Advanced Drainage Systems Announces Special Cash Dividend of $1.00 Per Share and Quarterly Cash Dividend Increase
HILLIARD, Ohio–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE: WMS) (“ADS” or the “Company”), a
leading global manufacturer of water management products and solutions
for commercial, residential, infrastructure and agricultural
applications, today announced its Board of Directors has approved a
special cash dividend of $1.00 per share as well as a quarterly cash
dividend on ADS common stock of $0.09 per share.
Scott Barbour, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented,
“Today’s special dividend declaration is the latest step in our
commitment to return capital to shareholders. Given our strong balance
sheet and favorable financial position, we are able to do this while
preserving the financial and operational flexibility to pursue
acquisitions and other capital investments as part of our three-year
growth plan.”
The special dividend of $1.00 per share will be paid on June 14, 2019 to
shareholders of record at the close of business on June 3, 2019. The
aggregate payment will be approximately $75 million, funded through
existing cash and additional borrowings. In accordance with the terms of
the ESOP, the special dividend on loan encumbered ESOP preferred shares
will be used by the ESOP to repay a portion of the outstanding ESOP loan
balance owed to the Company. Approximately 11.6 million ESOP preferred
shares will be released from the ESOP loan encumbrance and allocated to
ESOP participants’ plan accounts on June 30, 2019, triggering a one-time
non-cash, non-tax-deductible ESOP compensation charge that the Company
expects to realize in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020.
The increased quarterly cash dividend of $0.09 per share will also be
paid on June 14, 2019 to shareholders of record at the close of business
on June 3, 2019.
About the Company
Advanced Drainage Systems is the leading manufacturer of high
performance thermoplastic corrugated pipe, providing a comprehensive
suite of water management products and superior drainage solutions for
use in the construction and infrastructure marketplace. Its innovative
products are used across a broad range of end markets and applications,
including non-residential, residential, agriculture and infrastructure
applications. The Company has established a leading position in many of
these end markets by leveraging its national sales and distribution
platform, overall product breadth and scale and manufacturing
excellence. Founded in 1966, the Company operates a global network of
approximately 55 manufacturing plants and over 30 distribution centers.
To learn more about ADS, please visit the Company’s website at www.ads-pipe.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may be deemed to be
forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts
but rather are based on the Company’s current expectations, estimates
and projections regarding the Company’s business, operations and other
factors relating thereto. Words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,”
“should,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,”
“intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and
similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those
reflected in forward-looking statements relating to our operations and
business include: fluctuations in the price and availability of resins
and other raw materials and our ability to pass any increased costs of
raw materials on to our customers in a timely manner; volatility in
general business and economic conditions in the markets in which we
operate, including, without limitation, factors relating to availability
of credit, interest rates, fluctuations in capital and business and
consumer confidence; cyclicality and seasonality of the non-residential
and residential construction markets and infrastructure spending; the
risks of increasing competition in our existing and future markets,
including competition from both manufacturers of high performance
thermoplastic corrugated pipe and manufacturers of products using
alternative materials; our ability to continue to convert current demand
for concrete, steel and PVC pipe products into demand for our high
performance thermoplastic corrugated pipe and Allied Products; the
effect of weather or seasonality; the loss of any of our significant
customers; the risks of doing business internationally; the risks of
conducting a portion of our operations through joint ventures; our
ability to expand into new geographic or product markets; our ability to
achieve the acquisition component of our growth strategy; the risk
associated with manufacturing processes; our ability to manage our
assets; the risks associated with our product warranties; our ability to
manage our supply purchasing and customer credit policies; the risks
associated with our self-insured programs; our ability to control labor
costs and to attract, train and retain highly-qualified employees and
key personnel; our ability to protect our intellectual property rights;
changes in laws and regulations, including environmental laws and
regulations; our ability to project product mix; the risks associated
with our current levels of indebtedness; fluctuations in our effective
tax rate, including from the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act;
changes to our operating results, cash flows and financial condition
attributable to the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; our ability
to meet future capital requirements and fund our liquidity needs; the
risk that additional information may arise that would require the
Company to make additional adjustments or revisions or to restate the
financial statements and other financial data for certain prior periods
and any future periods, any delay in the filing of any filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”); the review of potential
weaknesses or deficiencies in the Company’s disclosure controls and
procedures, and discovering weaknesses of which we are not currently
aware or which have not been detected and the other risks and
uncertainties described in the Company’s filings with the SEC. New risks
and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for
the Company to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an
impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this press
release. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the
forward-looking information included herein, the inclusion of such
information should not be regarded as a representation by the Company or
any other person that the Company’s expectations, objectives or plans
will be achieved in the timeframe anticipated or at all. Investors are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking
statements and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update
or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Contacts
Investors / Media
Advanced Drainage Systems
Michael
Higgins, 614-658-0050
Mike.Higgins@ads-pipe.com