Achmea Investment Management B.V. Reduces Stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Achmea Investment Management B.V. lowered its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 7.5% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 127,642 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 10,405 shares during the quarter. Achmea Investment Management B.V. owned about 0.16% of Advanced Drainage Systems worth $14,756,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. CIBC Asset Management Inc increased its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 2,271 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $357,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.7% during the 4th 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 last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. increased its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.0% during the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,005 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $116,000 after buying an additional 108 shares during the period. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 4.8% during the third quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,411 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $379,000 after buying an additional 111 shares during the period. Finally, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich increased its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 7.4% during the fourth quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 1,812 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $231,000 after buying an additional 125 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

Advanced Drainage Systems Trading Down 0.2 %

NYSE:WMS opened at $109.65 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $8.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.34, a PEG ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a current ratio of 3.21, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $118.75 and its 200-day simple moving average is $133.65. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 12-month low of $101.90 and a 12-month high of $184.27.

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

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.58%. Advanced Drainage Systems’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.70%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have commented on WMS. UBS Group raised Advanced Drainage Systems from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $155.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Barclays cut their price target on 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. StockNews.com raised Advanced Drainage Systems from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 5th. Stephens reaffirmed 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. Finally, Loop Capital cut their price target on 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 investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $164.25.

Advanced Drainage Systems Company 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.