Strong Organic Revenue Growth and Operating Efficiencies Drive Double-Digit Growth in Income from Operations and Diluted Earnings Per Share

WM (NYSE: WM) today announced financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2022.

“As we have seen all year, our team delivered strong results in the third quarter, driven by the strength and resiliency of our collection and disposal business,” said Jim Fish, WM’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Organic revenue growth, diligent management of controllable costs, and proactive steps to automate the business translated into an 11% increase in adjusted operating EBITDA.”^(a)

Fish continued, “I am proud of the dedication of our entire team, particularly our team members in Florida who are rising to the challenges from Hurricane Ian to support cleanup efforts for affected communities. The team continues to maintain focus on meeting the service needs of our customers and executing on pricing and cost management plans, and they do all of this while advancing our long-term strategic priorities.”

KEY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2022

Revenue

• Core price for the third quarter of 2022 was 8.2% compared to 4.6% in the third quarter of 2021.^(d)
• Collection and disposal yield was 7.1% in the third quarter of 2022 compared to 3.6% in the third quarter of 2021.^(e)
• Total Company volumes increased 1.0%, or 1.3% on a workday adjusted basis, in the third quarter of 2022 and collection and disposal volumes increased 1.4%, or 1.7% on a workday adjusted basis. Total Company volumes improved 3.2% in the third quarter of 2021, or 3.0% on a workday adjusted basis, and collection and disposal volumes increased 3.4%, or 3.2% on a workday adjusted basis, in the third quarter of 2021.^(e)

Cost Management

• Operating expenses as a percentage of revenue were 62.2% in the third quarter of 2022 compared to 62.3% in the third quarter of 2021. The measure improved 70 basis points in the collection and disposal business as pricing and operating efficiencies worked to overcome inflationary cost pressures. This improvement was largely offset by the impacts of a sharp decline in market prices for recycled commodities.
• SG&A expenses were 9.3% of revenue in the third quarter of 2022 compared to 10.1% in the third quarter of 2021. On an adjusted basis, SG&A expenses were 9.2% of revenue in the third quarter of 2022 compared to 9.7% in the third quarter of 2021.^(a)

Profitability

• Operating EBITDA in the Company’s collection and disposal business, adjusted on the same basis as total Company operating EBITDA, increased by approximately $174 million to $1.59 billion for the third quarter of 2022. Operating EBITDA as a percentage of revenue in the Company’s collection and disposal business was 31.8% for the third quarter of 2022 compared to 31.2% for the third quarter of 2021.^(f)
• Operating EBITDA in the Company’s recycling line of business decreased by $36 million compared to the third quarter of 2021 primarily driven by a 32% decline in recycled commodity prices and persistent inflationary cost pressures on operating costs.
• Operating EBITDA in the Company’s renewable energy business was relatively flat compared to the third quarter of 2021. Results were generally in line with expectations as the Company sold about 30% of its renewable natural gas (RNG) under long-term contracts, which moderated the average price per MMBtu.

Free Cash Flow & Capital Allocation

• In the third quarter of 2022, net cash provided by operating activities was $1.18 billion, in line with the third quarter of 2021.
• In the third quarter of 2022, capital expenditures to support the business were $547 million compared to $448 million in the third quarter of 2021. In addition, capital expenditures for sustainability growth investments were $210 million compared to $16 million in the third quarter of 2021.
• In the third quarter of 2022, free cash flow was $432 million compared to $773 million in the third quarter of 2021.^(a) Free cash flow without sustainability growth investments was $642 million compared to $789 million in the third quarter of 2021.^(a) The year-over-year decline in free cash flow was primarily driven by the planned increase in sustainability growth investments and accelerated capital spending to support the business.
• During the third quarter of 2022, $808 million was returned to shareholders, including $541 million allocated to share repurchases and $267 million of cash dividends.

SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE

• The Company released its 2022 Sustainability Report earlier this month, providing details on its Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) performance and outlining new 2030 priorities. The Sustainability Report conveys the strong linkage between the Company’s ESG goals and its growth strategy, inclusive of the planned expansion of the Company’s recycling and renewable energy businesses.
• The Company continues to progress its $1.625 billion sustainability growth investment program and remains on track to invest $550 million in 2022. These growth investments are intended to further WM’s sustainability leadership by increasing recycling volumes and growing RNG generation. Two of the 17 new RNG projects and five new or automated material recovery facilities (MRFs) are expected to be complete in 2022. The Company expects to provide updates on the timing of future capital investments and earnings contributions associated with this program by its fourth quarter earnings announcement in February.
• In response to the recently approved civil rights audit stockholder proposal, the Company has engaged a team led by former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, now a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, to perform an independent assessment of the impact of WM policies and practices on the civil rights of Company stakeholders, and to provide recommendations for further improvement. The assessment will include a broad review and analysis in the areas of environmental justice and inclusion, equity, and diversity of employees and suppliers, with input from internal and external stakeholders. WM expects to publish results of the assessment before its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Fish concluded, “WM continues to demonstrate the strength and reliability of our business model. Our operational performance puts us on track to achieve the higher full-year outlook we provided last quarter as the solid waste business delivers strong results that will work to overcome the headwind we now expect from lower market prices for recycled commodities.”

The Company will host a conference call at 10 a.m. ET today to discuss the third quarter results. Information contained within this press release will be referenced and should be considered in conjunction with the call.

Listeners can access a live audio webcast of the conference call by visiting investors.wm.com and selecting “Events & Presentations” from the website menu. A replay of the audio webcast will be available at the same location following the conclusion of the call.

Conference call participants must register to obtain their dial in and passcode details. This new, streamlined process improves security and eliminates wait times when joining the call.

ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT

WM (WM.com) is North America's largest comprehensive waste management environmental solutions provider. Previously known as Waste Management and based in Houston, Texas, WM is driven by commitments to put people first and achieve success with integrity. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides collection, recycling and disposal services to millions of residential, commercial, industrial and municipal customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. With innovative infrastructure and capabilities in recycling, organics and renewable energy, WM provides environmental solutions to and collaborates with its customers in helping them achieve their sustainability goals. WM has the largest disposal network and collection fleet in North America, is the largest recycler of post-consumer materials and is the leader in beneficial reuse of landfill gas, with a growing network of renewable natural gas plants and the most gas-to-electricity plants in North America. WM's fleet includes nearly 11,000 natural gas trucks – the largest heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet of its kind in North America – where more than half are fueled by renewable natural gas. To learn more about WM and the company's sustainability progress and solutions, visit Sustainability.WM.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The Company, from time to time, provides estimates of financial and other data, comments on expectations relating to future periods and makes statements of opinion, view or belief about current and future events. This press release contains a number of such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to all statements regarding future performance or financial results of our business; achievement of financial outlook and guidance; future commodity prices and ability to overcome lower commodity prices; the amount, timing and results of future sustainability growth investments and RNG projects; general economic activity; timing and results from the civil rights assessment; and future execution of strategic priorities, including pricing, cost management, and results. You should view these statements with caution. They are based on the facts and circumstances known to the Company as of the date the statements are made. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from those set forth in such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to failure to implement our optimization, growth, and cost savings initiatives and overall business strategy; failure to identify acquisition targets, consummate and integrate acquisitions; failure to obtain the results anticipated from acquisitions; environmental and other regulations, including developments related to emerging contaminants, gas emissions and renewable fuel; significant environmental, safety or other incidents resulting in liabilities or brand damage; failure to obtain and maintain necessary permits; failure to attract, hire and retain key team members and a high quality workforce; changes in wage and labor related regulations; significant storms and destructive climate events; public health risk and other impacts of COVID-19 or similar pandemic conditions, including related regulations, resulting in increased costs and social, labor and commercial disruption; macroeconomic pressures and market disruption resulting in labor, supply chain and transportation constraints and inflationary cost pressure; increased competition; pricing actions; commodity price fluctuations; impacts from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting geopolitical conflict and international response, including increased risk of cyber incidents and exacerbation of market disruption, inflationary cost pressure and changes in commodity prices, fuel and other energy costs; international trade restrictions; disposal alternatives, waste diversion and diminishing disposal capacity; declining waste volumes; weakness in general economic conditions and capital markets; adoption of new tax legislation; fuel shortages; failure to develop and protect new technology; failure of technology to perform as expected, including implementation of a new enterprise resource planning and human capital management system; failure to prevent, detect and address cybersecurity incidents or comply with privacy regulations; negative outcomes of litigation or governmental proceedings; and decisions or developments that result in impairment charges. Please also see the Company’s filings with the SEC, including Part I, Item 1A of the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, for additional information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties applicable to its business. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, including financial estimates and forecasts, whether as a result of future events, circumstances or developments or otherwise.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

To supplement its financial information, the Company has presented, and/or may discuss on the conference call, adjusted earnings per diluted share, adjusted net income, adjusted income from operations, adjusted operating EBITDA, adjusted operating EBITDA margin, adjusted SG&A expenses and free cash flow. All of these items are non-GAAP financial measures, as defined in Regulation G of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company reports its financial results in compliance with GAAP but believes that also discussing non-GAAP measures provides investors with (i) financial measures the Company uses in the management of its business and (ii) additional, meaningful comparisons of current results to prior periods’ results by excluding items that the Company does not believe reflect its fundamental business performance and are not representative or indicative of its results of operations.

The Company discusses free cash flow and provides a projection of free cash flow because the Company believes that it is indicative of its ability to pay its quarterly dividends, repurchase common stock, fund acquisitions and other investments and, in the absence of refinancings, to repay its debt obligations. Free cash flow is not intended to replace “Net cash provided by operating activities,” which is the most comparable GAAP measure. The Company believes free cash flow gives investors useful insight into how the Company views its liquidity, but the use of free cash flow as a liquidity measure has material limitations because it excludes certain expenditures that are required or that the Company has committed to, such as declared dividend payments and debt service requirements. The Company defines free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities, less capital expenditures, plus proceeds from divestitures of businesses and other assets (net of cash divested); this definition may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures reported by other companies.

The quantitative reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP measures are included in the accompanying schedules. Non-GAAP measures should not be considered a substitute for financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP.

WASTE MANAGEMENT, INC.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION PROVIDED FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY

(In Millions)

(Unaudited)

Diversity in the structure of recycling contracts results in different accounting treatment for commodity rebates. In accordance with revenue recognition guidance, our Company records gross recycling revenue and records rebates paid to customers as cost of goods sold. Other contract structures allow for netting of rebates against revenue.

Additionally, there are differences in whether companies adjust for accretion expense in their calculation of EBITDA. Our Company does not adjust for landfill accretion expenses when calculating operating EBITDA, while other companies do adjust it for the calculation of their EBITDA measure.

The table below illustrates the impact that differing contract structures and treatment of accretion expense has on the Company’s adjusted operating EBITDA margin results. This information has been provided to enhance comparability and is not intended to replace or adjust GAAP reported results.