Amundi Sells 3,114 Shares of Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD)

Amundi reduced its holdings in shares of Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD - Free Report) by 11.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 23,786 shares of the technology company's stock after selling 3,114 shares during the quarter. Amundi's holdings in Woodward were worth $4,332,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. True Wealth Design LLC purchased a new stake in Woodward during the third quarter worth about $28,000. Berbice Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Woodward during the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Mather Group LLC. increased its holdings in Woodward by 44.8% during the 4th quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 278 shares of the technology company's stock worth $46,000 after acquiring an additional 86 shares during the period. R Squared Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Woodward in the fourth quarter worth $57,000. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in shares of Woodward by 52.0% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 374 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $62,000 after acquiring an additional 128 shares in the last quarter. 81.18% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Woodward Stock Up 1.4 %

Shares of WWD stock traded up $2.65 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $187.39. 473,571 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 443,805. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $185.33 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $175.36. The stock has a market cap of $11.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.39, a PEG ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.39. Woodward, Inc. has a 12-month low of $144.45 and a 12-month high of $201.64. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

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Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, February 3rd. The technology company reported $1.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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 period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.45 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Woodward, Inc. will post 6.15 EPS for the current year.

Woodward Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 20th were paid a $0.28 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 20th. This represents a $1.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.60%. This is a boost from Woodward's previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. Woodward's payout ratio is currently 18.76%.

Insider Activity

In other Woodward news, Director Gregg C. Sengstack sold 4,600 shares of the business'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 transaction, the director now owns 17,450 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,278,157. The trade was a 20.86 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.82% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on WWD shares. Barclays upped their price objective on Woodward from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, December 3rd. Truist Financial upped their target price on Woodward from $226.00 to $229.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of Woodward from $216.00 to $232.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Woodward from $193.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Woodward from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, March 7th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $197.38.

Woodward Company Profile

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.