Schroder Investment Management Group Has $46.05 Million Stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Schroder Investment Management Group grew its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 27.4% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 401,012 shares of the construction company’s stock after acquiring an additional 86,141 shares during the quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group’s holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $46,048,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 32.1% during the 4th quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 359,111 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $41,513,000 after purchasing an additional 87,297 shares in the last quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 4.2% during the 4th quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. now owns 159,424 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $18,429,000 after buying an additional 6,470 shares in the last quarter. Triodos Investment Management BV grew its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.6% during the 4th quarter. Triodos Investment Management BV now owns 539,811 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $62,402,000 after buying an additional 60,500 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in the 4th quarter valued at $86,185,000. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 9.1% during the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 273,248 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $31,587,000 after acquiring an additional 22,798 shares during the period. 89.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WMS has been the subject of a number of research reports. UBS Group upgraded shares of 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. Barclays decreased their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $160.00 to $149.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 7th. 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 report on Friday, February 7th. Stephens restated an “equal weight” rating and set a $135.00 price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Friday, February 7th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Advanced Drainage Systems from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 5th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Advanced Drainage Systems currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $164.25.

Advanced Drainage Systems Price Performance

WMS opened at $108.62 on Tuesday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $116.61 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $129.92. The company has a market capitalization of $8.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.16, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 3.21 and a quick ratio of 1.98. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 1 year low of $101.90 and a 1 year high of $184.27.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.34 by ($0.25). Advanced Drainage Systems had a return on equity of 35.79% and a net margin of 15.90%. As a group, analysts anticipate that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th were given a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.59%. Advanced Drainage Systems’s dividend 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.