Mawer Investment Management Ltd. Increases Position in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Mawer Investment Management Ltd. raised its position in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS - Free Report) by 43.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 67,007 shares of the construction company's stock after acquiring an additional 20,149 shares during the quarter. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. owned approximately 0.09% of Advanced Drainage Systems worth $10,531,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. QRG Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in Advanced Drainage Systems in the first quarter valued at $201,000. US Bancorp DE increased its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 11.8% during the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 2,475 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $426,000 after buying an additional 262 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 319.4% in the first quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 151 shares of the construction company's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 115 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 5.8% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,265,169 shares of the construction company's stock worth $1,251,353,000 after buying an additional 395,099 shares during the period. Finally, Edgestream Partners L.P. bought a new stake in Advanced Drainage Systems during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $384,000. 89.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Advanced Drainage Systems Price Performance

Shares of WMS traded up $1.81 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $133.23. 663,010 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 504,698. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 52-week low of $116.98 and a 52-week high of $184.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 2.15 and a current ratio of 3.19. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $150.26 and a two-hundred day moving average of $158.76. The company has a market cap of $10.33 billion, a PE ratio of 20.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 1.53.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, November 8th. The construction company reported $1.70 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.93 by ($0.23). Advanced Drainage Systems had a net margin of 16.89% and a return on equity of 40.31%. The firm had revenue of $782.60 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $819.41 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.71 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up .3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Investors of record on Monday, December 2nd will be paid a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.48%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 2nd. Advanced Drainage Systems's dividend payout ratio is presently 10.19%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Oppenheimer lowered their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $192.00 to $184.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Loop Capital lowered their target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $170.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on 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. KeyCorp cut their target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $195.00 to $180.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an "equal weight" rating and issued a $135.00 price objective (down previously from $170.00) on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $170.29.

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.