Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) Downgraded to "Hold" Rating by Zacks Research

Key Points

• Zacks Research downgraded Woodward from “strong buy” to “hold,” though the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with a $406.45 average price target.
• Woodward reported quarterly EPS of $2.52, beating estimates of $2.44, while revenue reached $1.11 billion and increased 21.2% year over year. The company maintained fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $9.30–$9.50.
• Shares opened at $365.78, below their 50-day moving average of $396.62, while insiders sold 17,779 shares worth approximately $6.34 million over the past 90 days.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD - Get Free Report) was downgraded by Zacks Research from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note issued on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

WWD has been the topic of several other reports. Wall Street Zen lowered Woodward from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, May 9th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on Woodward from $450.00 to $430.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of Woodward from $415.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday. Susquehanna assumed coverage on shares of Woodward in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. They issued a "positive" rating and a $423.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $470.00 price target on shares of Woodward in a report on Friday, May 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $406.45.

Woodward Stock Performance

NASDAQ WWD opened at $365.78 on Wednesday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $396.62 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $378.63. Woodward has a 12-month low of $233.31 and a 12-month high of $450.92. The firm has a market cap of $21.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.69, a PEG ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The technology company reported $2.52 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.44 by $0.08. Woodward had a return on equity of 21.89% and a net margin of 13.17%.The firm had revenue of $1.11 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.11 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.76 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up 21.2% on a year-over-year basis. Woodward has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.300-9.500 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Woodward will post 9.46 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Woodward news, EVP Shawn M. Mclevige sold 2,150 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.82, for a total value of $767,163.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 3,098 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,105,428.36. This trade represents a 40.97% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Daniel G. Korte sold 14,700 shares of Woodward stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.05, for a total value of $5,233,935.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,434 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,578,725.70. This represents a 76.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 17,779 shares of company stock worth $6,337,168. 0.71% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Woodward in the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in Woodward by 550.0% in the second quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 91 shares of the technology company's stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 77 shares in the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC raised its stake in Woodward by 82.5% in the first quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 115 shares of the technology company's stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 52 shares in the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new stake in Woodward in the fourth quarter worth about $61,000. Finally, Hollencrest Capital Management lifted its holdings in Woodward by 1,800.0% in the first quarter. Hollencrest Capital Management now owns 209 shares of the technology company's stock worth $75,000 after buying an additional 198 shares during the period. 81.18% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Woodward Company Profile

Woodward, Inc NASDAQ: WWD is a global leader in the design, manufacture and service of control systems and components for the aerospace and industrial markets. Founded in 1870 and headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, the company specializes in motion control, fuel systems, actuation, and digital control solutions. Its offerings enable precision management of flow, pressure and motion in critical applications ranging from aircraft engines and power turbines to hydraulic systems.

Woodward's product portfolio is organized into two primary segments: Aerospace and Industrial.

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