Bruna Alves
Research lead covering environment and sustainability
Waste Management Inc. - statistics & facts
It is a good phase for Waste Management, Inc. In the early months of 2025, the largest waste services company in the U.S. saw its market capitalization soar, to a record-high of 91 billion U.S. dollars. Following the multi-billion-dollar acquisitions of Advanced Disposal in 2020, and more recently, Stericycle in November 2024, the rebranded WM has seen its revenue and profits continuously grow in recent years. The waste services giant has no plans to stop this trend.
WM’s revenue growth was distributed across all segments, with its waste collection services generating the largest share of revenue; in 2024, it accounted for nearly 68 percent. Landfill operations, which accounted for the second-largest share that year, generated revenue of some 3.4 billion U.S. dollars. The company operates around 260 landfill sites, with a processing capacity of 460 metric tons per day. Meanwhile, the recycling services and renewable energy segments combined for less than 10 percent of WM’s revenue in 2024.
Despite the strong competition, WM has many reasons to be optimistic about the future. Between its market capitalization, which has seen a steep rise in the past three years, a set of new acquisitions planned, and its strong annual results, WM is set to continue growing in 2025.
Waste Management, Inc. financials
Waste Management, Inc, headquartered in Houston, Texas, provides some 20 million municipal, commercial, industrial, and residential customers with environmental services such as waste collection, landfill disposal, and recycling. In 2024, WM's operating revenue increased by roughly eight percent year-on-year, to 22 billion U.S. dollars. Despite experiencing growth in operating expenses, WM’s net income surpassed 2.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, an increase of nearly 20 percent in comparison to the previous year.WM’s revenue growth was distributed across all segments, with its waste collection services generating the largest share of revenue; in 2024, it accounted for nearly 68 percent. Landfill operations, which accounted for the second-largest share that year, generated revenue of some 3.4 billion U.S. dollars. The company operates around 260 landfill sites, with a processing capacity of 460 metric tons per day. Meanwhile, the recycling services and renewable energy segments combined for less than 10 percent of WM’s revenue in 2024.
WM’s competition landscape
WM has established itself as one of the largest waste management companies in the world. In terms of revenue, it is second only to French-based Veolia, which recorded revenue of some 46 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. In North America, it remains the largest company in the waste segment. One of its biggest competitors in the region is Arizona-based Republic Services, whose revenue reached 16 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. The two companies combined account for nearly half of the landfill volume managed in the U.S.Despite the strong competition, WM has many reasons to be optimistic about the future. Between its market capitalization, which has seen a steep rise in the past three years, a set of new acquisitions planned, and its strong annual results, WM is set to continue growing in 2025.
Bruna Alves
,
Mar 26, 2025
Bruna Alves
Research lead covering environment and sustainability
