2020 Financial Performance Demonstrates Strength and Resiliency

Company Maintains Disciplined Focus on Cost and Capital Management

Recent ESG Accolades Complement Strong Financial Results

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--$WM--Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM) today announced financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2020.

The Company’s fourth quarter results continued the positive momentum from the third quarter, as organic revenue growth in the collection and disposal business was nearly flat year-over-year and improved 250 basis points sequentially and 890 basis points from the low in the second quarter. Additionally, the Company maintained its disciplined focus on cost and capital management. As a result, fourth quarter adjusted operating EBITDA increased 4.1% year-over-year when normalized to exclude the acquisition of Advanced Disposal as well as timing differences in the government approvals of alternative fuel tax credits.^(a) This growth was achieved despite macroeconomic challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am extremely proud of how our team worked through the challenges during 2020 to provide reliable, high quality service, and continued to do so as we welcomed new customers and team members following our acquisition of Advanced Disposal,” said Jim Fish, Waste Management’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our focus on operational execution and efficiency allowed us to match the highest full-year adjusted operating EBITDA margin we have ever achieved at 28.4%.^(a) So, in a year where many companies suffered significant financial impacts from the pandemic and resulting economic crisis, Waste Management delivered full-year 2020 results within 1.5% of our record-high 2019 adjusted operating EBITDA.^(a)

“Complementing our strong financial performance is the recognition that we continue to receive for leading the way to a more sustainable future. Fortune magazine recently named Waste Management to its 2021 World’s Most Admired Companies List, and for the fifth consecutive year, CDP included Waste Management on its ‘A List’ for climate leadership. We remain committed not only to managing waste responsibly but also investing in recycling infrastructure and renewable energy projects and collaborating with our stakeholders to create new, sustainable environmental solutions.”

KEY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER AND THE FULL YEAR 2020

Revenue

• In the fourth quarter of 2020, revenue increased $185 million in the Company’s collection and disposal business compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, primarily driven by $202 million in acquisition revenue and $79 million of growth from yield partially offset by $93 million in volume declines. For the full year, revenue decreased $141 million in the Company’s collection and disposal business compared to 2019, primarily driven by $669 million in volume declines partially offset by $299 million of growth from yield and $244 million in acquisition revenue.
• Core price for the fourth quarter of 2020 was 3.2% compared to 4.3% in the fourth quarter of 2019. For the full year, core price was 2.9% for 2020 compared to 4.2% in 2019.^(d)
• Collection and disposal yield was 2.3% in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to 3.2% in the fourth quarter of 2019. For the full year, collection and disposal yield was 2.2% in 2020 compared to 2.8% in 2019.
• The Company’s 2020 pricing results were muted relative to historical results due to deliberate customer-centric steps taken during the second quarter to temporarily suspend price increases and certain fees for customers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company remains firmly committed to its pricing programs as evidenced by the Company’s strong post-collection and residential yield.
• Total Company volumes declined 2.6% in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to a decline of 5.1% in the third quarter of 2020 and a decline of 0.4% in the fourth quarter of 2019. For the full year, total Company volumes declined 4.5% in 2020 compared to growth of 2.3% in 2019.

Cost Management

• Total Company operating expenses were 61.5% of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to 60.2% in the fourth quarter of 2019. The increase was primarily driven by an unfavorable comparison for alternative fuel tax credits of 150 basis points. For the full year, total Company operating expenses were 61.4% of revenue in both 2020 and 2019.
• SG&A expenses were 12.5% of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to 11.6% in the fourth quarter of 2019. On an adjusted basis, SG&A expenses were 10.4% of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to 10.7% in the fourth quarter of 2019. For the full year, SG&A expenses were 11.4% of revenue in 2020 compared to 10.6% in 2019. On an adjusted basis, SG&A expenses were 10.2% of revenue in 2020 compared to 10.3% in 2019.^(a)
• The recently-closed Advanced Disposal acquisition increased operating expenses as a percentage of revenue by 40 basis points in the fourth quarter of 2020 and had an immaterial impact on adjusted SG&A expenses as a percentage of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Profitability

• Total Company operating EBITDA was $1.09 billion, or 26.8% of revenue, for the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to $1.05 billion, or 27.3% of revenue, for the fourth quarter of 2019. On an adjusted basis, total Company operating EBITDA was $1.14 billion, or 28.1% of revenue, for the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to adjusted operating EBITDA of $1.12 billion, or 29.1% of revenue, for the same period in 2019.^(a) The margin decreases were driven by an unfavorable comparison for alternative fuel tax credits of 150 basis points.
• For the full year, total Company operating EBITDA was $4.11 billion, or 27.0% of revenue, for 2020 compared to $4.28 billion, or 27.7% of revenue, for 2019. On an adjusted basis, total Company operating EBITDA was $4.32 billion for 2020 compared to adjusted operating EBITDA of $4.38 billion for 2019. Adjusted operating EBITDA was 28.4% of revenue in both years, demonstrating the Company’s strong focus on controlling costs in the lower volume environment.^(a)
• The recently-closed Advanced Disposal acquisition had a negative 50 basis point impact on adjusted operating EBITDA as a percentage of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2020.
• In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company realized between $10 and $15 million of annualized run-rate synergies from the acquisition of Advanced Disposal.

Free Cash Flow & Capital Allocation

• In the fourth quarter of 2020, net cash provided by operating activities was $753 million compared to $1.02 billion in the fourth quarter of 2019. For the full year, net cash provided by operating activities was $3.40 billion in 2020 compared to $3.87 billion in 2019. The year-over-year comparisons were impacted by an increase in cash taxes, which was due in large part to the tax gain realized on the sale of assets and businesses to GFL Environmental.
• During the second and third quarters of 2020, the Company deferred payment of payroll taxes as provided for by the CARES Act. In light of the Company's strong financial performance and operating cash flow, management elected to pay the previously deferred 2020 payroll taxes in the fourth quarter. While there is no impact of this decision on the comparison of 2020 and 2019 cash flow from operations, this decision decreased fourth quarter and full year 2020 cash flow by approximately $120 million from prior outlook.
• In the fourth quarter of 2020, capital expenditures were $394 million compared to $286 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. For the full year, capital expenditures were $1.63 billion in 2020 compared to $1.82 billion in 2019 as the Company took prudent steps to reduce and defer certain aspects of capital spending.
• In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company closed on the sale to GFL Environmental of the assets required to be divested by the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with the Advanced Disposal acquisition. Proceeds from divestures were $865 million during the fourth quarter of 2020, with $856 million of this related to the divestitures to GFL Environmental. For the full year, proceeds from divestures were $885 million in 2020 compared to $49 million in 2019.
• In the fourth quarter of 2020, free cash flow was $1.22 billion compared to $756 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. For the full year, free cash flow was $2.66 billion in 2020 compared to $2.11 billion in 2019.^(a)
• During the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company paid $231 million of dividends to shareholders.

2021 OUTLOOK

Revenue Growth

• Total Company revenue growth is expected to be between 10.75% and 11.25%. Combined internal revenue growth from yield and volume in the collection and disposal business is expected to be between 4% and 4.5%, primarily driven by the Company’s disciplined pricing programs which are expected to result in core price of 4.0% or greater and yield of approximately 2.5%.

Profitability

• Adjusted operating EBITDA is expected to be between $4.75 and $4.9 billion for the full year.^(a)
• Synergies from the completed acquisition of Advanced Disposal are included in this measure and are expected to be between $50 million and $60 million in 2021.

Free Cash Flow & Capital Allocation

• Free cash flow is projected to be between $2.25 and $2.35 billion.^(a)
• Capital expenditures are expected to be in the range of $1.78 to $1.88 billion.
• The Company is committed to returning its leverage ratio, as defined in its revolving credit facility financial covenant, to its targeted long-term range of between 2.5 and 3-to-1 during 2021.
• The Board of Directors has indicated its intention to increase the dividend by $0.12 per share to $2.30 on an annual basis for an approximate annual cost of $975 million. This represents the 18^th consecutive year of increases in the Company’s per share dividend. The Board of Directors must separately approve and declare each dividend.
• In December 2020, the Board of Directors refreshed the Company’s share repurchase authorization, allowing for the repurchase of up to $1.35 billion of the Company’s common stock, signaling confidence in the cash flow outlook.

Fish concluded, “In 2020, we quickly and successfully learned to operate our business with a lower cost structure while maintaining our focus on exceptional customer service. We also completed the acquisition of Advanced Disposal and accelerated our customer service digitalization investments, all while matching our highest adjusted operating EBITDA margin and generating strong cash flow. In 2021, we will continue to make investments in technology that transform our business and integrate the Advanced Disposal business, and we are well-positioned to generate strong returns.”

The Company will host a conference call at 10 a.m. (Eastern) today to discuss the fourth quarter and full year results. Information contained within this press release will be referenced and should be considered in conjunction with the call.

The conference call will be webcast live from the Investors section of Waste Management’s website www.wm.com. To access the conference call by telephone, please dial (877) 710-6139 approximately 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call. If you are calling from outside of the United States or Canada, please dial (706) 643-7398. Please utilize conference ID number 1965816 when prompted by the conference call operator.

A replay of the conference call will be available on the Company’s website www.wm.com and by telephone from approximately 1:00 p.m. (Eastern) today through 5:00 p.m. (Eastern) on Thursday, March 4, 2021. To access the replay telephonically, please dial (855) 859-2056, or from outside of the United States or Canada dial (404) 537-3406 and use the replay conference ID number 1965816.

ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT

Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management environmental services in North America, providing services throughout the United States and Canada. Through its subsidiaries, the Company provides collection, transfer, disposal services, and recycling and resource recovery. It is also a leading developer, operator and owner of landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The Company’s customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management, visit www.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 under the heading “2021 Outlook”, as well as all statements regarding future performance or financial results of our business; future investments and results from investments; cost structure or efficiencies; integration of, and benefits from, the acquisition of Advanced Disposal Services, Inc. (“Advanced Disposal”); future leverage ratio; future share repurchases and future sustainability efforts. 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 and negotiate attractive terms; failure to consummate or integrate acquisitions; failure to obtain the results anticipated from acquisitions; failure to successfully integrate the acquisition of Advanced Disposal, realize anticipated synergies or obtain the results anticipated from such acquisition; 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; labor disruptions and wage-related regulations; significant storms and destructive events influenced by climate change; public health risk and other impacts of COVID-19 or similar pandemic conditions, including increased costs, social and commercial disruption and service reductions; increased competition; pricing actions; commodity price fluctuations; international trade restrictions; disposal alternatives and waste diversion; 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 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 as updated by our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, 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 SG&A expenses, adjusted operating EBITDA, adjusted operating EBITDA margin, and free cash flow, as well as projections of adjusted operating EBITDA and free cash flow for 2021. 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.

In addition, the Company’s projected full year 2021 adjusted operating EBITDA is anticipated to exclude the effects of other events or circumstances in 2021 that are not representative or indicative of the Company’s results of operations. Such excluded items are not currently determinable, but may be significant, such as asset impairments and one-time items, charges, gains or losses from divestitures or litigation, and other items. Due to the uncertainty of the likelihood, amount and timing of any such items, the Company does not have information available to provide a quantitative reconciliation of such projection to the comparable GAAP measure.

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, with the exception of projected adjusted operating EBITDA. Non-GAAP measures should not be considered a substitute for financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP.

Web site
www.wm.com

Analysts
Ed Egl
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Media
Janette Micelli
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