Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) Raised to Moderate Buy at Royal Bank Of Canada

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) was upgraded by Royal Bank Of Canada to a “moderate buy” rating in a report released on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Woodward in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Woodward in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. They set an “overweight” rating and a $440.00 target price on the stock. Melius Research raised Woodward from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $450.00 price objective on shares of Woodward in a research note on Sunday, February 8th. Finally, Zacks Research raised Woodward from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $385.91.

Woodward Stock Up 5.3%

Shares of WWD opened at $394.83 on Thursday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $379.89 and its 200 day moving average is $322.71. The company has a market capitalization of $23.54 billion, a PE ratio of 49.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.98. Woodward has a 12-month low of $162.85 and a 12-month high of $407.00. The company has a current ratio of 2.05, a quick ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) last issued its earnings results on Monday, February 2nd. The technology company reported $2.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.65 by $0.52. The company had revenue of $996.45 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $901.92 million. Woodward had a return on equity of 19.07% and a net margin of 12.89%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 28.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.35 EPS. Woodward has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.200-8.600 EPS. Research analysts expect that Woodward will post 6.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Charles P. Blankenship sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $367.40, for a total transaction of $1,837,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 65,854 shares in the company, valued at $24,194,759.60. The trade was a 7.06% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director John D. Cohn sold 2,250 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $369.62, for a total value of $831,645.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 21,575 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,974,551.50. The trade was a 9.44% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders sold 26,925 shares of company stock worth $10,203,160. 0.71% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Woodward

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Ameriflex Group Inc. purchased a new position in Woodward during the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in Woodward during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. boosted its holdings in Woodward by 1,766.7% during the 3rd quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 112 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 106 shares during the period. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new position in Woodward during the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, Financial Perspectives Inc purchased a new position in Woodward during the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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.