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

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) has been assigned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the seven brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and six have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $170.29.

Several research analysts have commented on WMS shares. Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective on shares of 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. Loop Capital lowered their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $170.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 11th. Stephens restated an “equal weight” rating and set a $135.00 price objective (down from $170.00) on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th. Barclays decreased their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $194.00 to $172.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, Oppenheimer dropped their target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $192.00 to $184.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 11th.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Performance

WMS opened at $115.58 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 2.15 and a current ratio of 3.19. Advanced Drainage Systems has a 52-week low of $113.88 and a 52-week high of $184.27. The firm has a market cap of $8.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.48. The business’s fifty day moving average is $134.66 and its 200-day moving average is $149.62.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 8th. The construction company reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.93 by ($0.23). The firm had revenue of $782.60 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $819.41 million. Advanced Drainage Systems had a return on equity of 40.31% and a net margin of 16.89%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up .3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.71 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Advanced Drainage Systems will post 6.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 2nd were paid a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.55%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 2nd. Advanced Drainage Systems’s payout ratio is 10.19%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. National Bank of Canada FI acquired a new position in Advanced Drainage Systems in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Huntington National Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 123.1% during the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 386 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 213 shares during the period. Millburn Ridgefield Corp grew its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 642.4% in the third quarter. Millburn Ridgefield Corp now owns 490 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $77,000 after purchasing an additional 424 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC increased its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.1% in the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 555 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $87,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the period. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. raised its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 20.5% during the 3rd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 693 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $109,000 after purchasing an additional 118 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

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.