Impax Asset Management Group plc Purchases 650,052 Shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Impax Asset Management Group plc lifted its position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 34.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,530,000 shares of the construction company’s stock after acquiring an additional 650,052 shares during the period. Advanced Drainage Systems makes up about 1.3% of Impax Asset Management Group plc’s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest holding. Impax Asset Management Group plc owned approximately 3.26% of Advanced Drainage Systems worth $291,723,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. CIBC Asset Management Inc grew its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 3.6% in the third quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 2,271 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $357,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC boosted its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.1% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 555 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $87,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.7% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 781 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $90,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.0% during the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,005 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $116,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 4.8% during the 3rd quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,411 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $379,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

Advanced Drainage Systems Trading Down 2.6 %

Shares of WMS stock opened at $114.50 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $120.01 and a 200-day moving average of $137.01. The company has a current ratio of 3.21, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. The stock has a market cap of $8.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.15, a PEG ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.52. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 1-year low of $110.75 and a 1-year high of $184.27.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.34 by ($0.25). Advanced Drainage Systems had a net margin of 15.90% and a return on equity of 35.79%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.56%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Advanced Drainage Systems’s dividend payout ratio is presently 10.70%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

WMS has been the topic of a number of research reports. Stephens reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Friday, February 7th. StockNews.com upgraded Advanced Drainage Systems from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday. Loop Capital lowered their target price 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. KeyCorp cut their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $195.00 to $180.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Finally, Barclays lowered their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $160.00 to $149.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Two equities research 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, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $164.25.

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.