Sectors & IndustriesIndustrialsWaste Management

Best Waste Management Stocks to Buy Now (2025)

Top waste management stocks in 2025 ranked by overall Zen Rating. "A" Rated stocks have returned an average of +32.52% per year, and are the best waste management stocks to buy now. Learn More.

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best waste management stocks to buy right now are:

Montrose Environmental Group (NYSE:MEG) is the #1 top waste management stock out of 21 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +19.88% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Montrose Environmental Group (NYSE:MEG) is: Value: C, Growth: A, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: C, Financials: C, and AI: A.

Montrose Environmental Group (NYSE:MEG) has a Due Diligence Score of 18, which is -6 points lower than the waste management industry average of 24. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates MEG as a "B".

MEG passed 6 out of 33 due diligence checks and has weak fundamentals. Montrose Environmental Group has seen its stock return 7.44% over the past year, overperforming other waste management stocks by 25 percentage points.

Montrose Environmental Group has an average 1 year price target of $33.00, an upside of 14.23% from Montrose Environmental Group's current stock price of $28.89.

Montrose Environmental Group stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 3 analysts covering Montrose Environmental Group, 33.33% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 33.33% have issued a Buy, 33.33% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) is the #2 top waste management stock out of 21 with a Zen Rating of C. Stocks with a rating of C have had an average return of +7.53% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Waste Management (NYSE:WM) is: Value: B, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: C, Financials: C, and AI: C.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) has a Due Diligence Score of 40, which is 16 points higher than the waste management industry average of 24.

WM passed 14 out of 38 due diligence checks and has average fundamentals. Waste Management has seen its stock lose -0.05% over the past year, overperforming other waste management stocks by 18 percentage points.

Waste Management has an average 1 year price target of $259.00, an upside of 21.2% from Waste Management's current stock price of $213.69.

Waste Management stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 14 analysts covering Waste Management, 42.86% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 21.43% have issued a Buy, 35.71% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Casella Waste Systems (NASDAQ:CWST) is the #3 top waste management stock out of 21 with a Zen Rating of C. Stocks with a rating of C have had an average return of +7.53% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Casella Waste Systems (NASDAQ:CWST) is: Value: C, Growth: C, Momentum: D, Sentiment: C, Safety: C, Financials: C, and AI: B.

Casella Waste Systems (NASDAQ:CWST) has a Due Diligence Score of 39, which is 15 points higher than the waste management industry average of 24.

CWST passed 13 out of 33 due diligence checks and has average fundamentals. Casella Waste Systems has seen its stock lose -16.25% over the past year, overperforming other waste management stocks by 1 percentage points.

Casella Waste Systems has an average 1 year price target of $108.67, an upside of 24.89% from Casella Waste Systems's current stock price of $87.01.

Casella Waste Systems stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 3 analysts covering Casella Waste Systems, 66.67% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 0% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 33.33% have issued a Strong Sell.

Out of 3 waste management stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 waste management stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) has an annual dividend yield of 1.51%, which is 1 percentage points higher than the waste management industry average of 0.79%. Waste Management's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Waste Management's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Waste Management's dividend payout ratio of 46.7% indicates that its dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Republic Services (NYSE:RSG) has an annual dividend yield of 1.07%, which is the same as the waste management industry average of 0.79%. Republic Services's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Republic Services's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Republic Services's dividend payout ratio of 34.2% indicates that its dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Waste Connections (NYSE:WCN) has an annual dividend yield of 0.56%, which is the same as the waste management industry average of 0.79%. Waste Connections's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% one times in the last 10 years. Waste Connections's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Waste Connections's dividend payout ratio of 49.4% indicates that its dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Waste management stocks were down -3.51% in the last day, and down -0.87% over the last week. Aqua Metals was the among the top losers in the waste management industry, dropping -52.94% yesterday.

Aqua Metals shares are trading lower after the company announced a $13 million direct offering of 1.13 million shares and warrants at a combined price of $11.34.

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued waste management stocks right now are:

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) is the most undervalued waste management stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Waste Management has a valuation score of 29, which is 5 points higher than the waste management industry average of 24. It passed 2 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Waste Management's stock has dropped -0.05% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the waste management industry by 18 percentage points.

Clean Harbors (NYSE:CLH) is the second most undervalued waste management stock based on its Valuation Rating of C. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Clean Harbors has a valuation score of 43, which is 19 points higher than the waste management industry average of 24. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Clean Harbors's stock has dropped -9.14% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the waste management industry by 9 percentage points.

Republic Services (NYSE:RSG) is the third most undervalued waste management stock based on its Valuation Rating of C. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Republic Services has a valuation score of 43, which is 19 points higher than the waste management industry average of 24. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Republic Services's stock has gained 7.04% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the waste management industry by 25 percentage points.

100% of waste management stocks rated by analysts are a buy right now. On average, analysts expect waste management stocks to rise by 19.39% over the next year.

0% of waste management stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 6.67% of waste management stocks are rated B (Buy), 53.33% are rated C (Hold), 13.33% are rated D (Sell), and 26.67% are rated F (Strong Sell).