Barclays PLC Raises Stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Barclays PLC increased its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS - Free Report) by 32.2% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 60,383 shares of the construction company's stock after buying an additional 14,715 shares during the quarter. Barclays PLC owned about 0.08% of Advanced Drainage Systems worth $6,980,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. UMB Bank n.a. raised its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.7% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 781 shares of the construction company's stock worth $90,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. Spire Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $94,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.3% in the fourth quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 884 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $102,000 after acquiring an additional 137 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings 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 valued at $116,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC grew its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 1,298.6% in the fourth quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 1,021 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $118,000 after acquiring an additional 948 shares in the last quarter. 89.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Performance

Shares of Advanced Drainage Systems stock traded up $0.18 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $113.55. The company had a trading volume of 551,786 shares, compared to its average volume of 577,380. 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, Inc. has a one year low of $93.92 and a one year high of $184.27. The firm has a market cap of $8.81 billion, a PE ratio of 18.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.48. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $108.43 and a 200 day simple moving average of $122.51.

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

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.56%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. Advanced Drainage Systems's dividend payout ratio is 10.70%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. They issued a "buy" rating and a $134.00 target price for the company. KeyCorp reduced their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $135.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. UBS Group raised Advanced Drainage Systems from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $155.00 target price for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Stephens reaffirmed an "equal weight" rating and issued a $135.00 target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Friday, February 7th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Advanced Drainage Systems from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $153.78.

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.