WM vs. LOW
WM (Waste Management, Inc.) and LOW (Lowe's Companies, Inc.) are both stocks. WM operates in Waste Management (Industrials), while LOW operates in Home Improvement Retail (Consumer Cyclical). Over the past 10 years, WM returned 15.36%/yr vs 13.33%/yr for LOW. At a 0.26 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
WM vs. LOW - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, WM achieves a 0.71% return, which is significantly higher than LOW's -7.60% return. Over the past 10 years, WM has outperformed LOW with an annualized return of 15.36%, while LOW has yielded a comparatively lower 13.33% annualized return.
WM
- 1D
- 0.30%
- 1M
- 0.26%
- YTD
- 0.71%
- 6M
- 2.63%
- 1Y
- -5.72%
- 3Y*
- 12.33%
- 5Y*
- 11.14%
- 10Y*
- 15.36%
LOW
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- 1.08%
- YTD
- -7.60%
- 6M
- -9.89%
- 1Y
- 3.61%
- 3Y*
- 2.50%
- 5Y*
- 4.93%
- 10Y*
- 13.33%
WM vs. LOW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WM Waste Management, Inc. | 0.71% | 10.50% | 14.28% | 16.20% | -4.49% | 43.82% | 5.46% | 30.45% | 5.32% | 24.46% |
LOW Lowe's Companies, Inc. | -7.60% | -0.33% | 13.01% | 14.03% | -21.49% | 63.34% | 36.40% | 32.23% | 1.22% | 33.29% |
Correlation
The correlation between WM and LOW is 0.17, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 30, 1991 | 0.26 |
The correlation between WM and LOW shifts across timeframes, from 0.17 (1 year) to 0.33 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
WM:
$88.75B
LOW:
$123.64B
WM:
$6.91
LOW:
$11.86
WM:
31.76
LOW:
18.62
WM:
2.60
LOW:
20.34
WM:
3.49
LOW:
1.40
WM:
$25.41B
LOW:
$88.43B
WM:
$5.61B
LOW:
$29.89B
WM:
$6.96B
LOW:
$11.50B
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Return for Risk
WM vs. LOW — Risk / Return Rank
WM
LOW
WM vs. LOW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Waste Management, Inc. (WM) and Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| WM | LOW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.34 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.55 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.96 | 1.03 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.36 | 0.03 | -0.39 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.79 | 0.06 | -0.85 |
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Drawdowns
WM vs. LOW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum WM drawdown since its inception was -77.85%, which is greater than LOW's maximum drawdown of -62.52%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WM and LOW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| WM | LOW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -77.85% | -62.52% | -15.33% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.70% | -27.75% | +11.05% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.14% | -27.75% | +9.61% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.14% | -33.86% | +15.72% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.07% | -48.63% | +18.56% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.24% | -22.81% | +12.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.69% | -16.60% | -1.09% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.58% | 12.31% | -4.73% |
Volatility
WM vs. LOW - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Waste Management, Inc. (WM) is 6.13%, while Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) has a volatility of 8.08%. This indicates that WM experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than LOW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| WM | LOW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.13% | 8.08% | -1.95% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.08% | 20.39% | -6.31% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.03% | 26.16% | -7.13% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.62% | 26.23% | -7.61% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.54% | 29.17% | -9.63% |
Dividends
WM vs. LOW - Dividend Comparison
WM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.61%, less than LOW's 2.17% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LOW Lowe's Companies, Inc. | 2.17% | 1.95% | 1.82% | 1.93% | 1.86% | 1.08% | 1.40% | 1.72% | 1.93% | 1.64% | 1.77% | 1.34% |
WM Waste Management, Inc. | 1.61% | 1.50% | 1.49% | 1.56% | 1.66% | 1.38% | 1.85% | 1.80% | 2.09% | 1.97% | 2.31% | 2.89% |
Financials
WM vs. LOW - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Waste Management, Inc. and Lowe's Companies, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
WM vs. LOW - Profitability Comparison
WM - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Waste Management, Inc. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 6.23B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
LOW - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lowe's Companies, Inc. reported a gross profit of 7.54B and revenue of 23.08B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 32.7%.
WM - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Waste Management, Inc. reported an operating income of 1.11B and revenue of 6.23B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.9%.
LOW - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lowe's Companies, Inc. reported an operating income of 2.55B and revenue of 23.08B, resulting in an operating margin of 11.1%.
WM - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Waste Management, Inc. reported a net income of 723.00M and revenue of 6.23B, resulting in a net margin of 11.6%.
LOW - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lowe's Companies, Inc. reported a net income of 1.63B and revenue of 23.08B, resulting in a net margin of 7.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
WM and LOW have a correlation of 0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
LOW has higher volatility (8.08%) compared to WM (6.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WM dropped -77.85% vs LOW's -62.52%.
LOW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.03 vs -0.32), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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