Handelsbanken Fonder AB Buys 5,830 Shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Handelsbanken Fonder AB grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 36.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,958 shares of the construction company’s stock after acquiring an additional 5,830 shares during the quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB’s holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $2,538,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in WMS. Creative Planning boosted its holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems by 149.1% in the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 11,710 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,840,000 after acquiring an additional 7,009 shares in the last quarter. Swedbank AB lifted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 5.8% during the third quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 1,384,276 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $217,553,000 after purchasing an additional 75,455 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 418.5% during the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 897 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $144,000 after purchasing an additional 724 shares in the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 16.8% during the third quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 12,724 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $2,000,000 after purchasing an additional 1,834 shares in the last quarter. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems during the third quarter valued at $6,311,000. 89.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Performance

Shares of WMS opened at $114.06 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 3.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $119.82 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $136.78. The stock has a market cap of $8.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.07, a PEG ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.52. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 52 week low of $110.75 and a 52 week high of $184.27.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The construction company reported $1.09 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%. On average, analysts expect that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 EPS for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WMS has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. UBS Group raised Advanced Drainage Systems from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $155.00 price target on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Loop Capital lowered 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. Barclays lowered their price target on Advanced Drainage Systems from $160.00 to $149.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 7th. KeyCorp reduced their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $195.00 to $180.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on Advanced Drainage Systems from $174.00 to $161.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Advanced Drainage Systems has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price 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.