Key Points
- Chairman Charles Iv Willis sold 2,000 shares on March 25 at an average price of $176.74 for about $353,480, leaving him with 947,231 shares (a roughly 0.21% reduction in his stake).
- Additional, larger insider sales were reported over March 25–27 (blocks of 4,270 and 9,727 shares), totaling roughly $2.39M and reducing his position by about 1.03%, per SEC Form 4 filings.
- Willis Lease Finance missed EPS estimates for the quarter ($1.52 vs. $3.38 expected) but beat revenue ($193.6M vs. $149M), announced a quarterly dividend of $0.40 (annualized $1.60, ~0.9% yield), and faces a shareholder investigation into executive compensation that could pose governance/legal risk.
Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ:WLFC - Get Free Report) Chairman Charles Iv Willis sold 2,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $176.74, for a total value of $353,480.00. Following the sale, the chairman directly owned 947,231 shares in the company, valued at $167,413,606.94. This represents a 0.21% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.
Willis Lease Finance Trading Down 1.6%
NASDAQ:WLFC opened at $168.53 on Friday. Willis Lease Finance Corporation has a 12-month low of $114.01 and a 12-month high of $207.05. The firm has a market cap of $1.14 billion, a PE ratio of 10.94 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a current ratio of 3.86, a quick ratio of 3.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.08. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $186.48 and a 200 day moving average price of $153.14.
Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, March 10th. The transportation company reported $1.52 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.38 by ($1.86). Willis Lease Finance had a return on equity of 18.00% and a net margin of 15.38%.The company had revenue of $193.62 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $149.00 million.
Willis Lease Finance Announces Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 20th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 11th were paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 11th. Willis Lease Finance's dividend payout ratio is presently 10.38%.
Key Willis Lease Finance News
Here are the key news stories impacting Willis Lease Finance this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst price-target increase — One firm raised WLFC’s price target by 18.75% to $193.80, a bullish signal that some analysts see more upside versus current levels. Willis Lease Finance (WLFC) price target increased by 18.75% to 193.80
- Neutral Sentiment: Minor insider sale disclosed — A small sale of 2,000 shares by Chairman Charles F. Iv Willis (sold ~176.74 avg price) was reported; the size represents a very small percentage of his overall stake and is unlikely alone to change fundamentals. Charles Iv Willis Sells 2,000 Shares of Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) Stock
- Negative Sentiment: Material insider selling by the chairman — Over March 25–27, Chairman Charles F. Iv Willis sold larger blocks (4,270 and 9,727 shares) at average prices around $172–$170, totaling roughly $2.39M. These trades reduced his position by ~1.03% at the largest sale, and were filed with the SEC (Form 4). Multiple press reports and the SEC filing are available. Insider Selling: Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) Chairman Sells 9,727 Shares of Stock Insider Selling: Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) Chairman Sells 4,270 Shares of Stock SEC Form 4
- Negative Sentiment: Shareholder investigation announced — BFA Law notified WLFC shareholders of an investigation into executive compensation, which raises governance and potential disclosure/legal risk until resolved. That news can pressure the stock while details and any outcomes are uncertain. WLFC Investigation Announcement
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Separately, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Willis Lease Finance in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold".
Read Our Latest Research Report on Willis Lease Finance
Institutional Trading of Willis Lease Finance
A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. lifted its holdings in Willis Lease Finance by 22.5% during the 2nd quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 365 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $52,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 4.8% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 1,700 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $269,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc raised its position in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 2,696 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $385,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. Palisades Investment Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. Palisades Investment Partners LLC now owns 20,753 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $2,845,000 after acquiring an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in Willis Lease Finance by 5.9% during the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 1,848 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $251,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares during the last quarter. 93.70% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Willis Lease Finance Company Profile
(
Get Free Report)
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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