Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) CEO Austin Chandler Willis Sells 3,400 Shares

Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ:WLFC) CEO Austin Chandler Willis sold 3,400 shares of Willis Lease Finance stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $185.74, for a total value of $631,516.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 184,746 shares in the company, valued at $34,314,722.04. The trade was a 1.81% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

Austin Chandler Willis also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Friday, January 2nd, Austin Chandler Willis sold 3,400 shares of Willis Lease Finance stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $133.31, for a total value of $453,254.00.
• On Tuesday, December 2nd, Austin Chandler Willis sold 2,232 shares of Willis Lease Finance stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.33, for a total transaction of $268,576.56.
• On Tuesday, December 2nd, Austin Chandler Willis sold 2,813 shares of Willis Lease Finance stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.33, for a total transaction of $338,488.29.
• On Monday, December 1st, Austin Chandler Willis sold 468 shares of Willis Lease Finance stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.46, for a total transaction of $56,375.28.
• On Monday, December 1st, Austin Chandler Willis sold 587 shares of Willis Lease Finance stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.46, for a total transaction of $70,710.02.

Willis Lease Finance Stock Performance

NASDAQ:WLFC opened at $192.31 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.31 billion, a PE ratio of 11.52 and a beta of 0.79. The company has a quick ratio of 1.50, a current ratio of 1.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.44. Willis Lease Finance Corporation has a 12-month low of $114.01 and a 12-month high of $211.00. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $150.90 and a 200 day moving average price of $143.02.

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

Willis Lease Finance Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 11th will be given a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 11th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Willis Lease Finance’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 9.58%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

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

Institutional Trading of Willis Lease Finance

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Denali Advisors LLC raised its position in Willis Lease Finance by 780.3% in the 4th quarter. Denali Advisors LLC now owns 33,452 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $4,537,000 after purchasing an additional 29,652 shares during the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC increased its stake in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 4.8% in the 4th quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 5,153 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $699,000 after buying an additional 235 shares during the period. Four Tree Island Advisory LLC raised its position in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 3.9% during the fourth quarter. Four Tree Island Advisory LLC now owns 102,259 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $13,870,000 after acquiring an additional 3,793 shares during the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue bought a new stake in shares of Willis Lease Finance during the fourth quarter worth $133,000. Finally, Palisades Investment Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 2.1% during the fourth quarter. Palisades Investment Partners LLC now owns 21,188 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $2,874,000 after acquiring an additional 435 shares during the period. 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.