Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH Acquires Shares of 70,636 Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Key Points

• Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH invested approximately $7.68 million in Advanced Drainage Systems, acquiring 70,636 shares, resulting in a 0.09% ownership stake.
• Advanced Drainage Systems recently announced a dividend increase, paying $0.18 per share, reflecting a yield of 0.61% and an annualized payout of $0.72.
• Despite a quarterly EPS miss of $1.03 against estimates of $1.09, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from analysts, with an average target price of $139.88.

Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH bought a new position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 70,636 shares of the construction company's stock, valued at approximately $7,675,000. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH owned about 0.09% of Advanced Drainage Systems at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. NBC Securities Inc. purchased a new stake in Advanced Drainage Systems during the 1st quarter worth approximately $26,000. Bessemer Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 76.2% in the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 266 shares of the construction company's stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares during the period. Mascagni Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in the fourth quarter worth $74,000. Signaturefd LLC increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 110.7% in the first quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 670 shares of the construction company's stock worth $73,000 after acquiring an additional 352 shares during the period. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 167.1% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 812 shares of the construction company's stock worth $88,000 after acquiring an additional 508 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.83% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

WMS has been the topic of a number of research reports. KeyCorp cut their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $135.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. 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 on the stock. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, May 16th. Loop Capital lowered 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. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Advanced Drainage Systems currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $139.88.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Down 1.6%

Shares of NYSE WMS traded down $1.93 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $116.98. The company's stock had a trading volume of 575,801 shares, compared to its average volume of 589,558. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $115.09 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $114.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 3.33 and a quick ratio of 2.10. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 1 year low of $93.92 and a 1 year high of $179.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.24.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 15th. The construction company reported $1.03 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.09 by ($0.06). Advanced Drainage Systems had a net margin of 15.50% and a return on equity of 32.33%. The business had revenue of $615.76 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $653.22 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.23 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was down 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 EPS for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 30th were issued a dividend of $0.18 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 30th. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.62%. This is a boost from Advanced Drainage Systems's previous quarterly dividend of $0.16. Advanced Drainage Systems's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 12.50%.

Advanced Drainage Systems 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.