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RSG vs WM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Republic Services (RSG) vs. Waste Management (WM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- RSG (Republic Services) and WM (Waste Management) are the two largest North American environmental-services companies, competing across collection, recycling, landfill, and renewable-energy markets.
- Both companies are leaning on disciplined pricing to offset softer volumes, a hallmark of the defensive waste industry's pricing power.
- RSG has shown stronger recent share-price momentum, gaining roughly 10% over the past three months, while WM has traded more unevenly.
- WM carries meaningfully higher debt and is navigating a planned CEO transition, while RSG holds a relatively cleaner balance sheet.
- For more detail on each company, explore RSG Major News and RSG Today's Price Move, as well as WM Major News and WM Today's Price Move.
- To see how automated systems are positioning across these and thousands of other tickers, explore Trending AI Robots.
Introduction
Investors weighing the environmental-services sector often narrow their focus to two dominant operators: Republic Services, Inc. (RSG) and Waste Management, Inc. (WM). Both generate dependable, recurring cash flow from essential collection and disposal services, and both have expanded into higher-growth areas such as recycling, renewable natural gas, and specialized environmental solutions. This stock comparison is especially relevant for defensive and income-oriented investors who value pricing power and capital returns, as well as for traders assessing relative momentum and market positioning. While the two businesses share a similar core model, recent market activity has highlighted meaningful differences in financial leverage, growth catalysts, and near-term sentiment that are worth examining side by side.
RSG Overview and Recent Performance
Republic Services, Inc. (RSG) is the second-largest provider of non-hazardous solid waste collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal services in North America, complemented by an Environmental Solutions segment. In recent weeks, the stock has outperformed the broader sector, advancing roughly 10% over the past three months and reaching the upper end of its 52-week range.
That strength has been supported by solid fundamental execution. In its most recent quarterly report, RSG posted revenue growth of about 4.6% and adjusted earnings growth in the mid-single digits, with core pricing contributing more than 5% to total revenue. Management raised full-year revenue, adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization), and free-cash-flow guidance, and increased its dividend for a 23rd consecutive year. The company is also investing in AI-enabled pricing and routing tools and expanding its renewable natural gas and electric-vehicle fleets, initiatives it expects to deliver at least $100 million in annual cost benefits by 2028. The primary watch item remains softer volumes, particularly in construction-sensitive lines, which pricing has so far offset.
WM Overview and Recent Performance
Waste Management, Inc. (WM) is North America's largest environmental-solutions provider, operating the industry's biggest disposal network, the largest recycling footprint, and a growing renewable natural gas platform. Its acquisition of Stericycle has also established a meaningful Healthcare Solutions segment in medical waste and secure information destruction.
In recent market activity, WM has shown more mixed price behavior than its peer, trading lower over a recent one-month stretch despite reporting adjusted earnings growth of about 5% in its latest quarter. Core pricing remained strong at roughly 5.7%, and margins expanded modestly, but management narrowed its full-year revenue outlook after volumes came in softer than expected. Two additional factors have shaped sentiment: a planned leadership transition, with President John Morris set to succeed CEO Jim Fish in early 2027, and a notably higher debt load of approximately $23 billion following the Stericycle deal. These elements have kept the stock's valuation and momentum in a more contested position relative to RSG.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron's Trending AI Robots page showcases a curated selection of automated trading systems drawn from a much larger library of AI-driven bots that trade thousands of different tickers. Only the bots best suited to current market conditions earn a place in this featured section, with each bot carrying its own trading style, strategy, timeframe, performance record, and set of tickers it monitors. Because these systems run continuously and adapt to shifting price action, they offer a useful complement to fundamental research for traders tracking names like RSG and WM. Explore the Trending AI Robots page to see which automated strategies are currently positioned for today's environment.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Although RSG and WM operate in the same essential-services sector, their market positioning differs in several respects.
- Scale and diversification: WM is larger and more diversified, with a dominant landfill network and a newer healthcare segment, while RSG is more concentrated in core collection, recycling, and environmental solutions.
- Balance-sheet strength: RSG carries a lighter debt load and stronger relative liquidity, whereas WM holds roughly $23 billion in debt tied in part to its Stericycle acquisition.
- Growth catalysts: RSG is emphasizing AI-driven pricing, routing efficiency, and renewable natural gas, while WM is focused on healthcare integration, recycling automation, and renewable energy.
- Relative momentum: RSG has demonstrated stronger recent price momentum and is trading near its 52-week high, while WM has been more range-bound and recently underperformed.
- Risk factors: Both face commodity-price sensitivity in recycling and soft volumes, but WM adds integration and leadership-transition risk, while RSG trades at a premium valuation that leaves less margin for error.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, relative positioning, and balance-sheet stability, Tickeron's AI would likely express a modest preference for RSG at present. Republic Services has combined steadier recent price momentum with stronger free-cash-flow generation, a lighter debt burden, and a clearer near-term catalyst path in AI-enabled efficiency and renewable energy. WM remains a formidable operator with superior scale and long-term growth optionality, but its higher leverage, softer volume guidance, and leadership transition introduce additional near-term uncertainty. The tilt toward RSG is best understood as a probabilistic, relative view rather than a definitive call, as both companies retain defensive qualities that may appeal differently depending on an investor's timeframe and risk tolerance.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is RSG is a Buy and WM is a Buy.
RSG in upward trend: 10-day moving average broke above 50-day moving average on October 15, 2026
The 10-day moving average for RSG crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 15, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 10 of 16 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 62%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for RSG just turned positive on October 07, 2026. Looking at past instances where RSG's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 25 of 48 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 52%.
RSG moved above its 50-day moving average on October 07, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
Following a +1.04% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where RSG advanced for three days, in 183 of 351 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 52%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 162 of 296 cases where RSG Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 55%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for RSG moved out of overbought territory on November 06, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 42 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 14 of the 42 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 33%.
The Stochastic Oscillator entered the overbought zone. Expect a price pull-back in the foreseeable future.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where RSG declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 40%.
RSG broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 22, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 15 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 75, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 17 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. RSG’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 25 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 49 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 86 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (6.282) is normal, around the industry mean (47.597). P/E Ratio (34.965) is within average values for comparable stocks, (56.657). RSG's Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (2.742) is slightly higher than the industry average of (1.132). Dividend Yield (0.011) settles around the average of (0.016) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (4.031) is also within normal values, averaging (72.867).
WM in upward trend: price rose above 50-day moving average on October 15, 2026
WM moved above its 50-day moving average on October 15, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend. In 25 of 47 similar past instances, the stock price increased further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 53%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on November 10, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on WM as a result. In 41 of 83 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 49%.
The 10-day moving average for WM crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 20, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 6 of 15 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 40%.
Following a +1.55% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where WM advanced for three days, in 165 of 338 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 49%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 139 of 286 cases where WM Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 49%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for WM moved out of overbought territory on October 28, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 40 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 17 of the 40 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 43%.
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 21 of 55 cases where WM's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 38%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for WM turned negative on November 10, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 48 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In 24 of the 48 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at 50%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where WM declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 47%.
WM broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 14, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 15 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 75, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 27 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. WM’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 34 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 36 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to consistent earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 81 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (9.515) is normal, around the industry mean (47.597). P/E Ratio (33.370) is within average values for comparable stocks, (56.657). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (1.888) is also within normal values, averaging (1.132). Dividend Yield (0.016) settles around the average of (0.016) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (3.367) is also within normal values, averaging (72.867).
RSG | WM | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 37 | 43 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 86 Overvalued | 81 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 15 | 15 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 49 | 34 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 17 | 27 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 25 | 36 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
WM's Valuation (81) in the Environmental Services industry is in the same range as RSG (86). This means that WM’s stock grew similarly to RSG’s over the last 12 months.
WM's Profit vs Risk Rating (15) in the Environmental Services industry is in the same range as RSG (15). This means that WM’s stock grew similarly to RSG’s over the last 12 months.
WM's SMR Rating (34) in the Environmental Services industry is in the same range as RSG (49). This means that WM’s stock grew similarly to RSG’s over the last 12 months.
RSG's Price Growth Rating (17) in the Environmental Services industry is in the same range as WM (27). This means that RSG’s stock grew similarly to WM’s over the last 12 months.
RSG's P/E Growth Rating (25) in the Environmental Services industry is in the same range as WM (36). This means that RSG’s stock grew similarly to WM’s over the last 12 months.
| RSG | WM | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 33% | 1 day ago 43% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 43% | 1 day ago 38% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | N/A | 1 day ago 49% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 52% | 1 day ago 50% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 52% | 1 day ago 50% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 55% | 1 day ago 50% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 52% | 1 day ago 49% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 40% | 15 days ago 47% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 30% | 1 day ago 49% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 55% | 1 day ago 49% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
RSG’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green while WM’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- RSG’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- WM’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
RSG’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WM’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- RSG’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
- WM’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
RSG (@Environmental Services) experienced а +1.60% price change this week, while WM (@Environmental Services) price change was +0.75% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Environmental Services industry was +0.45%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -5.63%, and the average quarterly price growth was +1.58%.
Reported Earning Dates
RSG is expected to report earnings on Feb 23, 2027.
WM is expected to report earnings on Feb 03, 2027.
Industries' Descriptions
@Environmental Services (+0.45% weekly)Environmental Services includes companies that collect and dispose of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Their services include removal of toxic waste from soil, removing medical waste etc. Some companies also operate incinerators, sewerage systems, waste treatment plants, and landfills. Demand for waste management is likely to rise with increasing urbanization/industrialization. Waste Management, Inc., Republic Services, Inc., Waste Connections, Inc. and Tetra Tech, Inc. are some of the major companies in this business.
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RSG and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, RSG has been closely correlated with WM. These tickers have moved in lockstep 82% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if RSG jumps, then WM could also see price increases.
WM and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, WM has been closely correlated with RSG. These tickers have moved in lockstep 82% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if WM jumps, then RSG could also see price increases.