StockNews.com Upgrades Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) to “Buy”

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report issued on Friday morning.

Several other analysts have also recently commented on the company. Barclays upped their target price on Woodward from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Woodward from $193.00 to $205.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. Truist Financial upped their target price on Woodward from $226.00 to $229.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on Woodward from $216.00 to $232.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $197.38.

Woodward Stock Performance

NASDAQ:WWD opened at $176.35 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $10.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.40. The company has a current ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $184.16 and its 200-day moving average is $174.21. Woodward has a 1-year low of $144.13 and a 1-year high of $201.64.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 3rd. The technology company reported $1.35 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.14 by $0.21. Woodward had a return on equity of 16.76% and a net margin of 11.18%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.45 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Woodward will post 6.15 earnings per share for the current year.

Woodward Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 6th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 20th were issued a dividend of $0.28 per share. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.64%. This is a boost from Woodward’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 20th. Woodward’s dividend payout ratio is presently 18.76%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Woodward news, Director Gregg C. Sengstack sold 4,600 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $187.86, for a total transaction of $864,156.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,450 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,278,157. This represents a 20.86 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.82% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Woodward

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new position in shares of Woodward during the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. Berbice Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Woodward during the fourth quarter worth approximately $33,000. NBT Bank N A NY acquired a new position in shares of Woodward during the fourth quarter worth approximately $34,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP acquired a new position in shares of Woodward during the third quarter worth approximately $41,000. Finally, Mather Group LLC. raised its position in shares of Woodward by 44.8% during the fourth quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 278 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares during the period. 81.18% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Woodward

Woodward, Inc designs, manufactures, and services control solutions for the aerospace and industrial markets worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Aerospace and Industrial. The Aerospace segment provides fuel pumps, metering units, actuators, air valves, specialty valves, fuel nozzles, and thrust reverser actuation systems for turbine engines and nacelles, and flight deck controls, actuators, servocontrols, motors, and sensors for aircraft.