Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) Upgraded at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Saturday.

A number of other research analysts also recently weighed in on WMS. Barclays reduced their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $160.00 to $149.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 7th. UBS Group upgraded Advanced Drainage Systems from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $155.00 target price on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. KeyCorp reduced their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $195.00 to $180.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 11th. Oppenheimer reduced their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $192.00 to $184.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, Robert W. Baird reduced their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $174.00 to $161.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 11th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $164.25.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of NYSE:WMS opened at $114.06 on Friday. Advanced Drainage Systems has a 1 year low of $110.75 and a 1 year high of $184.27. The company has a market cap of $8.85 billion, a PE ratio of 19.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 3.21 and a quick ratio of 1.98. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $119.82 and its 200 day moving average is $136.78.

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

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Advanced Drainage Systems

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of WMS. Huntington National Bank increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 123.1% in the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 386 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 213 shares in the last quarter. Millburn Ridgefield Corp increased its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 642.4% in the 3rd quarter. Millburn Ridgefield Corp now owns 490 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $77,000 after buying an additional 424 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC increased its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.1% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 555 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $87,000 after buying an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. increased its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.7% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 781 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $90,000 after buying an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Spire Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Advanced Drainage Systems in the 4th quarter worth $94,000. 89.83% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.