Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) Stock Price Crosses Above 200 Day Moving Average - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• WLFC shares crossed above their 200-day moving average during Wednesday trading, reaching as high as $217.52 before last trading at $206.96.
• Analyst sentiment has turned cautious, with Weiss Ratings and Freedom Capital both cutting the stock to Hold, leaving the consensus rating at Hold.
• The company reported strong recent results and a dividend, posting Q1 EPS of $4.03 versus expectations of $3.02 and paying a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share, ahead of its upcoming 3-for-1 stock split on July 20.

Shares of Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ:WLFC - Get Free Report) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $188.98 and traded as high as $217.52. Willis Lease Finance shares last traded at $206.96, with a volume of 114,931 shares changing hands.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on WLFC shares. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Willis Lease Finance from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Freedom Capital lowered Willis Lease Finance from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, Willis Lease Finance has a consensus rating of "Hold".

Willis Lease Finance Trading Down 4.6%

The stock has a market cap of $1.46 billion, a PE ratio of 12.57 and a beta of 0.72. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $201.12 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $188.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.25, a current ratio of 2.43 and a quick ratio of 2.00.

Shares of Willis Lease Finance are set to split on the morning of Monday, July 20th. The 3-1 split was announced on Tuesday, June 23rd. The newly issued shares will be issued to shareholders after the closing bell on Friday, July 17th.

Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The transportation company reported $4.03 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.02 by $1.01. Willis Lease Finance had a return on equity of 19.22% and a net margin of 15.72%.The company had revenue of $194.35 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $175.00 million.

Willis Lease Finance Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 22nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 11th were given a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, May 11th. Willis Lease Finance's dividend payout ratio is currently 9.72%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Willis Lease Finance

In related news, CEO Austin Chandler Willis sold 5,184 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $224.07, for a total value of $1,161,578.88. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 150,296 shares in the company, valued at approximately $33,676,824.72. The trade was a 3.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 53.32% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Willis Lease Finance

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Millennium Management LLC grew its position in Willis Lease Finance by 1,498.3% in the third quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 66,008 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $9,049,000 after acquiring an additional 61,878 shares in the last quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC bought a new position in shares of Willis Lease Finance during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $8,073,000. First Trust Advisors LP raised its holdings in Willis Lease Finance by 357.4% during the 2nd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 40,289 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $5,752,000 after buying an additional 31,480 shares during the period. Denali Advisors LLC lifted its position in Willis Lease Finance by 780.3% in the fourth quarter. Denali Advisors LLC now owns 33,452 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $4,537,000 after buying an additional 29,652 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its stake in Willis Lease Finance by 951.4% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 27,346 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $3,904,000 after buying an additional 24,745 shares during the period. 93.70% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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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