Who Owns Stericycle?
Stericycle is owned by Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM), which acquired the company in November 2024 for approximately $7.2 billion. Founded in 1989 and previously headquartered in Bannockburn, Illinois, Stericycle is the leading provider of regulated medical waste and compliance services in North America, plus secure information destruction through its Shred-it legacy. It now anchors WM's Healthcare Solutions segment, which generated about $2.5 billion in FY2025 revenue.
Parent Company
Acquired
2024
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
Stericycle Timeline
GlobalOfficial Website
Who Owns Stericycle?
- Parent Company: Waste Management, Inc.
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 2024
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: WM
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Stericycle | Waste Management, Inc. | Wholly owned |
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History of Stericycle
- Founded: 1989
- Founders: James Sharp
- Acquired by Waste Management, Inc.: 2024
Stericycle was founded in 1989 to serve the then-new market for regulated medical waste disposal created by the Medical Waste Tracking Act of 1988. It grew through acquisitions — including its 1999 combination with medical waste operations of Browning-Ferris — into the dominant US regulated waste services company, listing on NASDAQ under SRCL.
The company expanded into secure document destruction with its 2015 acquisition of Shred-it International for approximately $2.3 billion, making information destruction a second major line alongside hospital, clinic, pharmacy, and laboratory waste services.
WM announced the acquisition in June 2024 and closed it in November 2024 for approximately $7.2 billion. Integration through 2025 involved ERP migrations and customer churn — the segment returned to year-over-year revenue and EBITDA growth by Q3 2026, with WM targeting roughly $300 million in synergies by mid-2027.
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About Waste Management, Inc.
What does Waste Management own?
WM owns the largest network of landfills, transfer stations, collection routes, and recycling facilities in North America, plus landfill gas-to-energy plants and the Stericycle healthcare waste business acquired in 2024.
Is Waste Management publicly traded?
Yes. Waste Management, Inc. trades on the NYSE under ticker WM and is a component of the S&P 500.
Who founded Waste Management?
Wayne Huizenga and Dean Buntrock built the company in 1968 by consolidating independent waste hauling businesses in the Chicago area. In 1998 USA Waste Services acquired the company and kept the Waste Management name.
Who is the CEO of Waste Management?
Jim Fish has been CEO since November 2016. He retires on January 4, 2027, when President John Morris becomes CEO and joins the board of directors.
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What is Waste Management's revenue?
Waste Management reported FY2025 revenue of $25.2 billion, up from $22.1 billion in 2024. Net income was $2.7 billion and adjusted operating EBITDA reached a record $7.58 billion.
Why did Waste Management change its name to WM?
The company rebranded to WM in 2022 to reflect a broader environmental solutions strategy covering recycling, renewable energy, and healthcare waste, rather than waste collection and disposal alone.
How many people does Waste Management employ?
Approximately 60,500 full-time employees as of December 31, 2025, including about 53,600 in the United States and 6,900 outside the country, primarily in Canada.
- Founded: 1968
- Headquarters: Houston, Texas, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NYSE: WM
- Revenue: $25.2 billion (FY2025)
- Employees: approximately 60,500
Where Is Stericycle Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Houston, Texas, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States, Canada, Ireland
Stericycle Categories & Tags
Stericycle Recalls & Controversies
ERP integration disruptions: Post-acquisition ERP migrations through 2025 caused billing issues and customer churn before stabilizing in 2026.
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Incineration scrutiny: Medical waste incinerators face periodic environmental opposition and emissions regulation — the principal community-facing issue in the category.
Historical pricing litigation: Stericycle previously settled class-action claims over pricing practices and automatic contract renewals, the sector's most common legal exposure.
Brands Owned by Waste Management, Inc.
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Stericycle Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Category leader in compliance-driven regulated medical waste
- +Backed by WM's $25.2 billion scale and logistics network
- +Recurring contract-based revenue
- +Cross-selling into WM's commercial customer base
Considerations
- -Post-acquisition churn and ERP issues cost customers in 2025
- -Incineration emissions face community and regulatory pressure
- -Document destruction competes with cheaper digitization trends
- -Integration execution risk continues into 2027
Frequently Asked Questions About Stericycle
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Sources & Further Reading
Competitors to Stericycle
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Services | USA | 1999 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Waste Management | USA | 1968 | Mass market | United states | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
Conglomerates IndustrialRepublic Services
Owned by Republic Services, Inc.
Second-largest waste collection and recycling brand in North America, serving roughly 13 million customers as the consumer-facing identity of Republic Services, Inc.
waste-managementrecyclingtrash-collection
Conglomerates IndustrialWM
Owned by Waste Management, Inc.
Master brand of Waste Management, Inc., North America's largest waste collection, disposal, and recycling provider, rebranded to WM in 2022.
waste-managementrecyclingenvironmental-services
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Stericycle competes with 2 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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Independent Alternatives to Stericycle
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by Waste Management, Inc., giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsBand-Aid
Owned by Kenvue
American adhesive bandage brand invented in 1921, owned by Kenvue Inc. Band-Aid is the leading adhesive bandage brand in the United States and is sold in more than 100 countries.
wound-careadhesive-bandagefirst-aid
Privately Owned
Band-Aid is privately owned, unlike Stericycle which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsBenadryl
Owned by Kenvue
American brand of antihistamine medication used to treat allergies, itching, and cold symptoms, manufactured and marketed by Johnson & Johnson.
antihistamineallergy-reliefcold-medicine
Privately Owned
Benadryl is privately owned, unlike Stericycle which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsBoots
Owned by Walgreens Boots Alliance
Boots is the UK's leading pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer, founded in 1849, now operating as The Boots Group under Sycamore Partners since August 2025.
pharmacyhealth-beautyuk-retail
Privately Owned
Boots is privately owned, unlike Stericycle which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsDuane Reade
Owned by Walgreens Boots Alliance
Duane Reade is a New York City drugstore chain owned by Walgreen Co. under Sycamore Partners, operating approximately 90 stores across the five boroughs.
pharmacydrugstorenew-york
Privately Owned
Duane Reade is privately owned, unlike Stericycle which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsMotrin
Owned by Kenvue
American brand of ibuprofen pain relief medication owned by Kenvue, the consumer health spinoff from Johnson & Johnson, which is being acquired by Kimberly-Clark in a $40 billion deal announced in November 2025.
pain-reliefibuprofenanti-inflammatory
Privately Owned
Motrin is privately owned, unlike Stericycle which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Healthcare PharmaceuticalsNeosporin
Owned by Kenvue
American brand of over-the-counter first aid antibiotic ointment containing bacitracin, neomycin, and polymyxin B. Owned by Kenvue (NYSE: KVUE) since the August 2023 spin-off from Johnson & Johnson.
antibiotic-ointmentwound-caretopical
Privately Owned
Neosporin is privately owned, unlike Stericycle which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Waste Management, Inc. Stock Information
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