Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) Shares Gap Down on Disappointing Earnings

Willis Lease Finance Co. (NASDAQ:WLFC - Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Tuesday following a weaker than expected earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $156.24, but opened at $127.50. Willis Lease Finance shares last traded at $134.26, with a volume of 9,480 shares trading hands.

The transportation company reported $2.21 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.41 by ($2.20). Willis Lease Finance had a return on equity of 20.62% and a net margin of 18.56%. The company had revenue of $157.73 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $149.00 million.

Willis Lease Finance Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 22nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 12th will be issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.72%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, May 12th. Willis Lease Finance's payout ratio is presently 6.85%.

Insider Transactions at Willis Lease Finance

In other news, EVP Scott B. Flaherty sold 1,539 shares of Willis Lease Finance stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $170.90, for a total transaction of $263,015.10. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 69,296 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,842,686.40. This trade represents a 2.17 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Austin Chandler Willis sold 3,450 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $204.14, for a total value of $704,283.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 158,034 shares of the company's stock, valued at $32,261,060.76. The trade was a 2.14 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 13,465 shares of company stock valued at $2,439,074. 53.85% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Willis Lease Finance

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Barclays PLC raised its position in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 221.7% during the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 3,738 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $556,000 after buying an additional 2,576 shares in the last quarter. Lakewood Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Willis Lease Finance during the fourth quarter valued at about $227,000. Ritholtz Wealth Management lifted its stake in Willis Lease Finance by 32.5% during the fourth quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 2,778 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $577,000 after purchasing an additional 681 shares during the last quarter. Precision Wealth Strategies LLC bought a new stake in Willis Lease Finance during the fourth quarter worth about $257,000. Finally, Bleakley Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Willis Lease Finance in the 4th quarter worth about $297,000. 93.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Willis Lease Finance Trading Up 2.6 %

The stock has a fifty day moving average of $155.16 and a two-hundred day moving average of $184.93. The company has a market capitalization of $1.07 billion, a PE ratio of 9.90 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a current ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.84.

Willis Lease Finance Company Profile

Willis Lease Finance Corporation operates as a lessor and servicer of commercial aircraft and aircraft engines worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Leasing and Related Operations, and Spare Parts Sales. The Leasing and Related Operations segment engages in acquiring and leasing commercial aircraft, aircraft engines, and other aircraft equipment, as well as the purchase and resale of commercial aircraft engines and other aircraft equipment, and other related businesses.