Virtus Advisers LLC Makes New Investment in Woodward, Inc. $WWD

Virtus Advisers LLC bought a new position in Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD) during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 2,167 shares of the technology company’s stock, valued at approximately $922,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Woodward in the 2nd quarter worth about $24,101,000. Kilter Group LLC bought a new position in Woodward in the 2nd quarter worth about $68,000. Vise Technologies Inc. purchased a new stake in Woodward during the 2nd quarter valued at about $701,000. Northcape Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Woodward during the 2nd quarter valued at about $3,035,000. Finally, AssuredPartners Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Woodward in the second quarter worth about $207,000. 81.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WWD has been the topic of several analyst reports. TD Cowen upped their target price on shares of Woodward from $390.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on shares of Woodward from $450.00 to $430.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Susquehanna began coverage on shares of Woodward in a report on Tuesday, May 26th. They issued a “positive” rating and a $423.00 price objective for the company. Wall Street Zen cut Woodward from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 8th. Finally, UBS Group increased their target price on Woodward from $427.00 to $429.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. 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’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $419.00.

Woodward Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WWD opened at $342.20 on Friday. Woodward, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $233.31 and a fifty-two week high of $450.92. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $396.73 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $380.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.65. The firm has a market cap of $20.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.88.

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

Woodward Dividend Announcement

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

Woodward News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Woodward this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks raised its FY2026 EPS estimate to $9.46 from $9.18, lifted FY2027 EPS to $10.35 from $10.30, and increased FY2028 EPS to $12.00 from $11.55. The firm also raised estimates for Q4 2026, Q1 and Q2 2027, and Q1 and Q2 2028, signaling improved longer-term earnings expectations. Woodward stock information
• Neutral Sentiment: The FY2026 estimate of $9.46 matches the broader consensus, while Zacks continues to rate WWD “Hold.” This suggests the estimate increases are constructive but not strong enough to trigger a more bullish analyst view. Woodward analyst information
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks reduced its Q3 2027 EPS forecast to $2.77 from $2.82 and cut its Q4 2027 estimate to $2.77 from $2.86. It also lowered Q3 2028 EPS to $3.24 from $3.27, indicating some moderation in projected earnings growth. Woodward research information

Insider Activity at Woodward

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

Woodward Company 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.