O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC Cuts Stock Holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC lessened its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 7.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,133 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 246 shares during the quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $362,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.7% during the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 781 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $90,000 after acquiring an additional 88 shares during the period. Spire Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems during the 4th quarter worth $94,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 18.3% during the 4th quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 884 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $102,000 after purchasing an additional 137 shares during the period. Blue Trust Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 12.0% in 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Everence Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in the fourth quarter valued at about $230,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.83% of the company’s stock.

Advanced Drainage Systems Price Performance

NYSE:WMS opened at $105.31 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $8.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.48. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 12-month low of $93.92 and a 12-month high of $184.27. 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 company’s 50-day moving average is $112.30 and its two-hundred day moving average is $126.58.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last announced its earnings results 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%. Research analysts expect that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 EPS for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.61%. Advanced Drainage Systems’s payout ratio is currently 10.70%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

WMS has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. KeyCorp dropped their target price on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $180.00 to $135.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. UBS Group raised Advanced Drainage Systems from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $155.00 price objective for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Loop Capital lowered their target price 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. StockNews.com downgraded Advanced Drainage Systems from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $134.00 price objective on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $153.78.

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.