Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD) Shares Acquired by BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A.

BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. increased its position in shares of Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD) by 10.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 83,980 shares of the technology company’s stock after purchasing an additional 7,798 shares during the period. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. owned 0.14% of Woodward worth $14,404,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Acadian Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Woodward by 94.2% during the 2nd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 434,385 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $75,735,000 after buying an additional 210,746 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Woodward by 17,072.3% during the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 76,760 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $13,165,000 after acquiring an additional 76,313 shares in the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. raised its stake in Woodward by 13.3% during the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 634,698 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $110,679,000 after acquiring an additional 74,734 shares in the last quarter. First Western Trust Bank lifted its position in Woodward by 359.6% in the third quarter. First Western Trust Bank now owns 70,023 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $12,010,000 after acquiring an additional 54,787 shares during the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. boosted its stake in Woodward by 136.3% in the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 68,877 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $12,011,000 after acquiring an additional 39,732 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.18% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, COO Thomas G. Cromwell sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.65, for a total value of $1,776,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 11,511 shares in the company, valued at $2,044,929.15. This trade 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 available at this link. In 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.

Woodward Stock Up 2.0 %

WWD stock opened at $176.05 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization 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 company has a fifty day moving average of $167.82 and a 200-day moving average of $170.96. 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 one year low of $129.46 and a one year high of $188.35.

Woodward Announces Dividend

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. StockNews.com cut Woodward from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price objective on Woodward from $228.00 to $201.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Truist Financial upgraded shares of Woodward from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $152.00 to $187.00 in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. TD Cowen reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $160.00 price target (down previously from $186.00) on shares of Woodward in a research report on Friday, October 4th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Woodward from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $170.00 to $190.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $174.67.

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.