Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) Position Trimmed by Principal Financial Group Inc.

Principal Financial Group Inc. decreased its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 0.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 162,801 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 1,078 shares during the quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned 0.21% of Advanced Drainage Systems worth $18,820,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Creative Planning grew its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 149.1% in the 3rd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 11,710 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,840,000 after acquiring an additional 7,009 shares during the last quarter. Swedbank AB boosted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 5.8% in the 3rd quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 1,384,276 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $217,553,000 after purchasing an additional 75,455 shares during the period. Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 418.5% in the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 897 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $144,000 after purchasing an additional 724 shares in the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC raised its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 16.8% during the 3rd quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 12,724 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $2,000,000 after buying an additional 1,834 shares during the period. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Advanced Drainage Systems during the 3rd quarter worth about $6,311,000. Institutional investors own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $174.00 to $161.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Stephens reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a $135.00 price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research report on Friday, February 7th. KeyCorp cut their target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $195.00 to $180.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Loop Capital decreased their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $170.00 to $160.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $160.00 to $149.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $164.25.

Advanced Drainage Systems Trading Down 0.3 %

NYSE WMS opened at $114.06 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 3.21, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 1-year low of $110.75 and a 1-year high of $184.27. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $119.82 and its 200-day simple moving average is $136.78. The company has a market capitalization of $8.85 billion, a PE ratio of 19.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.52.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.34 by ($0.25). Advanced Drainage Systems had a return on equity of 35.79% and a net margin of 15.90%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

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