Montanaro Asset Management Ltd Has $4.13 Million Stock Holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Key Points

• Montanaro Asset Management Ltd reduced its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 43.9%, now holding 38,000 shares worth approximately $4.13 million.
• Several large investors, including Vanguard Group Inc. and Impax Asset Management Group plc, have increased their positions in Advanced Drainage Systems, indicating strong institutional interest.
• Advanced Drainage Systems reported a Q2 earnings per share (EPS) of $1.95, beating estimates and marking a 1.8% increase in revenue compared to the same quarter last year.

Montanaro Asset Management Ltd trimmed its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS - Free Report) by 43.9% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 38,000 shares of the construction company's stock after selling 29,700 shares during the quarter. Montanaro Asset Management Ltd's holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $4,129,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 2.8% during the first 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 in the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc increased its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 14.8% during the first 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 in the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 63.2% during the fourth 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 in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 2.7% during the first 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 in the last quarter. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 45.8% during the fourth quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,732,827 shares of the construction company's stock worth $200,315,000 after acquiring an additional 544,109 shares in the last quarter. 89.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Performance

Shares of WMS stock opened at $131.88 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $10.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 2.25 and a current ratio of 3.22. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 52 week low of $93.92 and a 52 week high of $166.03. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $116.88 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $114.34.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 7th. The construction company reported $1.95 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.78 by $0.17. Advanced Drainage Systems had a net margin of 14.82% and a return on equity of 29.57%. The company had revenue of $829.88 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $800.54 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.06 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up 1.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a $0.18 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Advanced Drainage Systems's payout ratio is 13.00%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently weighed in on WMS shares. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday. UBS Group restated a "buy" rating and set a $167.00 price target (up from $146.00) on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Friday. Oppenheimer restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Friday. Royal Bank Of Canada started coverage on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Monday. They set an "outperform" rating and a $159.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Loop Capital cut their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $143.00 to $133.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 16th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Advanced Drainage Systems has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $152.56.

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.

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