By Katherine Hamilton
Waste Management's board has approved a 14.5% increase to its dividend and a new $3 billion share buyback program.
The Houston company said Monday it would raise its quarterly dividend to 95 cents a share in 2026, up from 83 cents a share in 2025. WM plans to pay the new dividend in March 2026.
The new payout, equal to $3.78 a year, represents an annual yield of 1.7% based on Monday's closing price of $218.32.
The new buyback program supersedes the authority remaining under the prior $1.5 billion repurchase authorization, which was announced in 2023.
"We are entering a period of harvesting the strong returns from those investments and earnings growth in our business," Chief Executive Jim Fish said.
Fish said he expects to return about 90% of 2026 free cash flow to shareholders through dividends and share buybacks.
Write to Katherine Hamilton at katherine.hamilton@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 15, 2025 16:52 ET (21:52 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.