Waste Management Inc
Q1 2025 Earnings
Market Reaction
S&P 500 over the same 30 days: +6.33%.
Did WM Beat Earnings? Q1 2025 Results
Waste Management posted a mixed but largely encouraging first quarter for 2025, delivering an earnings beat on the bottom line even as revenue fell modestly short of Wall Street's expectations. Adjusted diluted EPS came in at $1.67, clearing the $1.5871 consensus by 5.22%, while total revenue of $6.02 billion — up 16.6% year-over-year — missed the $6.10 billion estimate by 1.42%. The top-line shortfall was largely offset by the narrative driving the quarter: the first full contribution from WM Healthcare Solutions, the segment built around the late-2024 Stericycle acquisition, which added $619 million in revenue and helped reshape WM's scale. The legacy waste business held its own, growing 4.7% to $5.40 billion on 6.5% core pricing and a 30.0% adjusted EBITDA margin for the fourth consecutive quarter. Despite <a href="https://247wallst.com/investing/2025/10/27/waste-management-wm-stock-drops-after-earnings/">investor concerns following results</a>, management reaffirmed its full-year 2025 free cash flow outlook of $2.68 billion to $2.78 billion, citing Stericycle integration synergies of $80 million to $100 million on track for the year.
- Core price of 6.5% and Collection and Disposal yield of 4.0% driving organic revenue growth
- Adjusted operating EBITDA margin for WM Legacy Business achieved 30% for the fourth consecutive quarter
- Disciplined cost focus driven by people-first culture, technology adoption, and strategic exit from low-margin residential business
- Recycling Processing and Sales and WM Renewable Energy together contributed $18 million to operating EBITDA growth from sustainability projects
- WM Healthcare Solutions contributed $95 million of adjusted operating EBITDA in its first full quarter
- Recycled commodity prices improved to ~$88/ton from ~$84/ton year-over-year
- Natural gas prices improved to $3.93/MMBtu from $2.27/MMBtu year-over-year
“Our first quarter results reflect the strong track record of the WM team as we started the year delivering on each of our strategic priorities. We continue to deliver disciplined revenue growth and cost optimization in our core business, while advancing our sustainability growth investments and driving value from the Stericycle acquisition. This led to first quarter revenue growth of 16.7% and adjusted operating EBITDA growth of 12.2% compared to the prior year period. These solid first quarter results, as well as the strength and resiliency of our business model, give us confidence we are on pace to achieve our 2025 outlook.”
Waste Management CEO, on the earnings call
Forward Guidance & Outlook
Management expressed confidence that the strong Q1 results put the company on pace to achieve its 2025 full-year outlook. WM is on track to achieve targeted synergies of $80 to $100 million from the Stericycle integration in 2025. The company projected full-year 2025 free cash flow in a range of $2,675 million to $2,775 million, based on projected net cash from operating activities of $5,750 to $5,900 million, capital expenditures of $2,575 to $2,625 million to support the business, divestiture proceeds of $100 to $150 million, and sustainability growth investments of $600 to $650 million.
WM YoY Financials
WM Revenue by Segment
Figures from SEC filings and company reports. Not investment advice.