Cerity Partners LLC Boosts Stock Position in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Cerity Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 10.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 31,402 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,970 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC’s holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $3,977,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. UMB Bank n.a. increased 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 buying an additional 88 shares during the period. Spire Wealth Management purchased a new position in Advanced Drainage Systems during the 4th quarter valued at $94,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. raised its holdings 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 worth $102,000 after purchasing an additional 137 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.0% in the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,005 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $116,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the period. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC boosted 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 valued at $118,000 after purchasing an additional 948 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

WMS has been the subject of several research analyst reports. StockNews.com lowered shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Barclays lowered their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $149.00 to $130.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. Stephens reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and issued a $135.00 price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Loop Capital lowered their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $170.00 to $160.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Finally, KeyCorp dropped their target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $135.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Advanced Drainage Systems currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $153.78.

Advanced Drainage Systems Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:WMS opened at $105.31 on Monday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $112.30 and a 200-day moving average price of $126.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 3.21 and a quick ratio of 1.98. The company has a market capitalization of $8.17 billion, a PE ratio of 17.61, a PEG ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.48. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 1-year low of $93.92 and a 1-year high of $184.27.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last released 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 net margin of 15.90% and a return on equity of 35.79%. As a group, equities analysts expect that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors 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 (DPR) is presently 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.