Waste Management, Inc. vs Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund — how do they compare? Waste Management, Inc. trades at $226.84 (market cap $90.68B), while Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund trades at $119.22. The key difference: Waste Management, Inc. pays a 1.56% dividend while Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund pays none, and Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund is trading nearer its 52-week high, Waste Management, Inc. nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| WM | XLY | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $90.68B | — |
Sector | Industrials | — |
52-Week High | $246.51 | $124.52 |
52-Week Low | $196.77 | $105.64 |
Enterprise Value | $113.47B | — |
Dividend Yield | 1.56% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
WM trades at $226.19, down 0.18% today, with a neutral technical signal and strong fundamentals. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat estimates at $2.02 per share, driven by pricing discipline and margin gains. Revenue growth is steady, with 2025 revenue at $25.20 billion, though net income margin dipped to 10.74%. The stock shows a bullish analyst consensus with a $263.43 price target, supported by 20 buy ratings and no sell recommendations. Institutional activity includes mixed trades, such as Bank of America reducing holdings by 6.1% in Q1 2026 (SEC filing, 2026-08-01).
Outlook remains positive due to consistent earnings beats and operational efficiency, but risks include high valuation ratios like a P/E of 59.74 and rising debt levels, with total liabilities at $36.31 billion in 2024. Investors should weigh growth potential against margin pressures and macroeconomic headwinds affecting waste volumes.
XLY trades at $117.89, down 1.49% today, but maintains a bullish technical outlook with strong moving average support. The ETF benefits from positive analyst sentiment with a 100% buy rating and recent coverage highlighting its potential as a 'sleeper ETF' for Q3 2026. Technical indicators show overbought conditions with RSI readings above 70, but the overall trend remains positive with key support at $118.
The consumer discretionary sector faces headwinds from inflation pressures, but XLY's diversified exposure positions it for recovery. Near-term risks include consumer spending sensitivity to economic conditions, while the bullish analyst consensus and technical momentum suggest potential upside if market conditions stabilize.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →In seeking to track the performance of the index, the fund employs a replication strategy. It generally invests substantially all, but at least 95%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the index. The index includes securities of companies from the following industries: retail; hotels, restaurants and leisure; textiles, apparel and luxury goods; household durables; automobiles; auto components; distributors; leisure products; and diversified consumer services. It is non-diversified.
Read more on XLY →