Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) Announces Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.41 EPS

Key Points

• Willis Lease Finance beat quarterly expectations: The company reported EPS of $1.31, exceeding the $0.90 consensus by $0.41, while revenue reached $194.02 million versus estimates of $175.00 million.
• The stock remains near its recent highs: WLFC opened at $68.70, with a market capitalization of $1.45 billion and a 52-week trading range of $38.00 to $81.54.
• Dividend and analyst sentiment were mixed: The quarterly dividend was set at $0.133, an annualized yield of 0.8%, while analyst coverage resulted in a “Moderate Buy” consensus; CEO Austin Chandler Willis also sold 15,552 shares.

Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC - Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The transportation company reported $1.31 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.90 by $0.41, FiscalAI reports. Willis Lease Finance had a return on equity of 19.22% and a net margin of 15.72%.The business had revenue of $194.02 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $175.00 million.

Willis Lease Finance Price Performance

WLFC stock opened at $68.70 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $1.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.40 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.25, a quick ratio of 2.00 and a current ratio of 2.43. Willis Lease Finance has a 1 year low of $38.00 and a 1 year high of $81.54. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $70.40 and a 200-day simple moving average of $65.71.

Willis Lease Finance Cuts Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 21st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 11th will be paid a $0.133 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, August 11th. This represents a $0.53 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Willis Lease Finance's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 9.65%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

WLFC has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Freedom Capital downgraded Willis Lease Finance from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Willis Lease Finance from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy".

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Willis Lease Finance news, CEO Austin Chandler Willis sold 15,552 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.69, for a total value of $1,161,578.88. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 450,888 shares of the company's stock, valued at $33,676,824.72. This trade represents a 3.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 53.32% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Willis Lease Finance during the 4th quarter valued at $46,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in Willis Lease Finance by 742.5% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 337 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $48,000 after buying an additional 297 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Willis Lease Finance in the 2nd quarter valued at about $54,000. Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its position in Willis Lease Finance by 197.9% in the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 694 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $95,000 after buying an additional 461 shares during the last quarter. Finally, DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main purchased a new position in Willis Lease Finance in the 2nd quarter valued at about $109,000. 93.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Willis Lease Finance Company Profile

Willis Lease Finance Corporation NASDAQ: WLFC is an independent global provider of aircraft engine leasing, trading and aftermarket services. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in the United States, the company specializes in offering short- and long-term operating leases for jet engines and auxiliary power units. Through its broad engine portfolio, Willis Lease Finance supports a wide range of commercial aircraft across various operators, including major airlines, regional carriers and other leasing companies.

In addition to leasing solutions, Willis Lease Finance offers comprehensive engine trading and asset management services.

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