Woodward, Inc. research snapshot
WWD AI stock analysis as of the August 2, 2026 data cutoff reads Woodward as a high-quality aerospace and industrial control-systems supplier that keeps beating its own plan, with the stock at $360.75 at the July 31, 2026 close and a market capitalization near $21.30 billion, re-verified during this full refresh as $360.75 times 59.05 million shares with 0.01% deviation across StockAnalysis.com quote and statistics pages. The Q3 2026 report, released July 29, 2026, delivered sales up 21% to $1.110 billion, net earnings up 35% to $147 million, EPS of $2.40, and adjusted EPS of $2.52 up 43%, with Aerospace and Industrial segment margins at 24.0% and 22.1% respectively. Management raised full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $9.30 to $9.50 from $9.15 to $9.45 while keeping sales growth guidance at up 20% to 23% and free cash flow guidance at $300 million to $350 million. The stock traded down about 14% over the five sessions into the July 31 close, leaving the price below its 20-day, 50-day, and 100-day moving averages at about $399, $393, and $382 while still above the 200-day average near $348. Valuation remains the central caution: the July 31 close equates to about 40.1x trailing EPS, 35x forward earnings, and 56.6x trailing free cash flow per share. This WWD AI stock analysis is informational only and is not investment advice.
Current price
$360.75
Market cap
$21.30 billion
AI score
72 / 100
Rating
High-quality aerospace and industrial controls supplier with strong demand, record margins, raised guidance, and a valuation that leaves limited room for execution misses after a sharp pullback
Trend status
Short-term pullback within a longer uptrend, with price below the 20-day, 50-day, and 100-day moving-average references but above the 200-day reference near the cutoff
Data cutoff (updated monthly)
August 4, 2026
Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.
| Dimension | Conclusion | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Business quality | Woodward supplies mission-critical energy conversion and control systems across aerospace and industrial equipment, where performance, reliability, certification, and service matter to customers, with TTM revenue near $4.19 billion up about 22%. | High |
| Moat | The moat rests on engineering know-how, long qualification cycles, installed-base service, product reliability, customer specifications, and scale in specialized aerospace and industrial control applications. | High |
| Management | Chairman and CEO Chip Blankenship brings aerospace, engineering, and operating experience. Q3 2026 segment earnings grew 35% in Aerospace and 86% in Industrial, and the full-year adjusted EPS guidance was raised, with the key test being discipline on capacity spending, acquisitions, divestitures, buybacks, and debt through the cycle. | Medium-high |
| Financial trend | FY2025 sales were $3.567 billion and net earnings were $442.11 million. In Q3 2026, sales rose 21% to $1.110 billion, net earnings rose 35% to $147 million, adjusted EPS rose 43% to $2.52, and both Aerospace and Industrial segment margins expanded year over year. | High |
| Valuation | At $360.75, WWD traded at about 40.1x trailing EPS, 8.6x book value, and 56.6x trailing free cash flow per share. The price reflects a high bar for growth and margin delivery. | High |
| Technical trend | The long-term structure remained positive but the short-term trend turned down near the cutoff. The July 31 close of $360.75 was below Barchart and StockAnalysis references near $399.38 for 20 days, $392.91 for 50 days, and $381.69 for 100 days, while holding above the 200-day reference near $348.17, with 14-day RSI near 33.86. | Medium |
| Risk level | Risk is medium-high because the stock is exposed to aerospace production and aftermarket cycles, customer concentration, industrial demand, supply chain execution, program delays, capital intensity, rising debt, multiple compression, and a sharp recent pullback that can extend if demand or margins disappoint. | Medium-high |
| AI confidence | The reported-data base is strong and cross-checked across StockAnalysis.com, the Q3 2026 release, and SEC-filed statements. Forecast confidence is lower because share-price outcomes depend heavily on how long growth and the premium valuation persist. | High data confidence |
| Investment certainty | Woodward is a stronger operating business than a simple price multiple suggests, but the stock offers less margin for error than the business quality alone may imply, and the recent drawdown shows that premium valuations can compress quickly. | Medium |
WWD AI stock forecast
The WWD AI stock forecast uses scenario ranges rather than a price promise. Pineify financial-rigor scenario math used the July 31, 2026 closing reference of $360.75, trailing EPS of $8.99, and three-year growth assumptions of 18%, 10%, and 3% with 45x, 35x, and 25x terminal PEs. It produced approximately $665, $419, and $246 before dividends.
$640 to $690
More likely if commercial aerospace production and aftermarket demand stay strong, defense and industrial demand remain healthy, segment margins hold or improve, FY2026 guidance is met or exceeded, and investors retain a premium multiple for durable control-system growth.
$400 to $440
More likely if sales and earnings continue to grow but normalize after the current upcycle, free cash flow converts as planned, and the market applies a mid-30s earnings multiple rather than a higher growth premium after the recent pullback.
$230 to $260
More likely if aerospace build rates or aftermarket demand soften, industrial capital spending slows, supply or program issues pressure margins, debt rises, or the market re-rates WWD closer to a normal industrial multiple, extending the July 2026 drawdown.
WWD AI technical analysis
WWD AI technical analysis uses public market data reviewed through the August 2, 2026 cutoff. The $360.75 July 31 close was below Barchart and StockAnalysis references of $399.38 for the 20-day average, $392.91 for the 50-day average, and $381.69 for the 100-day average, while holding above the 200-day average near $348.17. The stock fell about 14% over the five sessions into the close, so the immediate bias is corrective until price reclaims the 50-day area, and the 200-day reference is the key long-term trend boundary.
| Level | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Current price reference | $360.75 | StockAnalysis.com July 31, 2026 closing reference used for market-cap and valuation calculations. |
| Near support | $354 to $356 | The July 31 session low near $354.91 forms the first nearby support for a stabilizing pullback. |
| Key support | $348 | Approximate 200-day moving-average reference near $348.17, the main long-term trend boundary. |
| Major support | $330 | A round-number area below the 200-day reference that would matter if the longer trend were broken. |
| Near resistance | $382 | Approximate 100-day moving-average reference near $381.69, the first overhead zone after the pullback. |
| Resistance zone | $393 to $400 | Area around the 50-day reference near $392.91 and the 20-day reference near $399.38 that needs to be reclaimed to repair the short-term trend. |
| Moving averages | 20-day $399.38, 50-day $392.91, 100-day $381.69, 200-day $348.17 | Barchart and StockAnalysis references reviewed near the cutoff. Moving averages change daily and should be rechecked against a live chart. |
| Momentum | 14-day relative strength about 33.86 | RSI fell toward oversold as the stock dropped about 14% in five sessions; a stabilization or rebound needs price and volume confirmation. |
| Volume | 20-day average volume about 660,000 shares | A recovery is more credible if the bounce comes on above-average volume rather than a fade on low participation. |
| Volatility | Beta about 0.85, 14-day historical volatility near 48% | Long-run beta is below one, but Barchart reported elevated 14-day historical volatility near 48%, so near-term swings can be large. |
| Invalidation | Sustained close below $348 | A decisive break below the 200-day area would turn the medium-term picture bearish and open the $330 zone, with the 52-week low near $233.31 as the outer reference. |
WWD AI trading strategy
The WWD AI trading strategy below is a rules-based research framework, not personalized advice. It links chart confirmation to aerospace deliveries and aftermarket demand, industrial orders, segment margins, cash conversion, debt, and management guidance, and it accounts for the stock having just pulled back about 14%.
After the recent pullback, look for WWD to hold above the $354 to $356 area and reclaim the 50-day reference near $393 with volume above recent averages, while management continues to support its FY2026 sales, adjusted EPS, and free-cash-flow outlook.
A failed recovery, a close below the 200-day area near $348, or weaker commentary on aerospace, industrial demand, margins, or cash conversion should reduce trend confidence and tighten stops.
If WWD stabilizes near the $354 to $356 support or the 200-day area near $348 without a material change in production rates, aftermarket activity, backlog conversion, or cash generation, compare the updated earnings outlook with the lower valuation multiple implied by the pullback.
Do not treat a lower price as automatically attractive if the decline follows reduced guidance, a customer program delay, rising debt, or a deterioration in Aerospace or Industrial segment margins.
Track commercial OEM and services sales, defense demand, transportation, power generation, oil and gas activity, segment margins, capital expenditures, free cash flow, debt, share repurchases, dividends, and customer concentration.
Position sizing should reflect that a premium valuation can compress even when the underlying business remains profitable and operationally sound, as the July 2026 pullback demonstrated.
Investment research summary
Customers pay Woodward for reliable control systems that regulate fuel, combustion, fluid, electrical, propulsion, and motion functions in aircraft engines and industrial equipment where failure, downtime, or poor performance is costly.
Woodward benefits from engineering depth, stringent qualifications, product performance requirements, installed-base service, and customer relationships. The moat can narrow if a platform changes suppliers, new technology reduces content, or competitors close the reliability and cost gap.
The thesis fails if aerospace production or aftermarket demand reverses, major customers reduce orders, industrial end markets weaken, supply constraints or product claims raise costs, capacity investments do not earn their return, debt rises, or the market stops paying a premium multiple after the recent drawdown.
Chip Blankenship has aerospace and industrial operating experience from GE and Arconic. Q3 2026 showed strong execution with segment earnings up 35% in Aerospace and 86% in Industrial and a raised EPS outlook. Investors should still judge management by return on capacity spending, acquisition and divestiture discipline, debt management, buyback timing, and whether incentives reward durable cash returns rather than peak-cycle growth.
Commercial aerospace fleet utilization, engine aftermarket demand, defense modernization, distributed power, transportation, and efficiency needs support long-term demand for controls. The cycle remains exposed to aircraft production, energy investment, supply chains, and customer capital budgets.
The current price embeds sustained growth and premium execution. The audited three-scenario model places the base case near $419 before dividends, so a margin of safety depends on both continued earnings growth and the multiple investors are willing to pay for it, especially after the stock fell about 14% in the five sessions before the cutoff.
Source-backed data
Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.
| Metric | Value | Source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| WWD price | $360.75 at the July 31, 2026 close | StockAnalysis.com real-time quote | August 2, 2026 |
| Market capitalization | $21.30 billion, computed as $360.75 x 59.05 million shares outstanding, matching the reported figure with 0.01% deviation | StockAnalysis.com quote and share statistics | August 2, 2026 |
| Shares outstanding | 59.05 million shares | StockAnalysis.com share statistics | August 2, 2026 |
| Q3 2026 net sales and net earnings | Net sales of $1.110 billion up 21% and net earnings of $147 million up 35% | Woodward Q3 2026 earnings release | July 29, 2026 |
| Q3 2026 EPS and adjusted EPS | EPS of $2.40 up 36% and adjusted EPS of $2.52 up 43% versus $1.76 in the prior year quarter | Woodward Q3 2026 earnings release | July 29, 2026 |
| Q3 2026 segment results | Aerospace sales of $709 million up 19% with segment margin of 24.0% up 290 basis points; Industrial sales of $401 million up 26% with segment margin of 22.1% up 720 basis points | Woodward Q3 2026 earnings release | July 29, 2026 |
| Nine-month 2026 results | Net sales of $3.197 billion up 24%, net earnings of $414 million up 36%, EPS of $6.76 up 36%, adjusted EPS of $6.96 up 45%, operating cash flow of $352 million up 48%, free cash flow of $196 million up 23% | Woodward Q3 2026 earnings release | July 29, 2026 |
| FY2026 company guidance | Sales growth up 20% to 23%, adjusted EPS raised to $9.30 to $9.50 from $9.15 to $9.45, free cash flow of $300 million to $350 million, capital expenditures near $290 million | Woodward Q3 2026 earnings release | July 29, 2026 |
| Q3 2026 cash flow and returns | Operating cash flow of $147 million up 17%, capital expenditures of $60 million, free cash flow of $87 million down 12%, dividends paid of $19 million, and share repurchases of $198 million in the quarter | Woodward Q3 2026 earnings release | July 29, 2026 |
| Balance sheet as of June 30, 2026 | Cash and cash equivalents of $474.85 million, total debt of $1.342 billion, EBITDA leverage of 1.6x | Woodward Q3 2026 earnings release and StockAnalysis.com | July 29, 2026 |
| FY2025 revenue | $3.567 billion, cross-validated across the FY2025 10-K and StockAnalysis.com | Woodward FY2025 10-K and StockAnalysis.com | August 2, 2026 |
| FY2025 net earnings | $442.11 million, cross-validated across the FY2025 10-K and StockAnalysis.com | Woodward FY2025 10-K and StockAnalysis.com | August 2, 2026 |
| TTM results | Revenue of $4.19 billion up about 22%, net income of $552.03 million up about 42%, EPS of $8.99, operating cash flow of $585.26 million, free cash flow of $376.53 million | StockAnalysis.com statistics and financials | August 2, 2026 |
| Valuation check | Trailing PE of 40.14, forward PE of 34.99, price to sales of 5.08, price to book of 8.64, price to FCF of 56.57, PEG of 1.58, dividend yield of 0.35% | StockAnalysis.com statistics | August 2, 2026 |
| Analyst consensus | Strong Buy with an average 12-month target of $449.00, about 24% above the July 31, 2026 close, across 12 analysts | StockAnalysis.com forecast and analyst ratings | August 2, 2026 |
| Recent analyst target updates | Deutsche Bank raised its target to $502 from $500, RBC Capital lowered its target to $430 from $450, and TD Cowen raised its target to $420 from $390 | TheFly via StockAnalysis.com news | August 2, 2026 |
| Short interest | 1.40 million shares short, 2.37% of shares outstanding, about 1.55 days to cover | StockAnalysis.com statistics short selling | August 2, 2026 |
| Technical moving-average references | 20-day $399.38, 50-day $392.91, 100-day $381.69, 200-day $348.17 | Barchart technical analysis and StockAnalysis.com statistics | August 2, 2026 |
| Technical momentum and volatility | 14-day RSI near 33.86, 20-day average volume near 660,000 shares, beta near 0.85, 14-day historical volatility near 48% | Barchart technical analysis and StockAnalysis.com statistics | August 2, 2026 |
This WWD AI stock analysis is an informational research tool, not investment advice, a recommendation, or a promise of future return. Forecast ranges are scenarios based on available filings, quote snapshots, and third-party data as of the stated cutoff date. They may be wrong, incomplete, or outdated after new earnings, aerospace and industrial demand changes, market moves, or macro conditions.
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