WM dividend analysis

WM dividend deep dive

WM pays a trailing-twelve-month yield of 7.10%, with a payout ratio of 41% of earnings. The yield band reads high-yield, and the company has compounded the distribution at 11.1% per year over the past five.

On the safety line, WM scores 50/100. The metric is built from the Quality pillar (46/100) with a payout-ratio adjustment; the band is watchlist and the practical implication is the distribution is data-dependent and worth a closer read on the next 10-Q.

On the simple DRIP framework, WM's 7.10% yield growing at 11.1% per year compounds to roughly 46.2% (5y), 113.7% (10y), and 356.5% (20y) cumulative income return.

Three peers for WM: KO (5.00%), PG (1.50%), PEP (2.90%). Average yield 3.13% versus 7.10% on the name. The active question on relative income is whether the gap is justified by the underlying Quality and Risk pillar reads.

WM dividend schedule: most recent ex-date 2026-03-01, payment 2026-03-15. The forward path depends on whether management raises the next declaration; the 22-year growth streak makes the directional read straightforward.

Wrap-up on WM for income allocators: 7.10% TTM yield is the entry, 11.1% the growth, 50/100 the safety. The next 10-Q's free-cash-flow line is the practical leading indicator on the next hike.