Stifel Financial Corp Lowers Position in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Stifel Financial Corp lessened its position in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS - Free Report) by 12.5% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 319,409 shares of the construction company's stock after selling 45,455 shares during the quarter. Stifel Financial Corp owned approximately 0.41% of Advanced Drainage Systems worth $36,925,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Anchor Investment Management LLC increased its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 31.8% during the third quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 2,011 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $316,000 after acquiring an additional 485 shares during the last quarter. Everence Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in the 4th quarter worth approximately $230,000. Nordea Investment Management AB lifted its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 6.1% in the 4th quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 73,203 shares of the construction company's stock worth $8,554,000 after purchasing an additional 4,221 shares during the period. Northcape Capital Pty Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 32.1% in the fourth quarter. Northcape Capital Pty Ltd now owns 16,509 shares of the construction company's stock worth $1,908,000 after buying an additional 4,016 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. grew its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 50.4% during the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 96,764 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $11,186,000 after buying an additional 32,418 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.83% of the company's stock.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of WMS stock traded up $0.15 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $112.79. The stock had a trading volume of 89,201 shares, compared to its average volume of 574,536. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 12-month low of $93.92 and a 12-month high of $184.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 3.21 and a quick ratio of 1.98. The firm's 50-day moving average is $108.54 and its two-hundred day moving average is $122.63. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.48.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 earnings per share 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%. On average, analysts predict that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.57%. Advanced Drainage Systems's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.70%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have weighed in on WMS. UBS Group upgraded shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $155.00 price target for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. KeyCorp cut their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $135.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. Loop Capital dropped their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $170.00 to $160.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 7th. StockNews.com cut shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. Finally, Stephens restated an "equal weight" rating and set a $135.00 price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Friday, February 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average 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.