Waste Management, Inc. (WM) Cash Flow Statement
Where WM’s cash came from and went, 2025
December 31, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $6.04B +12.1% vs 2024
- Capital expenditures
- $3.23B 12.8% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- $2.82B 11.2% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $1.33B 47% of free cash flow
- Change in cash
- −$190.0M cash at year-end $297.0M
Cash from operations
$6.04B
Capital expenditures
−$3.23B
Acquisitions & other
−$339.0M
Dividends
−$1.33B
Share buybacks (net)
+$61.0M
Net borrowing (repayment)
−$1.33B
Other financing
−$67.0M
Change in cash
−$190.0M
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
WM operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
Operating cash flowCapital expendituresFree cash flowFCF margin (right axis)
WM cash flow trends, 2016–2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $3.00B2016 | $6.04B2025 | +8.1%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $1.34B2016 | $3.23B2025 | +10.3%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | $1.62B2016 | $2.82B2025 | +6.3%/yr | |
| Free cash flow margin | 11.9%2016 | 11.2%2025 | −0.7 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 2.542016 | 2.232025 | −0.31 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $90.0M2016 | $169.0M2025 | +7.3%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $726.0M2016 | $1.33B2025 | +7.0%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $725.0M2016 | $02025 | −100.0% | |
| Capex / revenue | 9.8%2016 | 12.8%2025 | +3.0 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
WM cash flow by activity
OperatingInvestingFinancingChange in cash
WM net income vs operating cash flow
Net incomeOperating cash flow
Operating cash flow above net income usually means earnings are backed by cash (depreciation and stock-based pay are non-cash expenses).
WM cash flow statement
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | $2.71B | $2.75B | $2.28B | $2.24B | $1.82B | $1.50B | $1.67B | $1.92B | $1.95B | $1.18B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $735.0M | $2.40B | $2.20B | $1.28B | $2.00B | $1.67B | $1.57B | $1.48B | $1.38B | $1.30B |
| Stock-based compensation | $169.0M | $118.0M | $93.0M | $84.0M | $108.0M | $94.0M | $86.0M | $89.0M | $101.0M | $90.0M |
| Change in working capital | −$513.0M | −$31.0M | −$251.0M | −$145.0M | $126.0M | −$327.0M | $80.0M | −$29.0M | −$201.0M | $77.0M |
| Other non-cash items | $2.94B | $158.0M | $400.0M | $1.07B | $288.0M | $469.0M | $463.0M | $110.0M | −$45.0M | $355.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $6.04B | $5.39B | $4.72B | $4.54B | $4.34B | $3.40B | $3.87B | $3.57B | $3.18B | $3.00B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$3.23B | −$3.23B | −$2.90B | −$2.59B | −$1.90B | −$1.63B | −$1.82B | −$1.69B | −$1.51B | −$1.34B |
| Investments (net) | — | −$10.60B | −$3.03B | −$3.06B | −$1.89B | −$4.85B | −$2.38B | −$2.17B | −$1.38B | −$21.0M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$339.0M | $3.23B | $2.84B | $2.59B | $1.90B | $1.63B | $1.82B | $1.69B | $1.27B | −$572.0M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$3.57B | −$10.60B | −$3.09B | −$3.06B | −$1.89B | −$4.85B | −$2.38B | −$2.17B | −$1.62B | −$1.93B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$1.33B | −$1.21B | −$1.14B | −$1.08B | −$970.0M | −$927.0M | −$876.0M | −$802.0M | −$750.0M | −$726.0M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | $61.0M | −$262.0M | −$1.30B | −$1.50B | −$1.35B | −$402.0M | −$248.0M | −$1.00B | −$750.0M | −$725.0M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | −$1.33B | $6.71B | $912.0M | $1.36B | −$456.0M | −$239.0M | $3.06B | $313.0M | −$375.0M | $373.0M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$67.0M | −$81.0M | $2.0M | $1.0M | −$124.0M | $9.0M | $23.0M | −$15.0M | $514.0M | −$6.0M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$2.67B | $5.16B | −$1.52B | −$1.22B | −$2.90B | −$1.56B | $1.96B | −$1.51B | −$1.36B | −$1.08B |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$190.0M | −$65.0M | $107.0M | $251.0M | −$454.0M | −$3.00B | $3.46B | −$110.0M | −$10.0M | $55.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $297.0M | $487.0M | $552.0M | $445.0M | $194.0M | $648.0M | $3.65B | $183.0M | $22.0M | $94.0M |
| Free cash flow | $2.82B | $2.16B | $1.82B | $1.95B | $2.43B | $1.77B | $2.06B | $1.88B | $1.67B | $1.62B |
| Free cash flow margin | 11.2% | 9.8% | 8.9% | 9.9% | 13.6% | 11.6% | 13.3% | 12.6% | 11.5% | 11.9% |
| Capex / revenue | 12.8% | 14.6% | 14.2% | 13.1% | 10.6% | 10.7% | 11.8% | 11.4% | 10.4% | 9.8% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 2.23 | 1.96 | 2.07 | 2.02 | 2.39 | 2.27 | 2.32 | 1.86 | 1.63 | 2.54 |
| Jun '26 | Mar '26 | Dec '25 | Sep '25 | Jun '25 | Mar '25 | Dec '24 | Sep '24 | Jun '24 | Mar '24 | Dec '23 | Sep '23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $786.0M | $723.0M | $742.0M | $603.0M | $727.0M | $637.0M | $597.0M | $760.0M | $680.0M | $708.0M | $469.0M | $662.0M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $777.0M | $735.0M | $806.0M | $764.0M | $744.0M | $691.0M | $686.0M | $591.0M | $576.0M | $547.0M | $559.0M | $331.0M |
| Stock-based compensation | −$52.0M | $52.0M | $34.0M | −$1.0M | −$100.0M | $51.0M | $34.0M | $27.0M | $27.0M | $30.0M | $22.0M | $24.0M |
| Change in working capital | $72.0M | −$180.0M | −$41.0M | −$205.0M | $237.0M | −$237.0M | $123.0M | −$65.0M | −$98.0M | $9.0M | $42.0M | −$33.0M |
| Other non-cash items | $143.0M | $171.0M | $157.0M | $431.0M | −$63.0M | $66.0M | $71.0M | $45.0M | −$31.0M | $73.0M | $290.0M | $279.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $1.73B | $1.50B | $1.70B | $1.59B | $1.54B | $1.21B | $1.51B | $1.36B | $1.15B | $1.37B | $1.38B | $1.26B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$630.0M | −$650.0M | −$888.0M | −$776.0M | −$732.0M | −$831.0M | −$1.11B | −$781.0M | −$667.0M | −$668.0M | −$1.04B | −$673.0M |
| Investments (net) | — | — | — | −$784.0M | −$1.09B | −$829.0M | −$7.76B | −$480.0M | −$1.60B | −$755.0M | −$1.08B | −$668.0M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$66.0M | −$81.0M | $21.0M | $776.0M | $732.0M | $831.0M | $1.11B | $781.0M | $667.0M | $668.0M | $1.04B | −$666.0M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$696.0M | −$731.0M | −$867.0M | −$784.0M | −$1.09B | −$829.0M | −$7.76B | −$480.0M | −$1.60B | −$755.0M | −$1.08B | −$2.01B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$379.0M | −$385.0M | −$333.0M | −$332.0M | −$333.0M | −$336.0M | −$301.0M | −$301.0M | −$301.0M | −$307.0M | −$281.0M | −$283.0M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$659.0M | −$344.0M | −$1.0M | $54.0M | $50.0M | $25.0M | −$209.0M | −$220.0M | −$12.0M | −$250.0M | −$312.0M | −$370.0M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $416.0M | −$77.0M | −$517.0M | −$717.0M | $71.0M | −$170.0M | $6.41B | −$133.0M | — | — | — | $46.0M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$9.0M | −$15.0M | $8.0M | −$54.0M | −$33.0M | −$55.0M | $155.0M | $215.0M | $586.0M | −$180.0M | $594.0M | $1.0M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$631.0M | −$821.0M | −$843.0M | −$1.05B | −$245.0M | −$536.0M | $6.06B | −$439.0M | $273.0M | −$737.0M | $1.0M | −$606.0M |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $393.0M | −$52.0M | −$34.0M | −$244.0M | $221.0M | −$156.0M | −$200.0M | $441.0M | −$179.0M | −$127.0M | $302.0M | −$13.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $638.0M | $245.0M | $201.0M | $308.0M | $552.0M | $331.0M | $487.0M | $687.0M | $246.0M | $425.0M | $552.0M | $250.0M |
| Free cash flow | $1.10B | $851.0M | $810.0M | $816.0M | $813.0M | $377.0M | $396.0M | $577.0M | $487.0M | $699.0M | $340.0M | $590.0M |
| Free cash flow margin | 16.4% | 13.7% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.6% | 6.3% | 6.7% | 10.3% | 9.0% | 13.5% | 6.5% | 11.4% |
| Capex / revenue | 9.4% | 10.4% | 14.1% | 12.0% | 11.4% | 13.8% | 18.9% | 13.9% | 12.3% | 12.9% | 20.0% | 12.9% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 2.20 | 2.08 | 2.29 | 2.64 | 2.13 | 1.90 | 2.53 | 1.79 | 1.70 | 1.93 | 2.95 | 1.91 |
Negative numbers are cash paid out. Quarterly columns are labeled by the month the quarter ended. Figures in U.S. dollars as reported; data from EODHD.
WM cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), Waste Management generated $6.0 billion of cash from operations (up 12.1%) and spent $3.2 billion on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of $2.8 billion, 11.2% of revenue. It returned $1.3 billion to shareholders through dividends ($1.3 billion) and net share buybacks ($0). Cash and equivalents fell by $190.0 million over the year.
Related: WM income statement, WM balance sheet, WM dividend history. See the WM stock overview for the latest quote and news.
WM cash flow FAQ
What is Waste Management's free cash flow?
Waste Management's free cash flow was $2.8 billion in fiscal 2025: $6.0 billion of operating cash flow minus $3.2 billion of capital expenditures It was $2.2 billion a year earlier..
How much cash does Waste Management generate from operations?
Waste Management generated $6.0 billion of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025, 2.23 times its net income of $2.7 billion.
How much does Waste Management spend on capital expenditures?
Waste Management spent $3.2 billion on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 12.8% of revenue, compared with $3.2 billion the year before.
How much does Waste Management pay in dividends?
Waste Management paid $1.3 billion in dividends in fiscal 2025, 47.4% of free cash flow.