Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) Stock Price Down 10.2% - Here's Why

Willis Lease Finance Co. (NASDAQ:WLFC - Get Free Report) shares fell 10.2% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $205.68 and last traded at $208.00. 36,392 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 78% from the average session volume of 20,418 shares. The stock had previously closed at $231.63.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, StockNews.com lowered shares of Willis Lease Finance from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday.

Willis Lease Finance Trading Down 13.1 %

The company has a quick ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.84. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.33 billion, a PE ratio of 14.27 and a beta of 1.06. The business's 50-day moving average is $155.18 and its two-hundred day moving average is $102.51.

Willis Lease Finance Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, November 21st. Investors of record on Tuesday, November 12th will be given a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, November 12th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.50%. Willis Lease Finance's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 7.09%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, President Brian Richard Hole sold 1,187 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.17, for a total value of $126,023.79. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 96,589 shares in the company, valued at $10,254,854.13. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Willis Lease Finance news, President Brian Richard Hole sold 1,187 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.17, for a total transaction of $126,023.79. Following the completion of the sale, the president now directly owns 96,589 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $10,254,854.13. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Robert J. Keady sold 2,528 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $91.08, for a total value of $230,250.24. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 22,478 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,047,296.24. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 37,678 shares of company stock valued at $4,010,894 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 57.02% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Willis Lease Finance

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its holdings in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 14.0% in the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 4,887 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $242,000 after buying an additional 599 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its holdings in Willis Lease Finance by 7.7% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 22,062 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $1,095,000 after acquiring an additional 1,575 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Willis Lease Finance by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 104,869 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $5,204,000 after purchasing an additional 865 shares in the last quarter. Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Willis Lease Finance during the 1st quarter worth $114,000. Finally, Nisa Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Willis Lease Finance in the 2nd quarter valued at about $69,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.70% of the company's stock.

Willis Lease Finance Company Profile

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.