Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd Cuts Stock Holdings in Wabtec $WAB

Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd lessened its holdings in Wabtec (NYSE:WAB) by 16.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 13,575 shares of the transportation company’s stock after selling 2,708 shares during the period. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd’s holdings in Wabtec were worth $2,721,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of WAB. CI Investments Inc. lifted its holdings in Wabtec by 6.1% during the third quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 865 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $173,000 after buying an additional 50 shares during the period. Quadrant Capital Group LLC raised its position in shares of Wabtec by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 4,082 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $818,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares in the last quarter. Wedmont Private Capital lifted its stake in shares of Wabtec by 2.6% during the 3rd quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 2,246 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $444,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management boosted its position in Wabtec by 10.0% during the third quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management now owns 625 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $125,000 after purchasing an additional 57 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in Wabtec by 6.5% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 973 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $204,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. 91.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wabtec Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE WAB opened at $235.68 on Monday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $244.09 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $218.06. The stock has a market cap of $40.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.51, a PEG ratio of 1.78 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. Wabtec has a 12 month low of $151.81 and a 12 month high of $266.27.

Wabtec (NYSE:WAB) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The transportation company reported $2.10 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.08 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $2.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.86 billion. Wabtec had a net margin of 10.48% and a return on equity of 14.12%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 14.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.68 earnings per share. Wabtec has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.050-10.450 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Wabtec will post 8.54 earnings per share for the current year.

Wabtec declared that its board has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, February 11th that permits the company to repurchase $1.20 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the transportation company to repurchase up to 2.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Wabtec Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 2nd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th were paid a dividend of $0.31 per share. This represents a $1.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 17th. This is an increase from Wabtec’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. Wabtec’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 18.16%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Wabtec

In related news, CFO John A. Olin sold 11,000 shares of Wabtec stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $263.30, for a total transaction of $2,896,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 60,487 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,926,227.10. This trade represents a 15.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Gina Trombley sold 4,013 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $241.87, for a total value of $970,624.31. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 13,841 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,347,722.67. The trade was a 22.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last three months, insiders have sold 31,512 shares of company stock worth $8,160,028. Insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on WAB. Stephens raised their price target on shares of Wabtec from $230.00 to $290.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Wabtec from $224.00 to $270.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Susquehanna set a $300.00 price target on Wabtec in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $315.00 price objective on shares of Wabtec in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Wabtec in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Wabtec currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $269.00.

Wabtec Company Profile

Wabtec Corporation (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation) is a global provider of equipment, systems and services for the rail industry. The company supplies products and solutions to freight railroads, transit agencies and other industrial operators, focusing on technologies that improve the performance, safety and efficiency of locomotives and rail networks. Wabtec’s business spans new equipment manufacturing, aftermarket parts and services, and digital and control systems for rail operations.

Product and service offerings include locomotive systems and components, braking and air systems, propulsion and traction equipment, signaling and control technologies, and a range of aftermarket services such as maintenance, remanufacturing, parts distribution and fleet modernization.