ING Groep NV Purchases New Position in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

ING Groep NV purchased a new position in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund purchased 16,100 shares of the construction company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,861,000.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of WMS. CWM LLC lifted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.1% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 555 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $87,000 after buying an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. Creative Planning raised its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 149.1% during the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 11,710 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,840,000 after acquiring an additional 7,009 shares during the period. Swedbank AB lifted its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 5.8% during the third quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 1,384,276 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $217,553,000 after purchasing an additional 75,455 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. grew its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 418.5% in the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 897 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $144,000 after purchasing an additional 724 shares during the period. Finally, Private Advisor Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 16.8% during the third quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 12,724 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $2,000,000 after purchasing an additional 1,834 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. 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. Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $174.00 to $161.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 11th. Loop Capital dropped their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $170.00 to $160.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 7th. StockNews.com upgraded Advanced Drainage Systems from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday. Finally, UBS Group raised Advanced Drainage Systems from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $155.00 price target for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Advanced Drainage Systems presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $164.25.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Performance

Shares of WMS stock opened at $114.50 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $8.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.15, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a current ratio of 3.21. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a one year low of $110.75 and a one year high of $184.27. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $120.01 and its 200-day moving average price is $137.01.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 earnings per share (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%. As a group, equities research 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 disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.56%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Advanced Drainage Systems’s payout ratio is currently 10.70%.

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.