Daiwa Securities Group Inc. Trims Stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Daiwa Securities Group Inc. trimmed its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 47.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 9,530 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 8,500 shares during the period. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $1,102,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Isthmus Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 5.9% in the 4th quarter. Isthmus Partners LLC now owns 2,725 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $315,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 5.3% in the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 102,517 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $11,851,000 after purchasing an additional 5,169 shares in the last quarter. Essex Investment Management Co. LLC increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 29.8% in the 4th quarter. Essex Investment Management Co. LLC now owns 12,684 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,466,000 after purchasing an additional 2,909 shares in the last quarter. Amundi increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 72.2% in the 4th quarter. Amundi now owns 854,764 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $98,678,000 after purchasing an additional 358,271 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 7.4% in the 4th quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 1,812 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $231,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. 89.83% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Up 3.3 %

WMS opened at $108.74 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $118.43 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $132.89. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 52 week low of $101.90 and a 52 week high of $184.27. The company has a market capitalization of $8.44 billion, a PE ratio of 18.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a quick ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 3.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93.

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 the consensus estimate of $1.34 by ($0.25). Advanced Drainage Systems had a net margin of 15.90% and a return on equity of 35.79%. Analysts forecast that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.59%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Advanced Drainage Systems’s payout ratio is 10.70%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

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.