Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) Sets New 1-Year High - Here's Why

Key Points

• Woodward shares hit a new 52-week high, trading as high as $411.09 after closing at $402.50, reflecting strong recent momentum in the stock.
• The company’s latest earnings beat expectations, with EPS of $2.27 versus $2.10 expected and revenue of $1.09 billion versus $1.01 billion estimated; quarterly revenue also rose 23.4% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remains constructive despite a few downgrades, with an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $393, while several firms have targets in the $415 to $450 range.

Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD - Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $411.09 and last traded at $410.4860, with a volume of 18144 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $402.50.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have commented on WWD shares. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Woodward from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Woodward from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 9th. Royal Bank Of Canada started coverage on Woodward in a report on Thursday, April 16th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $450.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on Woodward in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. They issued an "overweight" rating and a $440.00 target price for the company. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price target on Woodward from $404.00 to $415.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Woodward presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $393.00.

Woodward Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $24.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.19, a P/E/G ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 0.89. The business's fifty day moving average is $369.58 and its 200 day moving average is $352.35. The company has a current ratio of 1.73, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The technology company reported $2.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.10 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $1.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.01 billion. Woodward had a net margin of 12.85% and a return on equity of 20.12%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 23.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.69 earnings per share. Woodward has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.150-9.450 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Woodward, Inc. will post 9.34 EPS for the current year.

Woodward Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 4th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 21st were issued a $0.32 dividend. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 21st. Woodward's payout ratio is presently 15.33%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Karrie M. Bem sold 185 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $355.00, for a total transaction of $65,675.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 3,648 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,295,040. This represents a 4.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Daniel G. Korte sold 14,700 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $356.05, for a total value of $5,233,935.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 4,434 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,578,725.70. This trade represents a 76.83% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 15,629 shares of company stock worth $5,570,005 over the last ninety days. 0.71% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Woodward

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in WWD. Ameriflex Group Inc. purchased a new position in Woodward during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Woodward in the fourth quarter valued at $35,000. Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of 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 during the period. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Woodward in the fourth quarter worth $44,000. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Woodward during the fourth quarter valued at $61,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.18% of the company's stock.

About Woodward

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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