Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) Shares Sold by Brown Advisory Inc.

Brown Advisory Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 10.2% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 4,196 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 475 shares during the period. Brown Advisory Inc.’s holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $456,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WMS. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 76.2% in the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 266 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. Nicolet Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 4.1% in the fourth quarter. Nicolet Advisory Services LLC now owns 4,024 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $454,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 9.8% in the fourth quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 2,175 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $250,000 after purchasing an additional 194 shares in the last quarter. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S increased its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 2.5% in the fourth quarter. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S now owns 8,225 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $951,000 after buying an additional 202 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp increased its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 0.4% in the first quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 49,867 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $5,418,000 after buying an additional 206 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

Advanced Drainage Systems Trading Down 2.6%

Shares of WMS stock opened at $113.50 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $8.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.70, a PEG ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.24. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $115.72 and a 200-day moving average of $114.54. The company has a current ratio of 3.33, a quick ratio of 2.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 1-year low of $93.92 and a 1-year high of $179.57.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 15th. The construction company reported $1.03 earnings per share 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 company had revenue of $615.76 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $653.22 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.23 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 30th were issued a $0.18 dividend. This is an increase from Advanced Drainage Systems’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.16. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.63%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 30th. Advanced Drainage Systems’s payout ratio is presently 12.50%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WMS has been the topic of several analyst reports. KeyCorp lowered their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $135.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. They set a “buy” rating and a $134.00 price objective for the company. Loop Capital lowered their target price on 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. Oppenheimer lowered their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $165.00 to $160.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Advanced Drainage Systems from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $139.88.

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.