Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the eight ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and seven have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $164.25.

Several equities analysts recently commented on the company. KeyCorp cut their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $195.00 to $180.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 11th. StockNews.com raised Advanced Drainage Systems from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 5th. Loop Capital dropped their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $170.00 to $160.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 7th. Stephens reissued an “equal weight” rating and issued a $135.00 target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Finally, Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $174.00 to $161.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 11th.

Institutional Trading of Advanced Drainage Systems

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 63.2% during the fourth quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 2,064,527 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $238,659,000 after acquiring an additional 799,569 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Advanced Drainage Systems during the fourth quarter worth approximately $86,185,000. Impax Asset Management Group plc increased its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 34.6% during the fourth quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 2,530,000 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $291,723,000 after buying an additional 650,052 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP increased its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 45.8% during the fourth quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,732,827 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $200,315,000 after buying an additional 544,109 shares during the last quarter. Finally, T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in Advanced Drainage Systems during the fourth quarter worth approximately $46,997,000. 89.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Performance

WMS opened at $114.96 on Monday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $119.00 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $134.50. The company has a quick ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 3.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. Advanced Drainage Systems has a 12-month low of $101.90 and a 12-month high of $184.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.61.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.34 by ($0.25). Advanced Drainage Systems had a return on equity of 35.79% and a net margin of 15.90%. On average, equities analysts forecast that Advanced Drainage Systems will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.56%. Advanced Drainage Systems’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.70%.

About Advanced Drainage Systems

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc designs, manufactures, and markets thermoplastic corrugated pipes and related water management products in North America and internationally. The company operates through Pipe, International, Infiltrator, and Allied Products & Other segments. It offers single, double, and triple wall corrugated polypropylene and polyethylene pipes; plastic leachfield chambers and systems; EZflow synthetic aggregate bundles; wastewater purification through mechanical aeration wastewater for residential and commercial systems; septic tanks and accessories; combined treatment and dispersal systems, including advanced enviro-septic and advanced treatment leachfield systems; and allied products, including storm retention/detention and septic chambers, polyvinyl chloride drainage structures, fittings, and water quality filters and separators.