Brokerages Set Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) PT at $166.88

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) has earned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the eight research firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $166.88.

Several research firms have recently commented on WMS. Robert W. Baird decreased their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $174.00 to $161.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 11th. KeyCorp decreased their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $195.00 to $180.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $172.00 to $160.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Oppenheimer reduced their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $192.00 to $184.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Finally, Loop Capital reduced their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $170.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 11th.

Advanced Drainage Systems Price Performance

WMS opened at $126.66 on Friday. Advanced Drainage Systems has a one year low of $110.75 and a one year high of $184.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 3.19 and a quick ratio of 2.15. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $123.64 and its 200-day simple moving average is $143.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.51.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, November 8th. The construction company reported $1.70 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.93 by ($0.23). Advanced Drainage Systems had a net margin of 16.89% and a return on equity of 40.31%. The company had revenue of $782.60 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $819.41 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.71 earnings per share. Advanced Drainage Systems’s revenue for the quarter was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Advanced Drainage Systems will post 6.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 2nd were issued a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.51%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 2nd. Advanced Drainage Systems’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.19%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Advanced Drainage Systems

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WMS. Huntington National Bank lifted its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 123.1% in the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 386 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $61,000 after acquiring an additional 213 shares in the last quarter. Millburn Ridgefield Corp lifted its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 642.4% in the 3rd quarter. Millburn Ridgefield Corp now owns 490 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $77,000 after acquiring an additional 424 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC lifted its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.1% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 555 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $87,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.7% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 781 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $90,000 after acquiring an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. lifted its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.0% in the 4th 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. 89.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.