Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) Director Eileen Paterson Sells 5,200 Shares of Stock

Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD) Director Eileen Paterson sold 5,200 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $378.15, for a total transaction of $1,966,380.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 2,538 shares in the company, valued at approximately $959,744.70. This trade represents a 67.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Woodward Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WWD opened at $392.78 on Tuesday. Woodward, Inc. has a 52 week low of $146.82 and a 52 week high of $403.31. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $320.46 and a 200 day moving average price of $278.04. The company has a market cap of $23.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.47, a PEG ratio of 2.94 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.36, a current ratio of 2.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) last issued its earnings results on Monday, February 2nd. The technology company reported $2.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.65 by $0.52. The business had revenue of $996.45 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $901.92 million. Woodward had a return on equity of 19.07% and a net margin of 12.89%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 28.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.35 EPS. Woodward has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.200-8.600 EPS. Research analysts predict that Woodward, Inc. will post 6.15 earnings per share for the current year.

Woodward Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 5th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 19th will be given a dividend of $0.32 per share. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 19th. This is an increase from Woodward’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.28. Woodward’s payout ratio is presently 14.11%.

Woodward declared that its board has authorized a share buyback program on Thursday, November 20th that authorizes the company to buyback $1.80 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the technology company to purchase up to 11.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Woodward

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Ameriflex Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Woodward in the third quarter worth $26,000. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Woodward during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. increased its position in Woodward by 1,766.7% during the 3rd quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 112 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares in the last quarter. Financial Perspectives Inc acquired a new position in Woodward in the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Kilter Group LLC purchased a new position in Woodward in the 2nd quarter valued at about $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.18% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently commented on WWD shares. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Woodward in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on Woodward from $362.00 to $408.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $450.00 price target on shares of Woodward in a report on Sunday. Melius Research raised Woodward from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Woodward from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $354.80.

Woodward Company Profile

Woodward, Inc (NASDAQ: WWD) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and service of control systems and components for the aerospace and industrial markets. Founded in 1870 and headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, the company specializes in motion control, fuel systems, actuation, and digital control solutions. Its offerings enable precision management of flow, pressure and motion in critical applications ranging from aircraft engines and power turbines to hydraulic systems.

Woodward’s product portfolio is organized into two primary segments: Aerospace and Industrial.