UBS Group AG Has $145.12 Million Stock Position in Woodward, Inc. $WWD

Key Points

• UBS raised its stake in Woodward by 27% to 480,031 shares (about $145.12 million), representing roughly 0.80% ownership per its latest 13F filing.
• Woodward beat Q2 expectations (EPS $2.27 vs. $2.10; revenue $1.09B vs. $1.01B), raised FY2026 guidance to EPS 9.150–9.450 and revenue $4.3–4.4B, and has seen multiple analyst upgrades and higher price targets (UBS to $429).
• Notable insider selling: executives sold 26,925 shares (~$10.2M) in the past three months, leaving insiders with about 0.71% ownership, which contrasts with the broader buy-side enthusiasm.

UBS Group AG raised its holdings in Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD - Free Report) by 27.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 480,031 shares of the technology company's stock after purchasing an additional 102,066 shares during the quarter. UBS Group AG owned 0.80% of Woodward worth $145,123,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of WWD. Ameriflex Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Woodward during the 3rd quarter worth $26,000. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Woodward in the third quarter valued at about $27,000. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. grew its position in 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 acquiring an additional 106 shares during the last quarter. Financial Perspectives Inc bought a new position in Woodward in the third quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC raised its stake in Woodward by 627.3% during the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 160 shares of the technology company's stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 81.18% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Woodward

Here are the key news stories impacting Woodward this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results beat and company-updated guidance — Woodward reported stronger-than-expected Q2 results (EPS and revenue) and raised FY2026 guidance (EPS 9.150–9.450; revenue $4.3–4.4B), signaling healthy Aerospace and Industrial demand. Woodward Reports Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade/price-target bump from UBS — UBS raised its price target to $429 and maintained a Buy, giving additional near-term upside on the name and supporting outperformance. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Broader buy-side analyst momentum — Multiple sell‑side firms show Buy ratings and elevated targets (several targets well above current levels), reinforcing positive expectations for growth and valuation support. Woodward Inc. (WWD) stock rises on Q2 2026 Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Index-fund / Nasdaq buzz — Commentary points to potential index-related flows (Nasdaq-linked funds) that can add mechanical demand following the strong quarter. Woodward Earnings Momentum Builds Amid Nasdaq Index Fund Buzz
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed institutional positioning — 310 institutions added while 275 trimmed positions last quarter; some large asset managers significantly reduced exposure, indicating rebalancing and divergent views among big holders. Woodward Inc. (WWD) stock rises on Q2 2026 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Significant insider selling — Multiple executives have sold shares in recent months (no insider buys reported), which may concern some investors about near-term insider conviction. Woodward Inc. (WWD) stock rises on Q2 2026 Earnings

Insider Buying and Selling at Woodward

In related news, Director John D. Cohn sold 2,250 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $369.62, for a total value of $831,645.00. Following the sale, the director owned 21,575 shares of the company's stock, valued at $7,974,551.50. The trade was a 9.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Charles P. Blankenship sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $367.40, for a total value of $1,837,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 65,854 shares of the company's stock, valued at $24,194,759.60. The trade was a 7.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 26,925 shares of company stock worth $10,203,160 in the last three months. 0.71% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

WWD has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. TD Cowen raised their price target on shares of Woodward from $350.00 to $390.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on shares of Woodward in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $450.00 price objective for the company. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Woodward from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on shares of Woodward from $430.00 to $445.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of Woodward from $362.00 to $408.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $387.00.

Woodward Stock Performance

Shares of WWD stock opened at $362.99 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 43.47, a PEG ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a current ratio of 2.05, a quick ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The business's 50-day moving average price is $376.77 and its 200-day moving average price is $329.97. Woodward, Inc. has a 12 month low of $188.79 and a 12 month high of $407.00.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The technology company reported $2.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.10 by $0.17. Woodward had a net margin of 12.85% and a return on equity of 20.09%. The business had revenue of $1.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.01 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.69 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 23.4% on a year-over-year basis. Woodward has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.150-9.450 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Woodward, Inc. will post 8.51 EPS for the current year.

Woodward Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 4th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 21st will be paid a dividend of $0.32 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 21st. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Woodward's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 16.12%.

Woodward 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.

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