Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) Given Consensus Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS - Get Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" by the nine brokerages that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and eight have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $153.78.

Several analysts recently commented on WMS shares. Stephens reissued an "equal weight" rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Friday, February 7th. UBS Group raised Advanced Drainage Systems from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $155.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. StockNews.com lowered Advanced Drainage Systems from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 1st. Barclays decreased their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $149.00 to $130.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 8th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. They set a "buy" rating and a $134.00 price objective on the stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of WMS. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS increased its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 6.6% in the first quarter. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS now owns 160,595 shares of the construction company's stock worth $17,449,000 after buying an additional 9,950 shares during the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC raised its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 110.7% during the first quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 670 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $73,000 after buying an additional 352 shares in the last quarter. Edgestream Partners L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in the first quarter worth about $5,585,000. ELCO Management Co. LLC boosted its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 115.4% during the 1st quarter. ELCO Management Co. LLC now owns 4,995 shares of the construction company's stock worth $543,000 after acquiring an additional 2,676 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Isthmus Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 5.5% in the 1st quarter. Isthmus Partners LLC now owns 2,875 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $312,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. 89.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Advanced Drainage Systems Price Performance

Shares of Advanced Drainage Systems stock traded up $2.59 on Tuesday, hitting $116.20. The company had a trading volume of 182,535 shares, compared to its average volume of 575,361. Advanced Drainage Systems has a 52 week low of $93.92 and a 52 week high of $184.27. The company has a market cap of $9.01 billion, a PE ratio of 19.42, a PEG ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.48. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $108.43 and a 200-day simple moving average of $122.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 3.21 and a quick ratio of 1.98.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.34 by ($0.25). Advanced Drainage Systems had a return on equity of 35.79% and a net margin of 15.90%. Research analysts expect that Advanced Drainage Systems will post 6.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.55%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Advanced Drainage Systems's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.70%.

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.