Waste Management Q4 2024 Earnings Report
Key Takeaways
Waste Management announced strong fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 results, driven by improvements in the core business, expansion of sustainability platforms, and the acquisition of Stericycle. The company anticipates continued growth in 2025, focusing on operational performance, strategic investments, and shareholder value.
Delivered over 11% growth in adjusted operating EBITDA for the year.
Advanced cost optimization efforts across operations and executed disciplined pricing programs.
Expanded solid waste business through tuck-in acquisitions and acquired Stericycle.
Expects to deliver a second consecutive year of double-digit growth in adjusted operating EBITDA in 2025.
Waste Management
Waste Management
Forward Guidance
WM's 2025 outlook includes a significant step change in revenue and earnings driven by continued growth in the solid waste business, the addition of WM Healthcare Solutions, and increased contributions from sustainability growth investments.
Positive Outlook
- Continued growth in the solid waste business
- Addition of WM Healthcare Solutions
- Increased contributions from sustainability growth investments
- Investment in solid waste acquisitions
- Board of Directors has indicated its intention to increase the annual dividend by $0.30 per share to $3.30 in 2025
Challenges Ahead
- Temporarily suspended share repurchases reflecting the Company’s commitment to return to targeted leverage levels.
- Leverage to be approximately 3.1 times by the end of 2025.
- Failure to implement optimization, automation, growth, and cost savings initiatives and overall business strategy
- Macroeconomic conditions, geopolitical conflict and large-scale market disruption resulting in labor, supply chain and transportation constraints, inflationary cost pressures and fluctuations in commodity prices, fuel and other energy costs
- Existing or new environmental and other regulations