Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) Shares Down 4.6% on Disappointing Earnings

Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ:WLFC) shares traded down 4.6% during trading on Tuesday following a dissappointing earnings announcement. The stock traded as low as $160.05 and last traded at $169.7950. 54,065 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 6% from the average session volume of 50,911 shares. The stock had previously closed at $177.89.

The transportation company reported $1.52 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.38 by ($1.86). The company had revenue of $193.62 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $149.00 million. Willis Lease Finance had a return on equity of 18.38% and a net margin of 15.38%.

Willis Lease Finance Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 11th were issued a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 11th. Willis Lease Finance’s payout ratio is 9.58%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Willis Lease Finance in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, Willis Lease Finance currently has an average rating of “Hold”.

Insider Buying and Selling at Willis Lease Finance

In related news, CEO Austin Chandler Willis sold 3,400 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $185.74, for a total value of $631,516.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 184,746 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $34,314,722.04. This trade represents a 1.81% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 53.85% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Willis Lease Finance

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Millennium Management LLC increased its position in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 1,498.3% during 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 during the last quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Willis Lease Finance during the second quarter worth $8,073,000. M3F Inc. increased its position in Willis Lease Finance by 6.9% during the third 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 last quarter. Jump Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Willis Lease Finance in the second quarter valued at $5,542,000. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP lifted its holdings in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 357.4% in the 2nd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 40,289 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $5,752,000 after acquiring an additional 31,480 shares during the last quarter. 93.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Willis Lease Finance Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.88, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.44. The business’s 50 day moving average is $182.72 and its 200 day moving average is $151.33. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.24 billion, a PE ratio of 11.78 and a beta of 0.75.

Willis Lease Finance Company Profile

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.