Willis Lease Finance Co. (NASDAQ:WLFC) Stake Lessened by EAM Investors LLC

EAM Investors LLC lowered its position in shares of Willis Lease Finance Co. (NASDAQ:WLFC - Free Report) by 61.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 3,944 shares of the transportation company's stock after selling 6,388 shares during the quarter. EAM Investors LLC owned approximately 0.06% of Willis Lease Finance worth $819,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of WLFC. Four Tree Island Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in Willis Lease Finance in the 4th quarter worth about $16,268,000. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Willis Lease Finance by 15.5% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 142,100 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $29,493,000 after purchasing an additional 19,078 shares during the period. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Willis Lease Finance during the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,819,000. Swiss National Bank acquired a new position in shares of Willis Lease Finance in the 4th quarter valued at $1,204,000. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC purchased a new stake in Willis Lease Finance during the third quarter valued at about $531,000. 93.70% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Willis Lease Finance

In related news, EVP Scott B. Flaherty sold 5,026 shares of Willis Lease Finance stock in a transaction on Monday, March 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $184.50, for a total transaction of $927,297.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 79,270 shares of the company's stock, valued at $14,625,315. The trade was a 5.96 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Austin Chandler Willis sold 3,450 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $204.14, for a total transaction of $704,283.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 158,034 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $32,261,060.76. The trade was a 2.14 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 13,465 shares of company stock worth $2,439,074. 57.02% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Willis Lease Finance Trading Up 2.4 %

WLFC traded up $3.11 on Tuesday, reaching $134.10. 6,076 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 33,668. The company has a market cap of $885.86 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.50 and a beta of 0.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.84, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a current ratio of 1.16. Willis Lease Finance Co. has a twelve month low of $48.10 and a twelve month high of $235.43. The company's 50 day moving average is $168.59 and its 200-day moving average is $188.28.

Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, March 10th. The transportation company reported $2.81 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.92. Willis Lease Finance had a net margin of 18.56% and a return on equity of 20.62%. The business had revenue of $152.80 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $145.54 million.

Willis Lease Finance Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 21st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 12th were paid a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 12th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.75%. Willis Lease Finance's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 6.50%.

About Willis Lease Finance

Willis Lease Finance Corporation operates as a lessor and servicer of commercial aircraft and aircraft engines worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Leasing and Related Operations, and Spare Parts Sales. The Leasing and Related Operations segment engages in acquiring and leasing commercial aircraft, aircraft engines, and other aircraft equipment, as well as the purchase and resale of commercial aircraft engines and other aircraft equipment, and other related businesses.