Bell Asset Management Ltd Buys 5,466 Shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Bell Asset Management Ltd boosted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 10.3% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 58,475 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,466 shares during the period. Advanced Drainage Systems comprises 1.2% of Bell Asset Management Ltd’s holdings, making the stock its 25th largest position. Bell Asset Management Ltd’s holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $6,760,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its position 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 worth $90,000 after buying an additional 88 shares during the period. Spire Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Advanced Drainage Systems in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $94,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.3% in the 4th 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 in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its position in 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 acquiring an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC grew its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 1,298.6% during the 4th quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 1,021 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $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.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently commented on WMS shares. UBS Group raised shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $155.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Barclays cut 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 restated an “equal weight” rating and set a $135.00 price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Advanced Drainage Systems in a research report on Tuesday, April 1st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $134.00 target price on the stock. Finally, StockNews.com cut Advanced Drainage Systems from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $160.89.

Advanced Drainage Systems Price Performance

Shares of NYSE WMS opened at $100.82 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 3.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $115.03 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $128.70. The company has a market cap of $7.82 billion, a PE ratio of 16.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.48. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a twelve month low of $94.59 and a twelve month high of $184.27.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last posted 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 return on equity of 35.79% and a net margin of 15.90%. On average, analysts predict that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 EPS for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.63%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. 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.