Segment and Related Information

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

Segment and Related Information

Segment and Related Information

7.    Segment and Related Information

Our senior management evaluates, oversees and manages the financial performance of our business through four reportable segments, referred to as (i) East Tier; (ii) West Tier; (iii) Recycling Processing and Sales and (iv) WM Renewable Energy. Our East and West Tier, along with Other Ancillary services not managed through our Tier segments, but that support our collection and disposal operations, form our “Collection and Disposal” businesses. We also provide additional services not managed through our four reportable segments, which are presented as Corporate and Other.

Summarized financial information concerning our reportable segments is shown in the following table (in millions):

	Gross		Intercompany		Net		Income
	Operating		Operating		Operating		from
	Revenues		Revenues(a)		Revenues		Operations(b)
Three Months Ended June 30:
2024
Collection and Disposal:
East Tier	$	2,751	$	(573)	$	2,178	$	692
West Tier		2,616		(540)		2,076		674
Other Ancillary		713		(45)		668		(7)
Collection and Disposal		6,080		(1,158)		4,922		1,359
Recycling Processing and Sales		475		(70)		405		29
WM Renewable Energy		70		(1)		69		18
Corporate and Other		12		(6)		6		(397)
Total	$	6,637	$	(1,235)	$	5,402	$	1,009
2023
Collection and Disposal:
East Tier	$	2,673	$	(550)	$	2,123	$	599
West Tier		2,512		(524)		1,988		576
Other Ancillary		672		(49)		623		(2)
Collection and Disposal		5,857		(1,123)		4,734		1,173
Recycling Processing and Sales		394		(78)		316		24
WM Renewable Energy		63		(1)		62		14
Corporate and Other		14		(7)		7		(267)
Total	$	6,328	$	(1,209)	$	5,119	$	944

	Gross		Intercompany		Net		Income
	Operating		Operating		Operating		from
	Revenues		Revenues(a)		Revenues		Operations(b)
Six Months Ended June 30:
2024
Collection and Disposal:
East Tier	$	5,367	$	(1,108)	$	4,259	$	1,346
West Tier		5,113		(1,044)		4,069		1,301
Other Ancillary		1,399		(89)		1,310		(9)
Collection and Disposal		11,879		(2,241)		9,638		2,638
Recycling Processing and Sales		911		(138)		773		48
WM Renewable Energy		140		(2)		138		39
Corporate and Other		24		(12)		12		(700)
Total	$	12,954	$	(2,393)	$	10,561	$	2,025
2023
Collection and Disposal:
East Tier	$	5,234	$	(1,066)	$	4,168	$	1,130
West Tier		4,904		(1,019)		3,885		1,107
Other Ancillary		1,297		(93)		1,204		—
Collection and Disposal		11,435		(2,178)		9,257		2,237
Recycling Processing and Sales		768		(158)		610		37
WM Renewable Energy		133		(2)		131		34
Corporate and Other		26		(13)		13		(539)
Total	$	12,362	$	(2,351)	$	10,011	$	1,769

(a) Intercompany operating revenues reflect each segment’s total intercompany sales, including intercompany sales within a segment and between segments. Transactions within and between segments are generally made on a basis intended to reflect the market value of the service.

(b) For those items included in the determination of income from operations, the accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in Note 1.

The mix of operating revenues from our major lines of business are as follows (in millions):

	Gross		Intercompany		Net
	Operating		Operating		Operating
	Revenues		Revenues (a)		Revenues
Three Months Ended June 30:
2024
Commercial	$	1,526	$	(196)	$	1,330
Industrial		978		(199)		779
Residential		886		(23)		863
Other collection		781		(52)		729
Total collection		4,171		(470)		3,701
Landfill		1,291		(418)		873
Transfer		618		(270)		348
Total Collection and Disposal		6,080		(1,158)		4,922
Recycling Processing and Sales		475		(70)		405
WM Renewable Energy		70		(1)		69
Corporate and Other		12		(6)		6
Total	$	6,637	$	(1,235)	$	5,402
2023
Commercial	$	1,424	$	(168)	$	1,256
Industrial		974		(192)		782
Residential		866		(25)		841
Other collection		745		(56)		689
Total collection		4,009		(441)		3,568
Landfill		1,263		(417)		846
Transfer		585		(265)		320
Total Collection and Disposal		5,857		(1,123)		4,734
Recycling Processing and Sales		394		(78)		316
WM Renewable Energy		63		(1)		62
Corporate and Other		14		(7)		7
Total	$	6,328	$	(1,209)	$	5,119

	Gross		Intercompany		Net
	Operating		Operating		Operating
	Revenues		Revenues		Revenues
Six Months Ended June 30:
2024
Commercial	$	3,027	$	(381)	$	2,646
Industrial		1,912		(386)		1,526
Residential		1,762		(45)		1,717
Other collection		1,532		(105)		1,427
Total collection		8,233		(917)		7,316
Landfill		2,468		(803)		1,665
Transfer		1,178		(521)		657
Total Collection and Disposal		11,879		(2,241)		9,638
Recycling Processing and Sales		911		(138)		773
WM Renewable Energy		140		(2)		138
Corporate and Other		24		(12)		12
Total	$	12,954	$	(2,393)	$	10,561
2023
Commercial	$	2,836	$	(329)	$	2,507
Industrial		1,907		(369)		1,538
Residential		1,720		(50)		1,670
Other collection		1,434		(106)		1,328
Total collection		7,897		(854)		7,043
Landfill		2,413		(808)		1,605
Transfer		1,125		(516)		609
Total Collection and Disposal		11,435		(2,178)		9,257
Recycling Processing and Sales		768		(158)		610
WM Renewable Energy		133		(2)		131
Corporate and Other		26		(13)		13
Total	$	12,362	$	(2,351)	$	10,011

Our financial and operating results may fluctuate for many reasons, including period-to-period changes in the relative contribution of revenue by each line of business, changes in commodity prices and general economic conditions. Our operating revenues and volumes typically experience seasonal increases in the summer months that are reflected in second and third quarter revenues and results of operations.

Service or operational disruptions caused by severe storms, extended periods of inclement weather or climate events can significantly affect the operating results of the geographic areas affected. Extreme weather events may also lead to supply chain disruption and delayed project development, or disruption of our customers’ businesses, reducing the amount of waste generated by their operations.

Conversely, certain destructive weather and climate conditions, such as wildfires in the Western U.S. and hurricanes that most often impact our operations in the Southern and Eastern U.S. during the second half of the year, can increase our revenues in the geographic areas affected as a result of the waste volumes generated by these events. While weather-related and other event-driven special projects can boost revenues through additional work for a limited time, due to significant start-up costs and other factors, such revenue can generate earnings at comparatively lower margins.