Woodward, Inc. $WWD Holdings Decreased by Covea Finance

Key Points

• Covea Finance cut its stake in Woodward by 17.1%, selling 4,200 shares and leaving 20,300 shares valued at $6.137 million; institutional investors own about 81.18% of WWD.
• Woodward beat Q4 expectations with EPS of $2.17 vs. $1.65 and revenue of $996.45M (+28.8% YoY), set FY2026 guidance of 8.20–8.60 EPS, and holds a MarketBeat consensus rating of Moderate Buy (consensus target $354.80; some analysts target up to $450).
• Insiders have been net sellers—26,925 shares worth $10.2M sold in the last 90 days—while the company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.32 (annual $1.28, yield ~0.4%).

Covea Finance decreased its position in Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD - Free Report) by 17.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 20,300 shares of the technology company's stock after selling 4,200 shares during the period. Covea Finance's holdings in Woodward were worth $6,137,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. AdvisorNet Financial Inc grew its holdings in Woodward by 2.6% during the third quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 1,586 shares of the technology company's stock worth $401,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its stake in Woodward by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,221 shares of the technology company's stock worth $308,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Wealthstream Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Woodward by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter. Wealthstream Advisors Inc. now owns 1,553 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $392,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its stake in shares of Woodward by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,036 shares of the technology company's stock worth $267,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Compound Planning Inc. boosted its position in Woodward by 3.0% during the third quarter. Compound Planning Inc. now owns 1,596 shares of the technology company's stock worth $403,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 81.18% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have issued reports on WWD shares. Melius Research raised Woodward from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. UBS Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Woodward in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Woodward from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, January 10th. TD Cowen boosted their target price 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. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $450.00 price target on shares of Woodward in a research note on Sunday, February 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $354.80.

Woodward Stock Down 4.0%

Shares of WWD opened at $353.35 on Friday. Woodward, Inc. has a 12 month low of $146.82 and a 12 month high of $403.31. The firm's 50 day moving average is $364.89 and its 200-day moving average is $303.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.07 billion, a PE ratio of 44.50, a P/E/G ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a current ratio of 2.05, a quick ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

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

Woodward Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 5th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 19th were given a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 19th. This is an increase from Woodward's previous quarterly dividend of $0.28. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Woodward's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 16.12%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director John D. Cohn sold 2,250 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $369.62, for a total transaction of $831,645.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 21,575 shares of the company's stock, valued at $7,974,551.50. This represents a 9.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Shawn M. Mclevige sold 1,850 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $384.37, for a total transaction of $711,084.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 3,095 shares in the company, valued at $1,189,625.15. The trade was a 37.41% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 26,925 shares of company stock worth $10,203,160 in the last ninety days. 0.71% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.

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