Republic Services (RSG) was Smart Insider's stock pick of the week after Cascade Investments, whose sole member is William Gates III, purchased another $100 million worth of stock on May 18 at $208.69 per share, following a similar purchase on May 13 at $201.40.

Cascade Investments now owns about 36% of the company, Smart Insider said in a Tuesday note.

The investment firm has two board representatives at Republic Services: Thomas W. Handley, a director since 2016, and Michael Larson, a director since 2009, according to Smart Insider.

Smart Insider said Cascade's track record in the stock has been "excellent" since its first disclosed purchase at $8 per share in 2002. The latest transactions are its largest purchases to date and were made into long-term share price strength, according to the note.

The firm's previous large purchase came in February 2022, when it spent $116 million at $117 per share, which Smart Insider said: "proved to be timely."

Smart Insider said it ranked the stock +N, or notable & positive signal, in August 2025 following a smaller $1 million purchase at $235 per share that "wasn't timely."

Smart Insider upgraded Republic Services to +1, indicating a strong positive signal.

Price: 207.54, Change: -1.37, Percent Change: -0.65