During the fourth quarter of 2009, Houston-based Waste Management posted a net income of $315 million on revenues of $3.01 billion. In the same period in 2008, the firm posted a net income of $218 million on revenues of $3.11 billion.

For all of 2009, Waste Management posted a net income of $994 million on $11.79 billion in revenue. In 2008, the firm posted a net income of $1.09 billion on $13.39 billion in revenue.

Phoenix-based Republic Services posted a net income of $35.6 million on revenues of $2 billion during the fourth quarter of 2009. During the same period in 2008, the firm posted a net loss of $131.7 million on revenues of $1.24 billion.

For all of 2009, Republic posted a net income of $495 million on $8.20 billion in revenue. In 2008, the firm posted a net income of $73.8 million on $3.7 billion in revenue.

Bear in mind that Republic's figures are impacted by the firm's acquisition of Allied Waste Industries, which was finalized in December 2008.

During the fourth quarter of last year, Waste Connections took in $309.9 million in revenue and posted a net income of $23.6 million. In the same period in 2008, Waste Connections brought in $259.6 million in revenue and posted a net income of $28.5 million.

During all of 2009, the firm took in $1.2 billion in revenue and made a net income of $109.8 million. Both figures are increases from 2008, when Waste Connections brought in $1.05 billion in revenue and made a net income of $102.9 million.