Argent Capital Management LLC Buys 6,194 Shares of Woodward, Inc. $WWD

Key Points

• Argent Capital Management increased its Woodward stake by 58.4% in the first quarter, adding 6,194 shares to own 16,806 shares valued at approximately $6.0 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 81.18% of Woodward.
• Woodward reported quarterly EPS of $2.52, beating estimates, while revenue rose 21.2% year over year to $1.11 billion. Management set fiscal 2026 EPS guidance at $9.30–$9.50, supported by continued aerospace and industrial demand.
• Analysts maintain a consensus “Buy” rating with a $393.83 price target, although some caution that the stock’s valuation may already reflect strong results and that a narrower aerospace outlook could limit future growth.

Argent Capital Management LLC grew its position in Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD - Free Report) by 58.4% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 16,806 shares of the technology company's stock after acquiring an additional 6,194 shares during the quarter. Argent Capital Management LLC's holdings in Woodward were worth $6,015,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. State Street Corp boosted its stake in Woodward by 3.5% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,388,758 shares of the technology company's stock worth $603,663,000 after purchasing an additional 80,538 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Woodward by 7.7% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,491,870 shares of the technology company's stock worth $451,093,000 after acquiring an additional 106,390 shares during the period. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership increased its holdings in Woodward by 45.7% in the fourth quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 1,065,294 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $322,060,000 after purchasing an additional 334,333 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its position in shares of Woodward by 8.5% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 982,448 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $297,014,000 after acquiring an additional 76,870 shares during the period. Finally, Sei Investments Co. raised its holdings in Woodward by 12.5% in the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 904,404 shares of the technology company's stock worth $323,705,000 after purchasing an additional 100,465 shares during the period. 81.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Woodward Price Performance

WWD stock opened at $360.75 on Friday. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $395.61 and its 200 day simple moving average is $377.24. Woodward, Inc. has a 12-month low of $233.31 and a 12-month high of $450.92. The firm has a market cap of $21.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.13, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The technology company reported $2.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.44 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $1.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.11 billion. Woodward had a return on equity of 21.89% and a net margin of 13.17%.The company's revenue was up 21.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.76 earnings per share. Woodward has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.300-9.500 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Woodward, Inc. will post 9.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Woodward Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 20th will be issued a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 20th. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.4%. Woodward's dividend payout ratio is presently 15.33%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Susquehanna assumed coverage on Woodward in a report on Tuesday, May 26th. They set a "positive" rating and a $423.00 price objective on the stock. Wall Street Zen cut Woodward from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, May 9th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Woodward from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Monday, June 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $470.00 price objective on shares of Woodward in a report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price target on Woodward from $450.00 to $430.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Thursday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $393.83.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Woodward news, EVP Karrie M. Bem sold 280 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $372.66, for a total value of $104,344.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,297 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,601,320.02. The trade was a 6.12% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Daniel G. Korte sold 14,700 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $356.05, for a total value of $5,233,935.00. Following the sale, the director owned 4,434 shares in the company, valued at $1,578,725.70. The trade was a 76.83% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 15,629 shares of company stock worth $5,570,005. 0.71% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Woodward News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Woodward this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Woodward reported fiscal Q3 adjusted earnings of $2.52 per share, exceeding the $2.39–$2.44 analyst range and rising 43.2% from the prior year. Revenue increased 21.2% to approximately $1.11 billion, supported by aerospace and industrial demand, pricing, and higher volume. WWD Q3 Earnings Beat on Aerospace and Industrial Strength
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $9.30–$9.50, broadly consistent with the current analyst expectation of $9.34. The company also plans to reduce hiring needs by about 1,000 positions by 2029, which could support productivity and margins over time. Woodward raises 2026 adjusted EPS view
• Positive Sentiment: Growth-focused commentary highlights Woodward’s above-average financial growth, while a bullish technical setup—a hammer pattern after the recent decline—and upward earnings-estimate revisions suggest potential near-term support. Woodward is an Incredible Growth Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: TD Cowen assigned Woodward a Hold rating, indicating that the strong operating results may already be reflected in the valuation and that investors may want additional evidence of sustained growth. Woodward Gets a Hold from TD Cowen
• Negative Sentiment: The stock initially declined despite the earnings beat because Woodward’s aerospace outlook narrowed. Investors appear concerned that this could constrain future growth, offsetting the benefits of the higher fiscal-year guidance. Woodward shares fall as aerospace outlook narrows

About Woodward

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.

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