Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S. Has $389,000 Stock Holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S. decreased its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 98.6% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 2,480 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 177,520 shares during the quarter. Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S.’s holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $389,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WMS. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 1,472.7% in the 2nd 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. West Oak Capital LLC raised its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 133.3% in the second quarter. West Oak Capital LLC now owns 175 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. National Bank of Canada FI bought a new position in Advanced Drainage Systems in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Huntington National Bank grew its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 123.1% during the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 386 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $61,000 after acquiring an additional 213 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 65.2% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 451 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $72,000 after acquiring an additional 178 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Down 1.4 %

Shares of Advanced Drainage Systems stock traded down $1.87 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $132.50. 13,854 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 505,529. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 3.19 and a quick ratio of 2.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.27 billion, a PE ratio of 21.40, a P/E/G ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 1.53. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $148.67 and a 200-day moving average price of $157.21. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 1-year low of $117.97 and a 1-year high of $184.27.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 8th. The construction company reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.93 by ($0.23). Advanced Drainage Systems had a return on equity of 40.31% and a net margin of 16.89%. The company had revenue of $782.60 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $819.41 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.71 EPS. Advanced Drainage Systems’s revenue for the quarter was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Investors of record on Monday, December 2nd will be issued a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.48%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 2nd. Advanced Drainage Systems’s dividend payout ratio is currently 10.19%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the company. KeyCorp decreased their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $195.00 to $180.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 11th. Oppenheimer lowered their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $192.00 to $184.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Loop Capital reduced their target price on Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $170.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 11th. Robert W. Baird lowered their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $174.00 to $161.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and issued a $135.00 price objective (down from $170.00) on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Advanced Drainage Systems has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $170.29.

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.