Distillate Capital Partners LLC Grows Stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Distillate Capital Partners LLC raised its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS - Free Report) by 29.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 130,473 shares of the construction company's stock after buying an additional 29,900 shares during the period. Distillate Capital Partners LLC owned about 0.17% of Advanced Drainage Systems worth $15,083,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in WMS. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.7% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 781 shares of the construction company's stock worth $90,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares during the period. Spire Wealth Management bought a new stake in Advanced Drainage Systems in the fourth quarter worth approximately $94,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.3% in the fourth quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 884 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $102,000 after buying an additional 137 shares during the period. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.0% during the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,005 shares of the construction company's stock worth $116,000 after buying an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 1,298.6% in the 4th quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 1,021 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $118,000 after acquiring an additional 948 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.83% of the company's stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. They issued a "buy" rating and a $134.00 price target for the company. KeyCorp decreased their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $135.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 8th. Barclays dropped their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $149.00 to $130.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. UBS Group raised 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. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an "equal weight" rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research report on Friday, February 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Advanced Drainage Systems presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $153.78.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Down 0.8 %

WMS traded down $0.81 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $104.88. 349,187 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 575,291. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 1 year low of $93.92 and a 1 year high of $184.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a current ratio of 3.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.14 billion, a PE ratio of 17.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.48. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $111.83 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $125.84.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 earnings per share (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%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 EPS for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th were given a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.61%. Advanced Drainage Systems's dividend payout ratio is currently 10.70%.

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.