Palisade Capital Management LP Makes New Investment in Woodward, Inc. $WWD

Palisade Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 26,957 shares of the technology company’s stock, valued at approximately $11,469,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in WWD. Woodline Partners LP acquired a new position in shares of Woodward during the 1st quarter worth approximately $2,039,000. Focus Partners Wealth increased its holdings in Woodward by 35.5% in the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 2,390 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $436,000 after acquiring an additional 626 shares in the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its position in Woodward by 684.3% during the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 5,043 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $920,000 after acquiring an additional 4,400 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its position in Woodward by 7.0% during the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 4,030 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $988,000 after acquiring an additional 265 shares during the period. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its holdings in Woodward by 11.9% during the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 506 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $124,000 after purchasing an additional 54 shares in the last quarter. 81.18% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Woodward Trading Up 2.0%

Shares of WWD opened at $339.66 on Wednesday. Woodward, Inc. has a 12-month low of $233.31 and a 12-month high of $450.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $20.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.78, a P/E/G ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 0.88. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $392.84 and a 200 day moving average price of $380.53. The company has a current ratio of 1.65, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The technology company reported $2.52 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.44 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $1.11 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.11 billion. Woodward had a net margin of 13.17% and a return on equity of 21.89%. Woodward’s quarterly revenue was up 21.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.76 earnings per share. Woodward has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.300-9.500 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Woodward, Inc. will post 9.46 EPS for the current year.

Woodward Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 20th will be given a dividend of $0.32 per share. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 20th. Woodward’s payout ratio is presently 14.24%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently issued reports on WWD shares. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Woodward from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and set a $470.00 price target on shares of Woodward in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Woodward in a research note on Friday, July 17th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Woodward from $390.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Susquehanna began coverage on Woodward in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. They set a “positive” rating and a $423.00 price objective for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Woodward presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $419.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Daniel G. Korte sold 14,700 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.05, for a total value of $5,233,935.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 4,434 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,578,725.70. This represents a 76.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Shawn M. Mclevige sold 2,150 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.82, for a total value of $767,163.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 3,098 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,105,428.36. The trade was a 40.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 0.71% of the company’s stock.

Woodward Profile

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.