Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) Sees Strong Trading Volume - What's Next?

Key Points

• Shares traded about 60,372 on Tuesday and last traded at $187.99 (versus a prior close of $189.32), with the stock up roughly 0.7% and trading above its 50‑day moving average of $187.11 (200‑day $160.42); market cap is about $1.47B with a PE of 12.36.
• EPS miss: Willis Lease reported Q earnings of $1.52 EPS versus a $3.38 consensus (miss of $1.86), while revenue beat at $193.62M versus $149M; net margin was 15.38% and ROE 18.00%.
• Insider selling was disclosed (CEO sold 3,400 shares, chairman 9,727 shares; insiders sold 22,797 shares worth ~$3.96M last quarter) and Weiss Ratings reissued a Hold (c+) — MarketBeat’s consensus is also Hold.

Shares of Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ:WLFC - Get Free Report) saw an uptick in trading volume on Tuesday . 60,372 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 3% from the previous session's volume of 62,082 shares.The stock last traded at $187.99 and had previously closed at $189.32.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Willis Lease Finance in a research report on Friday, March 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, Willis Lease Finance currently has a consensus rating of "Hold".

Willis Lease Finance Trading Up 0.7%

The company has a quick ratio of 3.52, a current ratio of 3.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.08. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $187.11 and a 200 day moving average of $160.42. The firm has a market cap of $1.47 billion, a PE ratio of 12.36 and a beta of 0.76.

Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, March 10th. The transportation company reported $1.52 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.38 by ($1.86). Willis Lease Finance had a net margin of 15.38% and a return on equity of 18.00%. The firm had revenue of $193.62 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $149.00 million.

Insider Activity at Willis Lease Finance

In other Willis Lease Finance news, CEO Austin Chandler Willis sold 3,400 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $173.55, for a total transaction of $590,070.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 183,475 shares of the company's stock, valued at $31,842,086.25. The trade was a 1.82% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Chairman Charles F. Iv Willis sold 9,727 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, March 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.09, for a total transaction of $1,654,465.43. Following the sale, the chairman directly owned 933,234 shares in the company, valued at $158,733,771.06. The trade was a 1.03% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders sold 22,797 shares of company stock worth $3,964,697. 53.85% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Willis Lease Finance

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Four Tree Island Advisory LLC raised its holdings in Willis Lease Finance by 5.4% during the 3rd quarter. Four Tree Island Advisory LLC now owns 98,466 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $13,428,000 after acquiring an additional 5,035 shares during the period. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new stake in Willis Lease Finance during the 4th quarter valued at $2,958,000. Wedbush Securities Inc. bought a new stake in Willis Lease Finance during the 3rd quarter valued at $1,273,000. M3F Inc. raised its holdings in Willis Lease Finance by 6.9% during the 3rd quarter. M3F Inc. now owns 606,026 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $83,080,000 after acquiring an additional 39,085 shares during the period. Finally, Ascent Group LLC bought a new stake in Willis Lease Finance during the 3rd quarter valued at $588,000. Institutional investors own 93.70% of the company's stock.

About Willis Lease Finance

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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