Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) Shares Purchased by Vest Financial LLC

Vest Financial LLC increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS - Free Report) by 114.2% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 20,968 shares of the construction company's stock after purchasing an additional 11,180 shares during the quarter. Vest Financial LLC's holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $2,424,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of WMS. CIBC Asset Management Inc increased its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 3.6% in the third quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 2,271 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $357,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares during the period. CWM LLC boosted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.1% in the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 555 shares of the construction company's stock worth $87,000 after buying an additional 85 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its stake 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 worth $90,000 after acquiring an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.0% in the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,005 shares of the construction company's stock worth $116,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 4.8% during the 3rd quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,411 shares of the construction company's stock worth $379,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares during the period. 89.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WMS has been the subject of a number of research reports. Oppenheimer decreased their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $192.00 to $184.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 11th. UBS Group upgraded shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $155.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. Stephens restated an "equal weight" rating and issued a $135.00 price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research report on Friday, February 7th. KeyCorp lowered their target price 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. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $174.00 to $161.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 11th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $164.25.

Advanced Drainage Systems Price Performance

NYSE:WMS traded down $2.24 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $124.75. The stock had a trading volume of 559,115 shares, compared to its average volume of 658,011. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $120.85 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $139.23. 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, Inc. has a one year low of $110.75 and a one year high of $184.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.86, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.52.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS - Get Free Report) last announced 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 net margin of 15.90% and a return on equity of 35.79%. As a group, analysts expect that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.12 earnings per share for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $0.16 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.51%. Advanced Drainage Systems's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.70%.

Advanced Drainage Systems Company 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.