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

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) has earned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the eight brokerages that are covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and seven have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $164.25.

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $174.00 to $161.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Stephens restated 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. Barclays reduced their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $160.00 to $149.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 7th. StockNews.com upgraded Advanced Drainage Systems from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 5th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded Advanced Drainage Systems from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $155.00 price target for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Advanced Drainage Systems

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. CIBC Asset Management Inc raised its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 3.6% during the third quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 2,271 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $357,000 after buying an additional 79 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a. grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.7% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 781 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $90,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.0% in the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,005 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $116,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 4.8% in the third quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,411 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $379,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 7.4% in the fourth quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 1,812 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $231,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. 89.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Advanced Drainage Systems Price Performance

WMS stock opened at $114.96 on Monday. 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 52-week low of $101.90 and a 52-week high of $184.27. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $119.00 and its two-hundred day moving average is $134.50. The company has a market capitalization of $8.92 billion, a PE ratio of 19.22, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.61.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 EPS 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%. Analysts predict that Advanced Drainage Systems will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend 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%.

Advanced Drainage Systems Company Profile

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.