Vest Financial LLC Acquires 3,153 Shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Vest Financial LLC increased its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 47.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,788 shares of the construction company’s stock after buying an additional 3,153 shares during the quarter. Vest Financial LLC’s holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $1,538,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in WMS. Swedbank AB bought a new position in Advanced Drainage Systems in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $220,853,000. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 5.8% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,265,169 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $1,251,353,000 after acquiring an additional 395,099 shares during the period. Boston Partners raised its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 16.9% during the first quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,519,118 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $261,609,000 after acquiring an additional 219,629 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 136.2% during the second quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 312,393 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $50,105,000 after purchasing an additional 180,154 shares during the period. Finally, Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S. bought a new stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in the second quarter worth $28,870,000. 89.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on WMS shares. StockNews.com downgraded Advanced Drainage Systems from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $200.00 to $187.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Loop Capital dropped their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $188.00 to $180.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 12th. Barclays decreased their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $202.00 to $194.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 9th. Finally, Oppenheimer reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $192.00 price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $190.14.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Up 0.3 %

WMS stock opened at $157.31 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $12.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.89, a PEG ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 1.53. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $102.32 and a fifty-two week high of $184.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a current ratio of 2.89. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $152.11 and a 200-day moving average of $160.95.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The construction company reported $2.06 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.98 by $0.08. Advanced Drainage Systems had a net margin of 17.09% and a return on equity of 43.60%. The company had revenue of $815.34 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $828.00 million. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th were given a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.41%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 30th. Advanced Drainage Systems’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.13%.

Advanced Drainage Systems 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.