American Tower Corp vs Waste Management, Inc. — how do they compare? American Tower Corp trades at $171.45 (market cap $79.00B), while Waste Management, Inc. trades at $227.25 (market cap $90.68B). The key difference: American Tower Corp and Waste Management, Inc. are close in size by market cap, and American Tower Corp pays the higher dividend (4.12%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMT | WM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $79.00B | $90.68B |
Sector | Real Estate | Industrials |
52-Week High | $211.88 | $246.51 |
52-Week Low | $162.11 | $196.77 |
Enterprise Value | $122.53B | $113.47B |
Dividend Yield | 4.12% | 1.56% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
American Tower (AMT) trades at $169.11, down 1.99% on the day, with technical indicators showing bearish momentum despite strong fundamental performance. The company reported three consecutive quarterly earnings beats, with Q2 2026 EPS of $1.86 exceeding the $1.57 estimate. Revenue trends show steady growth from $10.1B in 2024 to $10.6B in 2025, with net income margins improving to 23.76%. Recent news highlights strong Q2 2026 results and institutional buying activity.
Wall Street maintains strong bullish sentiment with 39 buy ratings and a $206.17 price target representing 22% upside potential. Key risks include interest rate sensitivity and DISH Network churn impacts. The stock offers defensive characteristics with resilient telecom demand and 5G/6G growth catalysts, though high debt levels and bearish technical signals warrant caution near-term.
WM trades at $226.6, down 0.47% over 24 hours, with a bullish technical signal and support near $226. The stock shows strong profitability with a 40.6% gross margin and 11.12% net margin, though its P/E of 59.74 is elevated. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations at $2.02 per share, and analyst consensus is a buy with a $263.43 price target. Cash flow from operations grew to $6.04B in 2025, but net cash flow was negative $190M due to investments.
Outlook is positive with revenue growth and margin stability, but risks include high valuation and debt levels. The stock offers upside to the consensus target, supported by institutional confidence and consistent earnings beats, though investors should monitor volume trends and interest rate impacts on borrowing costs.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
American Tower owns and operates more than 220,000 cell towers throughout the U.S., Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Africa. It also owns and/or operates 25 data centers in eight U.S. markets after acquiring CoreSite. On its towers, the company has a very concentrated customer base, with most revenue in each market being generated by just the top few mobile carriers. The company operates more than 40,000 towers in the U.S., which accounted for more than half of its total revenue in 2021. Outside the U.S., American Tower's greatest presence is in India and Brazil, where it operates roughly 75,000 and 19,000 towers, respectively. American Tower operates as a real estate investment trust.
Read more on AMT →Waste Management ranks as the largest integrated provider of traditional solid waste services in the United States, operating approximately 260 active landfills and about 340 transfer stations. The company serves residential, commercial, and industrial end markets and is also a leading recycler in North America.
Read more on WM →