AlphaQuest LLC Raises Stock Holdings in Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD)

AlphaQuest LLC increased its position in shares of Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD - Free Report) by 910.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 9,816 shares of the technology company's stock after purchasing an additional 8,845 shares during the quarter. AlphaQuest LLC's holdings in Woodward were worth $1,634,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new position in Woodward during the third quarter worth $28,000. Berbice Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Woodward during the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new position in Woodward during the third quarter worth $41,000. Mather Group LLC. increased its position in Woodward by 44.8% during the fourth quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 278 shares of the technology company's stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 86 shares in the last quarter. Finally, R Squared Ltd purchased a new position in Woodward during the fourth quarter worth $57,000. 81.18% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Woodward

In other news, Director Gregg C. Sengstack sold 4,600 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $187.86, for a total value of $864,156.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 17,450 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,278,157. This represents a 20.86 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.82% of the company's stock.

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Woodward Trading Up 0.5 %

NASDAQ WWD traded up $0.90 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $178.83. The company's stock had a trading volume of 469,357 shares, compared to its average volume of 459,993. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 1.89 and a quick ratio of 1.19. Woodward, Inc. has a 52-week low of $144.29 and a 52-week high of $201.64. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $184.62 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $174.82.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, February 3rd. The technology company reported $1.35 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.14 by $0.21. Woodward had a net margin of 11.18% and a return on equity of 16.76%. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.45 EPS. Research analysts expect that Woodward, Inc. will post 6.15 EPS for the current year.

Woodward Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 20th were given a $0.28 dividend. This is an increase from Woodward's previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 20th. This represents a $1.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.63%. Woodward's dividend payout ratio is presently 18.76%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. UBS Group raised their price target on Woodward from $216.00 to $232.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Truist Financial raised their price target on Woodward from $226.00 to $229.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. StockNews.com raised Woodward from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, March 7th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Woodward from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Woodward from $193.00 to $205.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $197.38.

About Woodward

Woodward, Inc designs, manufactures, and services control solutions for the aerospace and industrial markets worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Aerospace and Industrial. The Aerospace segment provides fuel pumps, metering units, actuators, air valves, specialty valves, fuel nozzles, and thrust reverser actuation systems for turbine engines and nacelles, and flight deck controls, actuators, servocontrols, motors, and sensors for aircraft.