributing this to high forward price-to-earnings ratios and overly optimistic earnings estimates amid deteriorating economic conditions [3] Investment Opportunities - Autozone has outperformed the S&P 500 with over 250% return in the last five years, despite only a 2% increase in net sales for the first half of fiscal 2025, due to its strong return on invested capital (ROIC) averaging over 50% [7][9][11] - Casella Waste Systems has seen nearly 2,000% growth in shares over the past decade, benefiting from low competition and the necessity of its services regardless of economic conditions, with a recent acquisition adding approximately $90 million in annualized revenue [12][15][16] - Copart, while generating 18% of its fiscal 2024 revenue internationally, remains primarily U.S.-focused and boasts a remarkable net profit margin of 32% for the first half of fiscal 2025, with revenue growth driven by the adoption of additional services [17][18][19] Valuation Insights - All three highlighted stocks—Autozone, Casella Waste Systems, and Copart—are trading at the higher end of their historical valuations, yet are considered reliable investments in uncertain times [20] - Casella Waste Systems is noted as potentially the best bargain among the three, trading at roughly 4 times sales and only about 10% above its five-year average [21]

Core Viewpoint - The article provides an update on Casella Waste Systems (NASDAQ: CWST) following a previous recommendation to buy, emphasizing a positive outlook on EBITDA growth [1] Group 1: Investment Philosophy - The company adopts a fundamentals-based approach to value investing, focusing on long-term durability and affordability rather than merely low multiples [1] - There is a belief that successful investments carry risks, particularly the risk of overpaying, highlighting the importance of valuation [1] - The company is attracted to firms with steady long-term growth, no cyclicality, and strong balance sheets [1] Group 2: Market Perspective - The article suggests that in certain situations, the potential for growth can outweigh immediate price concerns, indicating a broader view on market dynamics [1]

Core Viewpoint - Waste Management, Inc. reported mixed first-quarter 2025 results, with earnings exceeding estimates but revenues falling short [1] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share were $1.67, surpassing the consensus estimate by 1.2% but declining 4.6% year over year [1] - Total revenues reached $6 billion, missing the consensus mark by 1.3% but growing 16.7% from the previous year [1] Segment Performance - Collection segment revenues were $4.3 billion, up 4.7% year over year but below the estimate of $4.7 billion [3] - Landfill segment revenues increased 3.6% to $1.2 billion, missing the projection of $1.4 billion [3] - Transfer segment revenues rose 5.7% to $592 million, falling short of the estimate of $681.4 million [3] - Recycling Processing and Sales segment revenues grew 6.7% to $465 million, missing the estimate of $526.3 million [3] - Renewable Energy segment revenues were $92 million, up 31.4% year over year and exceeding the estimate of $89 million [4] - Healthcare Solutions Corporate and Other segment recorded revenues of $627 million, significantly surpassing the estimate of $121 million [4] Operating Metrics - Adjusted operating EBITDA was $1.7 billion, missing the estimate of $1.8 billion but increasing 12.2% from the year-ago quarter [5] - Adjusted operating EBITDA margin decreased by 110 basis points to 28.5%, below the estimate of 30.1% [5] Cash Flow and Dividends - Cash generated from operating activities was $1.2 billion, with capital expenditures of $831 million [6] - Free cash flow amounted to $475 million, and $336 million in cash dividends were distributed to shareholders [6] Stock Performance - The stock has gained 7.4% over the past six months, outperforming the industry growth of 3.6% and the S&P 500 decline of 4.1% [2]

Core Insights - Republic Services reported $4.01 billion in revenue for Q1 2025, a year-over-year increase of 3.8% and an EPS of $1.58 compared to $1.45 a year ago, with a revenue surprise of -0.99% and an EPS surprise of +3.95% [1] Revenue Performance - Environmental solutions revenue was $466 million, slightly above the estimate of $465.80 million, reflecting a +6.1% year-over-year change [4] - Total collection revenue was $2.74 billion, below the estimate of $2.78 billion, with a year-over-year change of +3% [4] - Small-container collection revenue was $1.24 billion, matching the estimate, with a +4.5% year-over-year change [4] - Large-container collection revenue was $739 million, below the estimate of $773.91 million, with a +0.9% year-over-year change [4] - Other collection revenue was $18 million, slightly below the estimate of $18.04 million, with a +1.7% year-over-year change [4] - Other non-core revenue was $100 million, exceeding the estimate of $95.94 million, with a +7.6% year-over-year change [4] - Environmental solutions, net revenue was $449 million, below the estimate of $461.65 million, with a +6.1% year-over-year change [4] - Transfer revenue was $424 million, below the estimate of $449.22 million, with a +1.1% year-over-year change [4] - Landfill revenue was $723 million, below the estimate of $753.45 million, with a +2.6% year-over-year change [4] - Recycling processing and commodity sales revenue was $108 million, exceeding the estimate of $97.65 million, with a +13.1% year-over-year change [4] - Residential collection revenue was $743 million, slightly below the estimate of $748.33 million, with a +2.7% year-over-year change [4] Stock Performance - Shares of Republic Services returned +1.5% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite, which changed -5.1% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating potential performance in line with the broader market in the near term [3]