Wealthfront Advisers LLC Takes Position in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Wealthfront Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 45,686 shares of the construction company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,281,000. Wealthfront Advisers LLC owned about 0.06% of Advanced Drainage Systems at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Huntington National Bank raised its stake 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 last quarter. Millburn Ridgefield Corp raised its stake 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 last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. raised its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.7% during the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 781 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $90,000 after acquiring an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. Spire Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems during the fourth quarter valued at about $94,000. Finally, First Horizon Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.3% during the fourth quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 884 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $102,000 after acquiring an additional 137 shares during the last quarter. 89.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. UBS Group raised 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. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $160.00 to $149.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Stephens reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a $135.00 price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research report on Friday, February 7th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 5th. Finally, Loop Capital reduced their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $170.00 to $160.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Advanced Drainage Systems currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $164.25.

Advanced Drainage Systems Price Performance

Shares of WMS opened at $109.65 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $8.51 billion, a PE ratio of 18.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a current ratio of 3.21. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $101.90 and a fifty-two week high of $184.27. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $118.75 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $133.65.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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 return on equity of 35.79% and a net margin of 15.90%. Analysts anticipate that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 earnings per share 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. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.58%. Advanced Drainage Systems’s dividend payout ratio is presently 10.70%.

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.