Eagle Asset Management Inc. Has $25.99 Million Holdings in Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD)

Eagle Asset Management Inc. cut its stake in shares of Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD) by 30.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 145,628 shares of the technology company’s stock after selling 62,610 shares during the period. Eagle Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Woodward were worth $25,987,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of WWD. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp lifted its position in Woodward by 13.0% during the first quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 870 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $133,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Earnest Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Woodward by 12.3% during the first quarter. Earnest Partners LLC now owns 1,345,438 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $207,359,000 after purchasing an additional 147,856 shares during the period. Bayesian Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of Woodward during the first quarter worth approximately $1,911,000. Tidal Investments LLC increased its holdings in shares of Woodward by 66.9% during the first quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 2,548 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $393,000 after purchasing an additional 1,021 shares during the period. Finally, Cetera Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Woodward during the first quarter worth approximately $229,000. 81.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Woodward

In other news, COO Thomas G. Cromwell sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.50, for a total transaction of $1,745,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 11,511 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,008,669.50. This represents a 46.49 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 27,913 shares of company stock worth $4,907,304. Company insiders own 1.12% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on WWD. TD Cowen reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $160.00 price objective (down from $186.00) on shares of Woodward in a research note on Friday, October 4th. Truist Financial raised shares of Woodward from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $152.00 to $187.00 in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on shares of Woodward from $228.00 to $201.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Woodward from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $170.00 to $190.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on shares of Woodward from $158.00 to $162.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 3rd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $174.67.

Woodward Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WWD opened at $176.05 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $10.50 billion, a PE ratio of 29.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 1.38. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $167.60 and its 200-day moving average is $170.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a current ratio of 1.96. Woodward, Inc. has a 52 week low of $129.46 and a 52 week high of $188.35.

Woodward Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 5th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 21st will be issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 21st. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.57%. Woodward’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 16.72%.

Woodward 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.