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WMWaste Management, Inc.

Debt to Assets Ratio: 50.09%

Is the debt to assets ratio high or low?

The debt to assets ratio of 50.09% is in line with its 5-year average of 48.80%, around the middle of its 5-year range (45.24%–53.63%).

As of Monday, June 29, 2026. 2.70% below its 12-month average of 51.48%.

Debt to Assets

WM Debt to Assets Ratio

50.09%

Reported quarterly debt to assets ratio; no daily interpolation.

+9.82% 5Y
WM Debt to Assets Ratio

WM Average Debt to Assets Ratio Chart

WM Debt to Assets Ratio

WM Current vs Average Debt to Assets Ratio Chart

WM Debt to Assets Ratio Metrics

DEBT TO ASSETS RATIO

50.09%

DEBT TO ASSETS RATIO AVG TTM

51.48%

DEBT TO ASSETS RATIO AVG 3Y

50.23%

DEBT TO ASSETS RATIO AVG 5Y

48.80%

DEBT TO ASSETS RATIO AVG 10Y

47.26%

DEBT TO ASSETS RATIO AVG 15Y

46.10%

DEBT TO ASSETS RATIO AVG 20Y

44.98%

CURRENT VS TTM AVG

-2.70%

CURRENT VS 3Y AVG

-0.28%

CURRENT VS 5Y AVG

+2.65%

CURRENT VS 10Y AVG

+5.99%

CURRENT VS 15Y AVG

+8.66%

CURRENT VS 20Y AVG

+11.35%

WM Competitors' Debt to Assets Ratio

NAMEMARKET CAPDEBT TO ASSETS RATIOTTM3Y5Y
Waste Management, Inc. (WM)$90.57B50.09%51.48%50.23%48.80%
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP)vs ›$89.36B0.17%N/AN/AN/A
United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS)vs ›$91.86B0.44%N/AN/AN/A
CSX Corporation (CSX)vs ›$88.56B0.44%N/AN/AN/A
General Dynamics Corporation (GD)vs ›$93.76B0.17%N/AN/AN/A
Cummins Inc. (CMI)vs ›$94.64B0.24%N/AN/AN/A
3M Company (MMM)vs ›$85.54B0.34%N/AN/AN/A
Johnson Controls International plc (JCI)vs ›$84.44B0.29%N/AN/AN/A
Emerson Electric Co. (EMR)vs ›$80.37B0.33%N/AN/AN/A
Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR)vs ›$103.22B0.26%N/AN/AN/A

Leverage Ratios Comparison

Debt/Assets

50.1%

Debt/Equity

2.29

Current Ratio

0.89

Interest Coverage

5.0x

Formula: Debt/Assets = Total Debt / Total Assets × 100

Debt/Assets vs Debt/Equity:

  • Debt/Assets: Shows % of assets funded by creditors (bounded 0-100%)
  • Debt/Equity: Shows debt relative to shareholder investment (can exceed 100%)
  • Both measure leverage but from different perspectives

Industry context matters: Capital-intensive industries (utilities, real estate) typically have higher Debt/Assets ratios than tech companies.

Debt to Assets Ratio Formula & Definition

Debt/Assets ratio shows what percentage of a company's assets are financed by debt. Compare the current value with the historical chart and peer group to understand leverage over time.

Expanded definitions: Investopedia, Wikipedia, Corporate Finance Institute

Debt to Assets Ratio FAQ

What is the debt to assets ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The debt to assets ratio for WM stock is 50.09%.
Is Waste Management, Inc.'s debt to assets ratio high or low?
The debt to assets ratio of 50.09% is in line with its 5-year average of 48.80%, around the middle of its 5-year range (45.24%–53.63%).
What is the TTM average debt to assets ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The TTM average debt to assets ratio for WM stock is 51.48%.
What is the 3Y average debt to assets ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The 3Y average debt to assets ratio for WM stock is 50.23%.
What is the 5Y average debt to assets ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The 5Y average debt to assets ratio for WM stock is 48.80%.
What is the 10Y average debt to assets ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The 10Y average debt to assets ratio for WM stock is 47.26%.
What is the 15Y average debt to assets ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The 15Y average debt to assets ratio for WM stock is 46.10%.
What is the 20Y average debt to assets ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The 20Y average debt to assets ratio for WM stock is 44.98%.

WM Debt to Assets Ratio History

DATEDEBT TO ASSETS RATIO
2026-03-3150.09%
2025-12-3149.98%
2025-09-3051.22%
2025-06-3052.53%
2025-03-3153.58%
2024-12-3153.63%
2024-09-3047.95%
2024-06-3049.25%
2024-03-3149.28%
2023-12-3149.44%
2023-09-3048.32%
2023-06-3048.61%
2023-03-3149.12%
2022-12-3147.77%
2022-09-3047.13%
2022-06-3047.39%
2022-03-3146.16%
2021-12-3146.07%
2021-09-3045.24%
2021-06-3045.61%
2021-03-3146.40%
2020-12-3147.06%
2020-09-3042.07%
2020-06-3048.04%
2020-03-3149.50%
2019-12-3148.65%
2019-09-3049.28%
2019-06-3049.02%
2019-03-3144.35%
2018-12-3144.26%
2018-09-3044.34%
2018-06-3044.50%
2018-03-3145.04%
2017-12-3143.48%
2017-09-3044.61%
2017-06-3043.46%
2017-03-3143.79%
2016-12-3144.63%
2016-09-3044.62%
2016-06-3045.92%
2016-03-3146.18%
2015-12-3143.98%
2015-09-3044.36%
2015-06-3044.25%
2015-03-3144.50%
2014-12-3144.06%
2014-09-3045.76%
2014-06-3044.17%
2014-03-3145.42%
2013-12-3145.24%
2013-09-3042.60%
2013-06-3042.46%
2013-03-3143.23%
2012-12-3142.93%
2012-09-3043.31%
2012-06-3043.30%
2012-03-3143.71%
2011-12-3143.23%
2011-09-3043.59%
2011-06-3041.87%
2011-03-3142.35%
2010-12-3141.47%
2010-09-3041.98%
2010-06-3044.05%
2010-03-3142.02%
2009-12-3141.94%
2009-09-3040.44%
2009-06-3040.91%
2009-03-3143.08%
2008-12-3141.16%
2008-09-3041.43%
2008-06-3041.86%
2008-03-3143.20%
2007-12-3141.32%
2007-09-3040.83%
2007-06-3040.87%
2007-03-3141.03%
2006-12-3140.37%
2006-09-3041.31%
2006-06-3041.08%
2006-03-3141.35%
2005-12-3141.10%
2005-09-3040.56%
2005-06-3040.74%
2005-03-3140.59%
2004-12-3140.98%
2004-09-3041.01%
2004-06-3041.08%
2004-03-3142.55%
2003-12-3141.20%
2003-09-3042.41%
2003-06-3041.35%
2003-03-3141.83%
2002-12-3142.24%
2002-09-3042.65%
2002-06-3043.47%

About Waste Management, Inc.

Waste Management, Inc. (WM) functions as a premier provider of environmental waste solutions across North America, serving a diverse client base that includes residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers. The company's core operations involve comprehensive collection services, which include gathering and transporting both waste materials and recyclables from their initial point of generation to designated transfer stations, material recovery facilities (MRFs), or final disposal sites. Waste Management maintains an extensive network of facilities, owning, developing, and operating landfill gas-to-energy plants within the United States, in addition to managing numerous transfer stations. As of December 31, 2021, its substantial infrastructure consisted of 255 solid waste landfills, 5 secure hazardous waste landfills, 96 material recovery facilities, and 340 transfer stations. Beyond primary collection and disposal, WM offers services in materials processing and commodities recycling. This extends to recycling brokerage, where they handle the marketing of recyclable goods for third-party entities, alongside providing various other strategic business solutions. Its service portfolio also encompasses construction and remediation projects, the responsible management of fly ash and other residues generated from coal and fuel combustion, and specialized in-plant services offering full-spectrum waste management consulting. Furthermore, the company delivers tailored disposal solutions for oil and gas exploration and production activities. Originally incorporated in 1987 as USA Waste Services, Inc., the company rebranded to Waste Management, Inc. in 1998. Its corporate headquarters are situated in Houston, Texas.

Houston, TX
61,700 employees
Industrials / Waste Management
Sector
Industrials
Industry
Waste Management
CEO
James C. Fish Jr.