Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD) Receives Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages

Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the fourteen analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, nine have issued a buy recommendation and two have assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $379.50.

A number of equities analysts have commented on WWD shares. Melius Research raised shares of Woodward from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Woodward in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Zacks Research raised shares of Woodward from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Woodward in a research report on Thursday, March 12th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price objective on shares of Woodward from $350.00 to $390.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd.

Woodward Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ WWD opened at $371.78 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.36, a current ratio of 2.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $371.20 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $312.41. Woodward has a 52-week low of $146.82 and a 52-week high of $403.31. The stock has a market capitalization of $22.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.82, a PEG ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.98.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 2nd. The technology company reported $2.17 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 business’s quarterly revenue was up 28.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.35 EPS. Woodward has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.200-8.600 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Woodward will post 6.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Woodward Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 5th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 19th were issued a dividend of $0.32 per share. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.3%. This is a boost from Woodward’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.28. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 19th. Woodward’s dividend payout ratio is currently 16.12%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Shawn M. Mclevige sold 1,850 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $384.37, for a total value of $711,084.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 3,095 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,189,625.15. This trade represents a 37.41% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Eileen P. Paterson sold 5,200 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $378.15, for a total value of $1,966,380.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 2,538 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $959,744.70. This represents a 67.20% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 26,925 shares of company stock valued at $10,203,160 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.71% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Woodward

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Ameriflex Group Inc. bought a new stake in Woodward in the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in Woodward in the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. increased its stake in shares of Woodward by 1,766.7% in the third quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 112 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares during the period. Financial Perspectives Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Woodward in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Woodward during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Institutional investors own 81.18% of the company’s stock.

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.