Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. Has $2.31 Million Stake in Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS)

Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. reduced its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) by 1.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 19,978 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 271 shares during the quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Advanced Drainage Systems were worth $2,309,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WMS. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems during the 4th quarter valued at $86,185,000. Impax Asset Management Group plc boosted its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 34.6% during the fourth 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 last quarter. Amundi grew its stake in Advanced Drainage Systems by 72.2% in the fourth quarter. Amundi now owns 854,764 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $98,678,000 after purchasing an additional 358,271 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in Advanced Drainage Systems by 8.8% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,541,688 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $399,452,000 after purchasing an additional 206,105 shares during the last quarter. Finally, KBC Group NV raised its stake in shares of Advanced Drainage Systems by 21.2% during the 4th quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 738,749 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $85,399,000 after purchasing an additional 129,252 shares in the last quarter. 89.83% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Advanced Drainage Systems Stock Performance

NYSE WMS opened at $109.85 on Thursday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $115.98 and its two-hundred day moving average is $129.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.37, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 3.21 and a quick ratio of 1.98. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. has a 52-week low of $101.90 and a 52-week high of $184.27.

Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE:WMS) last issued its earnings results 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%. Equities research analysts forecast that Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. will post 6.1 EPS for the current year.

Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.58%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. Advanced Drainage Systems’s payout ratio is currently 10.70%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com lowered shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems from $160.00 to $149.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 7th. UBS Group upgraded shares of 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. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Tuesday. They set a “buy” rating and a $134.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Stephens reissued an “equal weight” rating and set a $135.00 price objective on shares of Advanced Drainage Systems in a report on Friday, February 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Advanced Drainage Systems has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $160.89.

Advanced Drainage Systems Company 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.