Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. Has $18.43 Million Stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. raised its position in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 4.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 159,424 shares of the construction company’s stock after buying an additional 6,470 shares during the quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.’s holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $18,429,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 0.7% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,332,268 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $847,610,000 after buying an additional 52,799 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 8.8% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,541,688 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $399,452,000 after buying an additional 206,105 shares during the period. Impax Asset Management Group plc lifted its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 34.6% in the 4th quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 2,530,000 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $291,723,000 after purchasing an additional 650,052 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,402,447 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $162,123,000 after buying an additional 16,415 shares during the period. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 5.2% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,186,878 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $186,578,000 after buying an additional 59,158 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Down 0.9 %

WMS stock opened at $111.20 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.63 billion, a PE ratio of 18.60, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a quick ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 3.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a twelve month low of $101.90 and a twelve month high of $184.27. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $117.30 and its 200-day moving average is $130.56.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 earnings per share 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%. Sell-side analysts expect that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Dividend Announcement

The company 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. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.58%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Advanced Drainage Systems’s payout ratio is 10.70%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. UBS Group upgraded shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $155.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Loop Capital cut their price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $170.00 to $160.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 7th. StockNews.com upgraded Advanced Drainage Systems from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 5th. Barclays dropped their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $160.00 to $149.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Finally, Stephens reissued 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. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $164.25.

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.