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WMWaste Management, Inc.

FCF Payout Ratio: 42.04%

Is the FCF payout ratio high or low?

The FCF payout ratio of 42.04% is 21% below its 5-year average of 53.20%, near the low end of its 5-year range (37.31%–73.37%).

22.10% below its 12-month average of 53.96%.

FCF Payout Ratio

WM FCF Payout Ratio

42.04%

Rolling trailing-12-month FCF payout ratio sampled each quarter; raw quarterly payout is intentionally not charted.

+12.48% 5Y
WM FCF Payout Ratio

WM Average FCF Payout Ratio Chart

WM FCF Payout Ratio

WM Current vs Average FCF Payout Ratio Chart

WM FCF Payout Ratio Metrics

FCF PAYOUT RATIO

42.04%

FCF PAYOUT RATIO AVG TTM

53.96%

FCF PAYOUT RATIO AVG 3Y

59.05%

FCF PAYOUT RATIO AVG 5Y

53.20%

FCF PAYOUT RATIO AVG 10Y

48.61%

FCF PAYOUT RATIO AVG 15Y

53.01%

FCF PAYOUT RATIO AVG 20Y

50.80%

CURRENT VS TTM AVG

-22.10%

CURRENT VS 3Y AVG

-28.81%

CURRENT VS 5Y AVG

-20.99%

CURRENT VS 10Y AVG

-13.53%

CURRENT VS 15Y AVG

-20.70%

CURRENT VS 20Y AVG

-17.25%

Payout Ratio Comparison

FCF Payout Ratio TTM

42.0%

Earnings Payout Ratio

56.3%

Dividend Yield

1.68%

FCF Yield

3.61%

Annual FCF Payout Ratio History

YearFree Cash FlowDividends PaidFCF Payout Ratio
2025$2.82B$1.33B47.4%
2024$2.16B$1.21B56.0%
2023$1.82B$1.14B62.3%
2022$1.95B$1.08B55.3%
2021$2.43B$970.00M39.9%
2020$1.77B$927.00M52.3%
2019$2.06B$876.00M42.6%
2018$1.88B$802.00M42.8%
2017$1.67B$750.00M44.9%
2016$1.62B$726.00M44.8%
2015$1.26B$695.00M54.9%
2014$1.18B$693.00M58.7%
2013$1.18B$683.00M57.7%
2012$785.00M$658.00M83.8%
2011$1.15B$696.00M60.8%
2010$1.17B$604.00M51.6%
2009$1.18B$619.00M52.3%
2008$1.35B$531.00M39.2%
2007$1.23B$495.00M40.3%
2006$1.21B$476.00M39.3%
2005$1.21B$449.00M37.1%
2004$960.00M$432.00M45.0%
2003$726.00M$6.00M0.8%
2002$866.00M$6.00M0.7%
2001$1.03B$6.00M0.6%
2000$812.00M$6.00M0.7%
1999($926.40M)$6.20MN/A (Loss)
1998($2.10B)$93.80MN/A (Loss)
1997($1.80B)$0N/A (Loss)
1996($143.20M)$0N/A (Loss)

Formula: FCF Payout Ratio TTM = trailing 4Q dividends paid / trailing 4Q free cash flow × 100

FCF payout and earnings payout:

  • FCF represents operating cash flow after capital expenditures
  • FCF payout compares dividends paid with free cash flow
  • FCF payout above 100% means dividends paid exceeded free cash flow for the period
  • Earnings payout compares dividends paid with net income

Reading the series: Use the chart and table to compare dividend payments with cash generation over time.

FCF Payout Ratio Formula & Definition

FCF Payout Ratio measures trailing dividends paid as a percentage of trailing free cash flow. Unlike earnings-based payout, it compares dividends with cash generated after capital expenditures.

Expanded definitions: Investopedia, Wikipedia, Corporate Finance Institute

FCF Payout Ratio FAQ

What is the FCF payout ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The FCF payout ratio for WM stock is 42.04%.
Is Waste Management, Inc.'s FCF payout ratio high or low?
The FCF payout ratio of 42.04% is 21% below its 5-year average of 53.20%, near the low end of its 5-year range (37.31%–73.37%).
What is the TTM average FCF payout ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The TTM average FCF payout ratio for WM stock is 53.96%.
What is the 3Y average FCF payout ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The 3Y average FCF payout ratio for WM stock is 59.05%.
What is the 5Y average FCF payout ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The 5Y average FCF payout ratio for WM stock is 53.20%.
What is the 10Y average FCF payout ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The 10Y average FCF payout ratio for WM stock is 48.61%.
What is the 15Y average FCF payout ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The 15Y average FCF payout ratio for WM stock is 53.01%.
What is the 20Y average FCF payout ratio for Waste Management, Inc. (WM)?
The 20Y average FCF payout ratio for WM stock is 50.80%.

WM FCF Payout Ratio History

DATEFCF PAYOUT RATIO
2026-03-3142.04%
2025-12-3147.37%
2025-09-3054.20%
2025-06-3058.76%
2025-03-3167.45%
2024-12-3156.04%
2024-09-3056.59%
2024-06-3055.39%
2024-03-3153.95%
2023-12-3162.28%
2023-09-3067.09%
2023-06-3073.37%
2023-03-3173.07%
2022-12-3155.26%
2022-09-3053.11%
2022-06-3045.07%
2022-03-3141.17%
2021-12-3139.85%
2021-09-3037.31%
2021-06-3037.37%
2021-03-3140.52%
2020-12-3152.34%
2020-09-3042.55%
2020-06-3046.71%
2020-03-3145.75%
2019-12-3142.61%
2019-09-3048.09%
2019-06-3046.99%
2019-03-3143.43%
2018-12-3142.75%
2018-09-3046.96%
2018-06-3045.16%
2018-03-3145.06%
2017-12-3144.88%
2017-09-3041.79%
2017-06-3043.73%
2017-03-3145.47%
2016-12-3144.79%
2016-09-3051.21%
2016-06-3054.29%
2016-03-3150.58%
2015-12-3154.94%
2015-09-3055.25%
2015-06-3053.42%
2015-03-3161.61%
2014-12-3158.73%
2014-09-3058.64%
2014-06-3056.27%
2014-03-3157.68%
2013-12-3157.69%
2013-09-3054.91%
2013-06-3067.54%
2013-03-3166.40%
2012-12-3183.82%
2012-09-3075.08%
2012-06-3060.35%
2012-03-3169.07%
2011-12-3158.17%
2011-09-3059.65%
2011-06-3057.90%
2011-03-3154.78%
2010-12-3155.42%
2010-09-3050.00%
2010-06-3053.25%
2010-03-3150.49%
2009-12-3152.32%
2009-09-3056.24%
2009-06-3045.85%
2009-03-3145.75%
2008-12-3139.22%
2008-09-3042.69%
2008-06-3041.83%
2008-03-3138.32%
2007-12-3140.31%
2007-09-3037.99%
2007-06-3042.27%
2007-03-3144.33%
2006-12-3139.31%
2006-09-3036.25%
2006-06-3036.12%
2006-03-3135.39%
2005-12-3137.08%
2005-09-3039.04%
2005-06-3041.78%
2005-03-3142.86%
2004-12-3145.00%
2004-09-3032.58%
2004-06-3034.62%
2004-03-3116.17%
2003-12-310.83%
2003-09-300.00%

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.