NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors have been attracted to Waste Management Inc's
Waste Management's revenue, earnings, margins and cash flow have been stagnant for years as many investors seem content collecting a 4 percent annual yield on the stock, Barron's said.
It said a Waste Management spokeswoman noted that the company already has started to slow its rate of dividend increases. After two years of 10-cent increases, the payout was up 6 cents a share in 2012 from 2011.
"With smaller increases, the stock is likely dead money at best, and is at risk of falling 10 percent to 15 percent toward $30 if the company's habit of missing profit expectations continues," the Barron's report said.
Waste Management closed at $35.66 per share on Friday.
The dividend consumes most of Waste Management's net income and free cash flow, Barron's said. It said a few corporate insiders had sold about 180,000 shares during the past six months near current prices instead of holding them for the attractive dividend.
(Reporting By Grant McCool; Editing by Maureen Bavdek)


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