Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) Trading 13.3% Higher Following Earnings Beat

Key Points

• Shares jumped 13.3% intraday after Willis Lease Finance reported a quarterly EPS of $4.03 versus the $3.02 consensus, driving the stock up from a prior close of $195.87 to about $222.
• Insider selling has occurred recently—Chairman Charles F. Iv Willis sold 9,727 shares and CEO Austin Chandler Willis sold 3,400 shares (some trades under a Rule 10b5-1 plan); insiders have sold ~19,397 shares (~$3.33M) in the past 90 days but still own 53.32% of the stock.
• The company has high institutional interest (reported ~93.7% owned by hedge funds/institutions), a market cap of about $1.69 billion and a P/E of 14.47, with strong liquidity ratios (quick ratio 3.52, current ratio 3.86).

Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ:WLFC - Get Free Report) shares traded up 13.3% during mid-day trading on Tuesday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock traded as high as $215.10 and last traded at $222.0150. 24,950 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 61% from the average session volume of 64,107 shares. The stock had previously closed at $195.87.

The transportation company reported $4.03 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.02 by $1.01. Willis Lease Finance had a return on equity of 18.00% and a net margin of 15.38%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

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

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Willis Lease Finance news, Chairman Charles F. Iv Willis sold 9,727 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, March 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $170.09, for a total value of $1,654,465.43. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman directly owned 933,234 shares of the company's stock, valued at $158,733,771.06. This trade represents a 1.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Austin Chandler Willis sold 3,400 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $173.55, for a total value of $590,070.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 183,475 shares of the company's stock, valued at $31,842,086.25. This represents a 1.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 19,397 shares of company stock valued at $3,333,181 over the last ninety days. 53.32% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Willis Lease Finance

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Willis Lease Finance in the fourth quarter valued at $46,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. grew its position in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 742.5% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 337 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $48,000 after purchasing an additional 297 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Willis Lease Finance in the second quarter valued at $54,000. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its position in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 197.9% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 694 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $95,000 after purchasing an additional 461 shares in the last quarter. Finally, DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main purchased a new position in shares of Willis Lease Finance in the second quarter valued at $109,000. 93.70% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Willis Lease Finance Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $1.69 billion, a PE ratio of 14.47 and a beta of 0.81. 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 company has a 50-day moving average price of $186.56 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $161.66.

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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