WM Earnings Miss Estimates in Q4, Revenues Appreciate 13% Y/Y

WM WM reported mixed fourth-quarter 2024 results, with earnings missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate but revenues surpassing the same.See Zacks Earnings Calendar to stay ahead of market-making news.WM’s quarterly adjusted earnings of $1.7 per share missed the consensus mark by 5% and declined 2.3% year over year. Total revenues of $5.9 billion surpassed the consensus mark by a slight margin and grew 13% from the year-ago quarter.The stock has gained 14.3% in a year, underperforming 16.4% growth of its industry and the 27.8% rise of the Zacks S&P 500 Composite.One-Year Price Performance Image Source: Zacks Investment Research WM’s Quarterly Numbers in DetailThe Collection segment recorded revenues of $4.3 billion, increasing 3.7% from the year-ago quarter, and missed our estimate of $4.6 billion. The Landfill segment’s top line gained 6% year over year to $1.2 billion and missed our projection of $1.4 billion. Total revenues in the Transfer segment increased 9.6% to $629 million and missed our estimate of $654.9 million. The Recycling Processing and Sales segment’s revenues rose 12.8% to $476 million and missed our projection of $501.9 million. The figures are before the alignment of intercompany adjustment.The adjusted operating EBITDA was $1.6 billion, which missed our estimate of $1.7 billion and rose 19.8% from the year-ago quarter. The adjusted operating EBITDA margin increased 160 basis points to 26.7% from the year-ago quarter and missed our projection of 29.6%.Cash Flow of WMWM generated $1.5 billion in cash from operating activities in the reported quarter, while capital expenditure was $1.1 billion. The free cash flow was $455 million. In the fourth quarter of 2024, $301 million in cash dividends was distributed to shareholders.WM’s 2024 OutlookThe company anticipates revenues of $25.55-$25.80 billion for 2024. The guided range is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues of $22.05 billion. Adjusted operating EBITDA is expected to be $7.45-$7.65 billion.WM carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Earnings SnapshotAutomatic Data Processing, Inc. ADP reported impressive second-quarter fiscal 2025 results.ADP’s earnings per share of $2.4 beat the consensus estimate by 3.5% and increased 10.3% from the year-ago quarter. Total revenues of $5.1 billion surpassed the consensus estimate by 1.6% and grew 8.1% on a year-over-year basis.FactSet Research Systems, Inc. FDS posted impressive first-quarter fiscal 2025 results.FDS’s earnings per share (excluding 48 cents from non-recurring items) of $4.4 beat the consensus mark by 1.6% and increased 6.1% from the year-ago quarter. Revenues of $568.7 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a slight margin and gained 4.9% from the year-ago quarter.5 Stocks Set to DoubleEach was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2024. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%.Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP): Free Stock Analysis Report Waste Management, Inc. (WM): Free Stock Analysis Report FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks