Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) Reaches New 1-Year Low – Time to Sell?

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $101.59 and last traded at $102.14, with a volume of 197707 shares. The stock had previously closed at $109.99.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on WMS. StockNews.com downgraded Advanced Drainage Systems from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday. Stephens reiterated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $135.00 price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Tuesday. They set a “buy” rating and a $134.00 target price for the company. UBS Group raised shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $155.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. Finally, Loop Capital cut their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $170.00 to $160.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $160.89.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Performance

The firm has a market cap of $7.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.48. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $115.03 and its 200-day moving average is $128.99. 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 (NYSE:WMS) last released its quarterly earnings results 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 return on equity of 35.79% and a net margin of 15.90%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a dividend of $0.16 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.63%. Advanced Drainage Systems’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.70%.

Institutional Trading of Advanced Drainage Systems

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Mascagni Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in Advanced Drainage Systems in the 4th quarter worth $74,000. California State Teachers Retirement System grew its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 3.9% in the fourth quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 68,651 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $7,936,000 after purchasing an additional 2,601 shares during the last quarter. Lansforsakringar Fondforvaltning AB publ bought a new position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in the fourth quarter worth about $3,641,000. EDENTREE ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd lifted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 122.9% during the 4th quarter. EDENTREE ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd now owns 15,055 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,740,000 after purchasing an additional 8,300 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Novem Group bought a new stake in Advanced Drainage Systems during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $689,000. 89.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.