New York, Feb 3, 2026, 13:25 EST — Regular session
- Woodward shares jumped roughly 13% by midday, defying the broader market’s slump
- After beating expectations in the quarterly results, the company raised its full-year sales and EPS forecasts
- Board approved an increased quarterly dividend, set for payment on March 5
Woodward Inc shares jumped 13.2% to $370.54 on Tuesday, gaining $43.29 per share.
After releasing its fiscal first-quarter results late Monday, Woodward saw a jump in its outlook for the year. The company reported net sales of $996 million and earnings per share of $2.17 for the quarter. It also boosted its fiscal 2026 guidance, now expecting sales growth between 14% and 18%, with EPS projected at $8.20 to $8.60. CEO Chip Blankenship attributed the upgrade to “a strong start to the year.” (GlobeNewswire)
Why it matters now: the projected increase hit while investors remain swift to punish companies that miss or play it safe on demand, despite recent rallies in aerospace-related stocks. On Tuesday, the stock climbed even as the SPDR S&P 500 ETF slid 1.1% and the Invesco QQQ Trust fell 1.8%.
Woodward reported broad growth across aerospace and industrial sectors, driven by commercial services and defense demand. CFO William Lacey highlighted on the earnings call that commercial services benefited from increased utilization and maintenance on LEAP and GTF engines. Defense OEM sales gained momentum thanks to new pricing related to Joint Direct Attack Munition projects, according to Investor’s Business Daily. (Investors)
Separately, Woodward announced its board has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.32 per share, marking a 14% increase from the previous quarter. The dividend is set for payment on March 5 to shareholders recorded by Feb. 19. (Securities and Exchange Commission)
Following Woodward’s results, UBS bumped up its price target to $417, Investing.com reports. (Investing)
The numbers come with a “but.” Woodward’s bullish forecast hinges on a sustained strong demand environment; any dip in commercial shop visits, a drop in defense volumes, or fresh supply-chain and labor issues could eat into the margin gains investors are banking on.
Traders will keep an eye on whether Woodward can hold onto the bulk of its post-results gains through the close, following a sharp surge and heavy volume. Attention will also turn to follow-up notes, especially those zeroing in on pricing, aftermarket performance, and the speed of deliveries.
Investors will be watching closely when the company releases its quarterly report for the period ending Dec. 31. Attention will also fall on the Feb. 19 record date and the cash payout set for March 5 for the boosted dividend.
