Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) Stock Price Down 2.8% – What’s Next?

Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ:WLFC)’s stock price traded down 2.8% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $135.81 and last traded at $136.5750. 27,900 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 59% from the average session volume of 68,508 shares. The stock had previously closed at $140.54.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Willis Lease Finance in a report on Monday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold”.

Willis Lease Finance Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $930.08 million, a PE ratio of 8.18 and a beta of 0.79. The business’s 50 day moving average is $127.42 and its 200 day moving average is $138.11. The company has a current ratio of 1.88, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.44.

Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The transportation company reported $3.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.34 by ($0.09). Willis Lease Finance had a return on equity of 20.58% and a net margin of 17.79%.The firm had revenue of $154.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $156.00 million.

Willis Lease Finance Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 26th. Investors of record on Monday, November 17th were paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 17th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. This is an increase from Willis Lease Finance’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. Willis Lease Finance’s dividend payout ratio is 9.58%.

Insider Transactions at Willis Lease Finance

In other Willis Lease Finance news, CEO Austin Chandler Willis sold 3,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $126.52, for a total value of $430,168.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 182,663 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $23,110,522.76. This represents a 1.83% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In the last three months, insiders sold 12,200 shares of company stock worth $1,505,922. 57.02% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Willis Lease Finance

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Millennium Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 1,498.3% in the 3rd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 66,008 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $9,049,000 after purchasing an additional 61,878 shares in the last quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of Willis Lease Finance in the 2nd quarter valued at $8,073,000. M3F Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 6.9% in the 3rd quarter. M3F Inc. now owns 606,026 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $83,080,000 after acquiring an additional 39,085 shares during the period. Jump Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Willis Lease Finance in the 2nd quarter worth $5,542,000. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP lifted its stake in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 357.4% during the 2nd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 40,289 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $5,752,000 after purchasing an additional 31,480 shares during the last quarter. 93.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.