Jennison Associates LLC Sells 60,485 Shares of Woodward, Inc. $WWD

01 May 2026, 06:54 by Teresa Graham · The Cerbat Gem

Jennison Associates LLC reduced its stake in shares of Woodward, Inc. (NASDAQ:WWD – Free Report) by 25.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 172,861 shares of the technology company’s stock after selling 60,485 shares during the quarter. Jennison Associates LLC owned 0.29% of Woodward worth $52,259,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of WWD. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in Woodward by 3.5% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,388,758 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $603,663,000 after acquiring an additional 80,538 shares during the period. Earnest Partners LLC grew its position in Woodward by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Earnest Partners LLC now owns 1,403,551 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $354,691,000 after acquiring an additional 8,307 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in Woodward by 122.0% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 905,578 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $228,849,000 after purchasing an additional 497,722 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE increased its stake in Woodward by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 887,938 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $224,391,000 after purchasing an additional 18,821 shares during the period. Finally, Sei Investments Co. lifted its position in Woodward by 8.4% in the third quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 771,497 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $194,965,000 after purchasing an additional 59,693 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.18% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on WWD. TD Cowen increased their price objective on Woodward from $350.00 to $390.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Woodward from $366.00 to $404.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Woodward from $427.00 to $429.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Woodward in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $440.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $450.00 price objective on shares of Woodward in a research report on Sunday, February 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $387.00.

View Our Latest Analysis on WWD

Woodward Price Performance

Shares of WWD stock opened at $362.99 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 1.36 and a current ratio of 2.05. Woodward, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $188.79 and a fifty-two week high of $407.00. The firm has a market cap of $21.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 43.47, a P/E/G ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.98. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $376.77 and its 200-day moving average price is $329.97.

Woodward (NASDAQ:WWD – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The technology company reported $2.27 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.10 by $0.17. Woodward had a return on equity of 20.09% and a net margin of 12.85%.The company had revenue of $1.09 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.01 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.69 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 23.4% on a year-over-year basis. Woodward has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.150-9.450 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Woodward, Inc. will post 8.51 earnings per share for the current year.

Woodward Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 4th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 21st will be issued a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 21st. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.4%. Woodward’s dividend payout ratio is 16.12%.

Key Woodward News

Here are the key news stories impacting Woodward this week:

Positive Sentiment: Q2 results beat and company-updated guidance — Woodward reported stronger-than-expected Q2 results (EPS and revenue) and raised FY2026 guidance (EPS 9.150–9.450; revenue $4.3–4.4B), signaling healthy Aerospace and Industrial demand. Woodward Reports Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Results
Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade/price-target bump from UBS — UBS raised its price target to $429 and maintained a Buy, giving additional near-term upside on the name and supporting outperformance. Benzinga
Positive Sentiment: Broader buy-side analyst momentum — Multiple sell‑side firms show Buy ratings and elevated targets (several targets well above current levels), reinforcing positive expectations for growth and valuation support. Woodward Inc. (WWD) stock rises on Q2 2026 Earnings
Positive Sentiment: Index-fund / Nasdaq buzz — Commentary points to potential index-related flows (Nasdaq-linked funds) that can add mechanical demand following the strong quarter. Woodward Earnings Momentum Builds Amid Nasdaq Index Fund Buzz
Neutral Sentiment: Mixed institutional positioning — 310 institutions added while 275 trimmed positions last quarter; some large asset managers significantly reduced exposure, indicating rebalancing and divergent views among big holders. Woodward Inc. (WWD) stock rises on Q2 2026 Earnings
Negative Sentiment: Significant insider selling — Multiple executives have sold shares in recent months (no insider buys reported), which may concern some investors about near-term insider conviction. Woodward Inc. (WWD) stock rises on Q2 2026 Earnings

Insider Activity at Woodward

In other news, Director Eileen P. Paterson sold 5,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $378.15, for a total value of $1,966,380.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 2,538 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $959,744.70. This trade represents a 67.20% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director John D. Cohn sold 2,250 shares of Woodward stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $369.62, for a total transaction of $831,645.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 21,575 shares in the company, valued at $7,974,551.50. The trade was a 9.44% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 26,925 shares of company stock valued at $10,203,160. 0.71% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Woodward

(Free Report)

Woodward, Inc (NASDAQ: WWD) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and service of control systems and components for the aerospace and industrial markets. Founded in 1870 and headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, the company specializes in motion control, fuel systems, actuation, and digital control solutions. Its offerings enable precision management of flow, pressure and motion in critical applications ranging from aircraft engines and power turbines to hydraulic systems.

Woodward’s product portfolio is organized into two primary segments: Aerospace and Industrial.