Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) Cut to Sell at StockNews.com

StockNews.com downgraded shares of Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report released on Friday.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on WMS. Stephens reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a $135.00 price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Friday, February 7th. Loop Capital lowered their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $170.00 to $160.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 7th. Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective 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. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $160.00 to $149.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Finally, KeyCorp lowered their price objective 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. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $164.25.

Advanced Drainage Systems Trading Up 0.6 %

NYSE:WMS opened at $126.84 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $120.74 and its 200 day moving average price is $138.81. Advanced Drainage Systems has a 52 week low of $110.75 and a 52 week high of $184.27. The company has a market capitalization of $9.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 2.15 and a current ratio of 3.21.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 EPS 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, research analysts forecast that Advanced Drainage Systems will post 6.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.50%. Advanced Drainage Systems’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 10.70%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of WMS. Huntington National Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 123.1% during the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 386 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $61,000 after acquiring an additional 213 shares during the period. Millburn Ridgefield Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 642.4% during the third quarter. Millburn Ridgefield Corp now owns 490 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $77,000 after acquiring an additional 424 shares during the period. CWM LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.1% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 555 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $87,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.7% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 781 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $90,000 after buying an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Spire Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in the fourth quarter valued at about $94,000. 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.