WinstonWınston
Back
Advanced Drainage Systems logo

Advanced Drainage Systems

WMS
61
Construction Materials · Basic Materials
Price
$143.73
+1.29 (+0.91%)
Market Cap
$11.02B
Winston Score
61
Winston is curious
A decent business — some strong pillars, some weaker.
Data as of Aug 23, 2026 · filings through Jun 30, 2026
How the score breaks down
Quality
Strong
Growth
Mixed
Cash Flow
Exceptional
Stability
Good
Valuation
Good
Dividends
Good

Share count rising — dilution

+7.6% over 4y

The company has issued more shares over this period, which dilutes each existing shareholder’s stake.

Diluted shares outstanding: 72.9M (2022) → 78.5M (2026)

Winston Score History

The full picture

Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS) makes plastic pipes and drainage products used to move water away from roads, farms, and buildings. Their main products are corrugated plastic pipes and stormwater management systems, sold to construction contractors, farmers, and government agencies. ADS is the largest manufacturer of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) drainage pipe in North America.

The company sells its products directly and through a network of distributors and home improvement retailers, generating revenue each time a pipe or drainage system is purchased. ADS operates primarily in the United States, with some presence in Canada and internationally, and generates roughly $2.5 billion in annual revenue. Its competitive edge comes from its massive manufacturing footprint, recycled material sourcing, and deep distributor relationships that are hard for smaller rivals to replicate. The key risk is that demand for drainage products is closely tied to construction activity, meaning a slowdown in housing or infrastructure spending could meaningfully hurt sales.

Growth Profile

When traditional metrics don't capture the full picture, these are the signals growth stock investors use instead.

Revenue Growth

+20.6% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Steady revenue growth

EPS Growth

+18.9% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Steady EPS growth

R&D Spend

$0/ year

0.0% of revenue

Below sector average (3%)

Research and development spending

Insider Activity

7.1%ownership

Flat

Insider ownership roughly steady over the past year

Cash Position

Cash flow positive

$162M cash & investments

Quarterly Free Cash Flow

↓ Burn rate worsening

Company generates more cash than it spends — no dilution risk from fundraising

Growth + cash flow

Advanced Drainage Systems is a rare growth stock that's already generating positive cash flow while growing at 21%. The Winston Score doesn't fully credit this transition from "burner" to "earner."

The Winston Score above measures business quality today. Growth stocks often score lower because they invest in the future rather than maximising current profits. These metrics show what matters most for evaluating that future.

Score breakdown

Every number that matters to educated investors.

Each metric is explained in plain language so you know exactly what you're looking at. Start your free trial now.

Quality

Profit per sale
Gross Margin
40.8%
Healthy — 40.8% gross margin
Profit after running costs
Operating Margin
25.4%
Excellent — 25.4% operating margin
Return on the money invested
ROCE
21.4%
Exceptional — 21.4% return on capital

ROIC between 15% and 25%. Every dollar invested in the business earns 15 to 25 cents back per year.

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Growth

Sales growth
Sales YoY
+10.4%
Steady sales growth (+10.4% YoY)
Profit growth
EPS YoY
+4.7%
Modest earnings growth (+4.7% YoY)

Single-digit earnings growth — steady but not exciting.

How steady the profit is
EPS Consistency
3/8 quarters
Earnings rarely grow — volatile business

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Cash Flow

Profit that turns into cash
Cash Conversion
178%
Turns 178% of profit into real cash
Spare cash per sale
FCF Margin
17.1%
Converts sales into free cash efficiently (17.1%)

FCF margin between 10% and 20%. Every $100 in sales becomes $10 to $20 in real cash.

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Stability

What it owes vs what it owns
Debt / Equity
0.87
Moderate — manageable debt (0.87)
Covers its interest
Interest Cover
7.60x
Adequate interest coverage (7.6x)

Interest coverage between 3 and 8. Profits cover interest several times over.

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Valuation

Price vs profit
P/E Ratio (TTM)
24.7x
Growth-priced — P/E 24.7

P/E above the market average. People are paying up for expected growth.

Cheaper or dearer next year
P/E vs Forward
+1.2
GROWING
Earnings expected to grow — slightly cheaper on forward P/E

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free

Dividends

Dividend
Dividend Yield
0.51%
Small dividend — 0.51% yield

Modest yield. The bulk of any return needs to come from price appreciation.

Dividend record
Dividend Growth
+11.8%
Dividend growing fast (11.8% YoY)

Full breakdown available with your free trial

See every metric, trend, and what it means for this stock.

Try free
🔒 See full fundamentals and if they are improving or declining — click here for your free trial now.
Start free trial