AIA Group Ltd Boosts Stock Holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

AIA Group Ltd grew its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 12.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 42,596 shares of the construction company’s stock after buying an additional 4,660 shares during the quarter. AIA Group Ltd owned 0.05% of Advanced Drainage Systems worth $6,694,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of WMS. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 319.4% during the 1st quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 151 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. West Oak Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 133.3% during the second quarter. West Oak Capital LLC now owns 175 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. raised its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 1,472.7% during the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 173 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the last quarter. National Bank of Canada FI purchased a new stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems during the second quarter worth about $45,000. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 65.2% in the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 451 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $72,000 after purchasing an additional 178 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Down 2.8 %

NYSE:WMS opened at $158.89 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 2.89 and a quick ratio of 1.90. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $152.03 and its 200-day moving average price is $159.90. The company has a market capitalization of $12.32 billion, a PE ratio of 25.14, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 1.53. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 1-year low of $110.31 and a 1-year high of $184.27.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 8th. The construction company reported $2.06 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.98 by $0.08. Advanced Drainage Systems had a net margin of 17.09% and a return on equity of 43.60%. The business had revenue of $815.34 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $828.00 million. On average, equities analysts predict that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 2nd will be given a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.40%. Advanced Drainage Systems’s dividend payout ratio is currently 10.13%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have commented on WMS. Loop Capital lowered their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $188.00 to $180.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, August 12th. Barclays decreased their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $202.00 to $194.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 9th. StockNews.com cut shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Oppenheimer restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $192.00 price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Thursday, August 15th. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut their target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $200.00 to $187.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Advanced Drainage Systems currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $190.14.

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.