FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Waste Management Announces Fourth
Quarter and Full-Year 2012 Earnings
Company Expects Significant Cash Generation in 2013
HOUSTON February 14, 2013 Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM) today announced financial results for the
fourth quarter and for the year ended December 31, 2012. Revenues for the fourth quarter of 2012 were $3.43 billion compared with $3.41 billion for the same 2011 period. Net income (a) for the quarter was $224 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, compared with $266 million, or $0.58 per diluted
share, for the fourth quarter of 2011. Adjusting for certain items, net income would have been $267 million, or $0.57 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2012 compared with $289 million, or $0.63 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of
2011.(b)
For the full year 2012, the Company reported revenues of $13.65 billion compared with $13.38 billion for 2011. Earnings per diluted
share were $1.76 for the full year 2012 compared with $2.04 for the full year 2011. On an as-adjusted basis taking into account several items that impacted the full year results, earnings per diluted share were $2.08 for the full year 2012 and $2.14
for the full-year 2011.(b)
As-adjusted results in the fourth quarter of 2012 excluded a negative $0.09 per diluted share impact resulting from the following:
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A total of $27 million in after-tax impacts from charges for asset impairments, legal reserves and discount rate adjustments; and |
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A total of $16 million in after-tax impacts from charges for restructuring and Oakleaf integration costs. |
David P. Steiner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Waste Management, commented, Our fourth quarter was in line with our expectations. Our
internal revenue growth from yield in the fourth quarter was at its highest level for the year. This should provide a nice tailwind for improved yield in 2013 something every manager will be focused on in 2013. In addition, we continued to
see the benefit of our second quarter reorganization. These improvements were partially offset by increased costs for operations labor and repair and maintenance.
During 2012, we continued to produce strong cash flows from operating activities and return cash to our shareholders. We met our goal of $800 million to $850 million of free cash flow, generating
$829 million of free cash. We expect to grow free cash flow by 33% to 45% in 2013. We returned $658 million to our shareholders in 2013 through our dividend, which our Board has indicated will increase in 2013 to $1.46 per share annually.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER 2012 AND THE FULL YEAR 2012
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Revenue in the fourth quarter increased by 0.8%, or $28 million. For the full year, revenue increased by 2.0%, or $271 million. |
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Internal revenue growth from yield for collection and disposal operations was 0.9% for the fourth quarter and 0.8% for the full year. Adjusting for contract changes
related to the Companys South Florida waste-to-energy plants, internal revenue growth from yield for collection and disposal operations was 1.1% in the fourth quarter and 1.0% for the full year. |