Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) Cut to "Sell" at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS - Free Report) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report sent to investors on Thursday.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Stephens restated an "equal weight" rating and issued a $135.00 price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, May 16th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $146.00 to $141.00 and set an "outperform" 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 price objective for the company. Finally, Loop Capital decreased their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $143.00 to $133.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $139.88.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Up 1.2%

NYSE:WMS traded up $1.28 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $111.27. The company's stock had a trading volume of 243,389 shares, compared to its average volume of 600,400. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.31. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $110.19 and a 200-day moving average of $117.45. The company has a current ratio of 3.21, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. Advanced Drainage Systems has a 52-week low of $93.92 and a 52-week high of $179.57.

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

Advanced Drainage Systems Increases Dividend

The firm 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 dividend of $0.18 per share. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.65%. This is a boost from Advanced Drainage Systems's previous quarterly dividend of $0.16. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 30th. Advanced Drainage Systems's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 12.50%.

Institutional Trading of Advanced Drainage Systems

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 2.8% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,537,094 shares of the construction company's stock worth $818,905,000 after acquiring an additional 204,826 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 50.8% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 3,114,224 shares of the construction company's stock worth $338,360,000 after acquiring an additional 1,049,697 shares during the period. Impax Asset Management Group plc grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 14.8% in the 1st quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 2,904,414 shares of the construction company's stock worth $314,700,000 after acquiring an additional 374,414 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 63.2% in the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 2,064,527 shares of the construction company's stock worth $238,659,000 after acquiring an additional 799,569 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 2.7% in the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,734,537 shares of the construction company's stock worth $188,457,000 after acquiring an additional 45,993 shares during the period. 89.83% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Advanced Drainage Systems Company 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.