Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) Receives Average Rating of "Moderate Buy" from Brokerages

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS - Get Free Report) has received an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the eight ratings firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and seven have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $139.88.

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. UBS Group dropped their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $155.00 to $146.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. They issued a "buy" rating and a $134.00 target price for the company. KeyCorp reduced their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $135.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Thursday, May 22nd. Finally, Stephens restated an "equal weight" rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Friday, February 7th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Advanced Drainage Systems

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.7% during the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 781 shares of the construction company's stock worth $90,000 after buying an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.0% in the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,005 shares of the construction company's stock worth $116,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. US Bancorp DE boosted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 5.7% in the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 2,017 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $219,000 after acquiring an additional 109 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 76.2% during the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 266 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CIBC Asset Management Inc lifted its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 5.2% during the fourth quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 2,390 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $276,000 after purchasing an additional 119 shares during the last quarter. 89.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Advanced Drainage Systems Price Performance

Shares of Advanced Drainage Systems stock traded up $3.50 during trading on Friday, hitting $111.70. 707,545 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 602,632. 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 firm's fifty day moving average price is $110.24 and its 200 day moving average price is $117.17. Advanced Drainage Systems has a twelve month low of $93.92 and a twelve month high of $179.57. The company has a market cap of $8.67 billion, a PE ratio of 18.68, a PEG ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.31.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 15th. The construction company reported $1.03 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.09 by ($0.06). The firm had revenue of $615.76 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $653.22 million. Advanced Drainage Systems had a net margin of 15.90% and a return on equity of 35.79%. Advanced Drainage Systems's quarterly revenue was down 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.23 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Advanced Drainage Systems will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be paid a $0.18 dividend. This is a positive change from Advanced Drainage Systems's previous quarterly dividend of $0.16. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.64%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 30th. Advanced Drainage Systems's dividend payout ratio is currently 12.50%.

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.