Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) is one of the best manufacturing stocks to invest in now. On February 12, Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE:WMS) announced the pricing of a private offering of a $500 million of 5.375% senior unsecured notes due 2034. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (WMS) Builds Momentum in Manufacturing and Infrastructure Solutions The company plans to use net proceeds from the offering to refinance the outstanding balance under its existing senior secured credit facility. ...

Investors looking for stocks in the Building Products - Miscellaneous sector might want to consider either Jacobs Solutions (J) or Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zack ...

Core Insights - Major U.S. stock market indices experienced a decline on February 12, 2026, due to concerns regarding AI disruption affecting various sectors, including real estate, transportation, and software [1] - A shift towards steady dividend-growth stocks is recommended for equity investors as they provide resilience and cash flow durability during a period of reevaluation of traditional growth narratives [2] Dividend Growth Stocks - Stocks with a strong history of year-over-year dividend growth are considered healthier for capital appreciation compared to simple dividend-paying stocks or those with high yields [3] - Five selected dividend growth stocks include Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM), Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS), Amphenol (APH), Tapestry (TPR), and TIM S.A. (TIMB), which are viewed as solid portfolio choices [3] Advantages of Dividend Growth - Companies with a strong history of dividend growth are typically mature and less vulnerable to market volatility, providing a hedge against economic and political uncertainties [4] - These stocks exhibit strong fundamentals, including sustainable business models, profitability, rising cash flows, solid liquidity, strong balance sheets, and attractive valuations [5] Performance Metrics - Dividend-growth stocks have historically outperformed the broader market and other dividend-paying stocks, making them a favorable investment strategy [6] - Criteria for selection include positive historical dividend, sales, and earnings growth, as well as projected earnings growth rates [7] Stock Highlights - Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) projects a 28% revenue growth for 2026 and has a long-term EPS growth rate of 33.8%, with a dividend yield of 0.74% [9][11] - Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS) anticipates a 4% revenue growth for fiscal 2026, with a long-term earnings growth rate of 13.90% and a dividend yield of 0.42% [12] - Amphenol (APH) expects a 34.9% revenue growth for 2026, with a long-term earnings growth rate of 21.90% and a dividend yield of 0.69% [13] - Tapestry (TPR) forecasts a 9.6% revenue growth for fiscal 2026, with a long-term earnings growth rate of 12.9% and a dividend yield of 1.03% [14] - TIM S.A. (TIMB) projects a 10.3% revenue growth for 2026, with a long-term earnings growth rate of 18.7% and a dividend yield of 5.20% [15]

Core Viewpoint - Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS) plans to offer up to $500 million in senior unsecured notes due 2034, subject to market conditions [1] Group 1: Company Overview - ADS is a leading provider of innovative water management solutions in the stormwater and onsite wastewater industries [1] Group 2: Financial Offering - The company intends to commence an offering of senior unsecured notes in a private transaction exempt from registration requirements [1]

Group 1 - The core focus of Crude Value Insights is on cash flow and companies that generate it, highlighting value and growth prospects in the oil and natural gas sector [1] - Subscribers benefit from a 50+ stock model account, which provides a comprehensive analysis of cash flow for exploration and production (E&P) firms [1] - The service includes live chat discussions about the sector, fostering a community for investors interested in oil and gas [1] Group 2 - A two-week free trial is available for new subscribers, encouraging engagement with the oil and gas investment community [2]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] Company Overview: Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS) - WMS currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A, indicating strong momentum characteristics [2] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting it is positioned for potential outperformance in the market [3] Performance Metrics - Over the past week, WMS shares have increased by 15.35%, outperforming the Zacks Building Products - Miscellaneous industry, which rose by 5.98% [5] - In a longer timeframe, WMS shares have gained 23.27% over the past quarter and 37.86% over the last year, while the S&P 500 has only moved 1.86% and 15.7%, respectively [6] Trading Volume - The average 20-day trading volume for WMS is 758,640 shares, which serves as a bullish indicator when combined with rising stock prices [7] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, two earnings estimates for WMS have been revised upwards, increasing the consensus estimate from $5.98 to $6.10 [9] - For the next fiscal year, two estimates have also moved higher, with no downward revisions noted [9] Conclusion - Given the strong performance metrics and positive earnings outlook, WMS is identified as a solid momentum pick with a Momentum Score of A and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [11]

Core Viewpoint - Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS) has received a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) upgrade, indicating a positive trend in earnings estimates which is a significant factor influencing stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Ratings - The Zacks rating system is based solely on changes in a company's earnings picture, tracking the Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS from sell-side analysts [2]. - The Zacks rating upgrade for Advanced Drainage reflects an optimistic earnings outlook, likely to positively affect its stock price [3][5]. Impact of Earnings Estimate Revisions - Changes in future earnings potential, as shown by earnings estimate revisions, are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements [4][6]. - Institutional investors utilize earnings estimates to determine the fair value of stocks, influencing their buying and selling decisions, which in turn affects stock prices [4]. Company Performance Indicators - For the fiscal year ending March 2026, Advanced Drainage is expected to earn $6.03 per share, unchanged from the previous year, with a 0.9% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the past three months [8]. Zacks Rating System Overview - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [7]. - The upgrade to Zacks Rank 2 places Advanced Drainage in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, indicating strong potential for market-beating returns in the near term [10].

Core Viewpoint - Investors are evaluating Jacobs Solutions (J) and Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS) to determine which stock offers better value for investment at the current time [1] Group 1: Zacks Rank and Earnings Outlook - Both Jacobs Solutions and Advanced Drainage Systems currently hold a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook due to favorable analyst estimate revisions [3] - The Zacks Rank is a reliable indicator for value investors as it emphasizes companies with improving earnings forecasts [2] Group 2: Valuation Metrics - Jacobs Solutions has a forward P/E ratio of 20.88, while Advanced Drainage Systems has a higher forward P/E of 29.09 [5] - The PEG ratio for Jacobs Solutions is 1.54, compared to Advanced Drainage Systems' PEG ratio of 2.26, indicating Jacobs Solutions may be undervalued relative to its expected earnings growth [5] - Jacobs Solutions has a P/B ratio of 5.07, while Advanced Drainage Systems has a P/B ratio of 7, further suggesting that Jacobs Solutions is a more attractive value option [6] Group 3: Value Grades - Based on the valuation metrics, Jacobs Solutions has earned a Value grade of B, whereas Advanced Drainage Systems has received a Value grade of D, indicating a stronger value proposition for Jacobs Solutions [6]

Financial Performance - Net sales for the three months ended December 31, 2025, were $693.354 million, a slight increase from $690.538 million in the same period of 2024, while net sales for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, reached $2.374 billion, up from $2.288 billion in 2024, representing a year-over-year growth of 3.74%[13] - Gross profit for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $259.152 million, compared to $241.594 million in 2024, indicating a gross margin improvement from 34.96% to 37.34%[13] - Operating income for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $136.823 million, an increase from $126.864 million in 2024, reflecting a growth of 7.73%[13] - Net income attributable to ADS for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $93.626 million, compared to $81.231 million in 2024, marking an increase of 15.5%[13] - The company reported a comprehensive income of $97.525 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $74.068 million in 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 31.7%[15] - Net income for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, was $394,628, an increase of 5% compared to $375,785 in 2024[18] - The Company reported a net income available to common stockholders of $93.6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $81.2 million for the same period in 2024, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 15.5%[51] - Basic net income per share for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, was $5.06, up from $4.81 in the same period of 2024, indicating a growth of 5.2%[51] Assets and Liabilities - Total assets as of December 31, 2025, were $4.144 billion, up from $3.690 billion as of March 31, 2025, indicating a growth of 12.3%[11] - Total liabilities increased to $2.115 billion as of December 31, 2025, from $2.055 billion as of March 31, 2025, reflecting a rise of 2.93%[11] - The company’s long-term debt obligations stood at $1.276 billion as of December 31, 2025, slightly up from $1.252 billion as of March 31, 2025[11] - Long-term debt obligations as of December 31, 2025, totaled $1.2757 billion, compared to $1.2516 billion as of March 31, 2025, reflecting an increase of 1.9%[55] Cash Flow and Management - The company’s cash position improved significantly, with cash increasing to $1.008 billion as of December 31, 2025, compared to $463.319 million as of March 31, 2025[11] - Net cash provided by operating activities increased to $779,133, up 44% from $540,264 in the previous year[18] - Net cash used in investing activities decreased significantly to $186,572 from $402,889, indicating improved cash management[18] - Cash and restricted cash at the end of the period totaled $1,010,903, a substantial increase from $494,753 in the previous year[18] - The company reported a net change in cash of $541,632, a significant improvement from a decrease of $1,095 in the previous year[18] - Cash paid for income taxes for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, was $83.411 million, a decrease from $111.420 million in the same period of 2024[76] Capital Expenditures and Investments - Capital expenditures for the period were $196,737, compared to $166,410 in the prior year, reflecting an 18% increase[18] - Capital expenditures for the three months ended December 31, 2025, totaled $85.719 million, significantly higher than $54.228 million in the same period of 2024, reflecting an increase of 58.1%[74] - The company incurred $17.7 million in restructuring expenses related to the closure of a recycling facility and other optimization efforts during the nine months ended December 31, 2025[35] - The acquisition of Orenco Systems, Inc. was completed for a total consideration of approximately $236.3 million, which includes a purchase price of $255 million net of cash acquired[39] - The company completed the acquisition of River Valley Pipe LLC for a preliminary fair value of consideration transferred of approximately $18.8 million[41] - The company completed the acquisition of National Diversified Sales (NDS) for approximately $1.0 billion on February 2, 2026, enhancing its water management business[78] Stockholder Information - Common stock dividends paid were $42,099, compared to $37,324 in the previous year, reflecting a 13% increase[18] - The Company’s common stock dividends declared were $42.1 million, equating to $0.54 per share[36] - A quarterly cash dividend of $0.18 per share was declared, payable on March 16, 2026, to stockholders of record as of March 2, 2026[77] Segment Performance - Net sales from the Pipe segment for the three months ended December 31, 2025, were $326.713 million, a decrease of 7.2% from $339.629 million in 2024[72] - The Infiltrator segment reported net sales of $152.881 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $150.013 million in 2024, marking a growth of 1.9%[72] - Total consolidated net sales for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, reached $2.373615 billion, an increase of 3.7% from $2.288484 billion in 2024[72] - Segment Adjusted Gross Profit for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $296.107 million, up from $275.943 million in 2024, indicating a growth of 7.3%[72] - Adjusted gross profit for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $296.107 million, up from $275.943 million in the same period of 2024, representing an increase of 7.3%[73] Stock-Based Compensation - Stock-based compensation expense rose to $25,816, up 19% from $21,758 in the prior year[19] - The company’s stock-based compensation expense was recorded at $25.8 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025[36] - Total stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $8.835 million, an increase from $7.798 million in 2024, representing a growth of 13.3%[65] - For the nine months ended December 31, 2025, stock-based compensation expense totaled $25.816 million, up from $21.758 million in 2024, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 18.5%[66] Other Financial Metrics - The effective tax rate for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was 24.9%, compared to 25.0% for the same period in 2024[64] - The Company has a maximum potential obligation of $5.5 million under a guarantee for the South American Joint Venture as of December 31, 2025[54] - The Company has no outstanding purchase commitments with fixed price and quantity as of December 31, 2025[62] - The Company’s Senior Notes due 2027 and 2030 have fair values of $350.1 million and $511.8 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2025[61] - A 1.0% increase in interest rates on variable-rate debt would raise the annual forecasted interest expense by approximately $4.0 million based on borrowings as of December 31, 2025[134]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 30.2% Adjusted EBITDA margin, marking one of the most profitable third quarters in its history [6][9] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 9% despite flat revenue, resulting in a 250 basis points increase in the Adjusted EBITDA margin [9][10] - Year-to-date cash from operations reached $779 million, a 44% increase year-over-year, converting more than 100% of Adjusted EBITDA into cash [14][15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Allied Products sales increased by 8%, driven by key products like StormTech storage chambers and water quality products [6][10] - Infiltrator revenue grew by 2%, with strong activity in the Southeast and South [6][10] - Pipe revenue saw a slight decline, with HP Pipe growth offset by weaker sales in residential and infrastructure markets [8][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales in the core non-residential market increased by 5%, particularly in the Southeast, Midwest, and Northeast [8][10] - Residential market sales were down slightly, but the Infiltrator core residential business outperformed the market due to new products [9][10] - The company updated its in-market demand forecast for the non-residential market to a decline in low to mid-single digits [8][10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company continues to prioritize higher growth, higher margin Allied and Infiltrator products to strengthen profitability [5][10] - The recent acquisition of NDS is expected to enhance the company's stormwater capture portfolio and improve offerings in distribution and retail channels [10][11] - The company is committed to long-term growth, focusing on innovation and new product development while navigating a challenging market environment [12][13] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's strategies and product portfolio to increase market participation as the residential market recovers [9][10] - The long-term outlook remains strong, supported by secular tailwinds driving demand for water management solutions across North America [13] - Management acknowledged the impact of adverse weather on construction activities, particularly in the fourth quarter [17][22] Other Important Information - The company announced a new $1 billion stock repurchase authorization, bringing the total authorization to $1.148 billion [16] - The company plans to host its Third Investor Day on June 18, 2026, to discuss growth priorities and updates on acquisitions [11][12] Q&A Session Summary Question: Non-residential market guidance reduction - Management indicated that the guidance reduction reflects a mark-to-market update based on performance in the first nine months and acknowledged the impact of recent storms on the fourth quarter [19][21][22] Question: Future product pipeline and contributions - Management noted that new products are contributing tens of millions of dollars in revenue and expect this to accelerate as commercialization improves [23][25] Question: NDS integration and cost synergies - NDS will be integrated into the Allied and Other segments, with expected cost synergies of $25 million by year three [29][30] Question: Capital expenditures outlook - The increase in CapEx outlook is due to timing rather than specific projects [33][34] Question: Infrastructure project visibility - Management reported improved quoting activity in infrastructure but noted variability by geography and project type [50][51] Question: Raw material costs and pricing - Management confirmed stable pricing and favorable material costs compared to the previous year, with ongoing monitoring of costs [79][81] Question: Margin expansion despite NDS's lower margin profile - Management attributed margin expansion to a favorable product mix and self-help initiatives implemented over the past 16-18 months [87][89]