Cetera Investment Advisers Has $1.59 Million Stock Position in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Cetera Investment Advisers lowered its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 4.2% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 13,791 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 605 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers’ holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $1,594,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,332,268 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $847,610,000 after purchasing an additional 52,799 shares in the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc grew its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 34.6% during the 4th quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 2,530,000 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $291,723,000 after purchasing an additional 650,052 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 45.8% during the 4th quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,732,827 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $200,315,000 after purchasing an additional 544,109 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. grew its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,402,447 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $162,123,000 after purchasing an additional 16,415 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,192,746 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $137,924,000 after purchasing an additional 5,868 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have issued reports on WMS. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $146.00 to $141.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 16th. Loop Capital dropped 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. UBS Group dropped their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $155.00 to $146.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 16th. Finally, Oppenheimer dropped their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $165.00 to $160.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 16th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Advanced Drainage Systems has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $139.88.

Advanced Drainage Systems Trading Down 0.8%

WMS opened at $118.32 on Wednesday. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a twelve month low of $93.92 and a twelve month high of $181.03. The company has a quick ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 3.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. The company has a fifty day moving average of $110.15 and a 200-day moving average of $118.87. The stock has a market cap of $9.18 billion, a PE ratio of 19.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.31.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 15th. The construction company reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.09 by ($0.06). The business had revenue of $615.76 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $653.22 million. Advanced Drainage Systems had a net margin of 15.90% and a return on equity of 35.79%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.23 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 EPS for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 16th. Investors of record on Friday, May 30th will be paid a dividend of $0.18 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 30th. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.61%. This is a boost from Advanced Drainage Systems’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.16. Advanced Drainage Systems’s payout ratio is currently 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.