Rankings Defence, aerospace & space Woodward
Woodward
73
15070100
A view of the same findings, not a new score. How it works
In the 70+ zone: a score above 70 with more than 20% upside to the median analyst target.
Biggest deductions
- Multiples vs own history and peers−17
- Cash flow−5
- Insider trading−3
Strengths
- Raised guidance+2
- Diversified customer base+1
How the score is built
From 100 to 73, step by step: points off for the business, the price and the cracks, back for documented strengths, then three data adjustments.
Start
Score
Hover or select a step to see what drove it. Steps with findings open them below.
Key numbers
As of 2 Nov 2026. Analyst targets tend to be optimistic; read upside as a hint, not a forecast.
- Price
- 319.57 USD
- Median analyst target
- 420.00 USD
- Upside to median
- +31.4%
- Analysts
- 13
- Target range
- 380.00 – 478.00 USD
- 52-week change
- +22%
- P/E (trailing)
- 35.6
- Forward P/E
- 31.1
- PEG
- 1.38
Findings
Every deduction and every plus, with its source. Open a step to read them.
Business
Is the company getting stronger, not just bigger? · 1 finding−2 of −30
- −2Capital allocationBuybacks of $553m and dividends of $55m in the first nine months vs free cash flow of $196m. The difference is borrowed: net new debt is $414m TTM, and net debt/EBITDA has risen from 0.70 to 1.13. Otherwise margin and ROIC have improved strongly (operating margin 9.4% → 16.3%, ROIC 6.9% → 16.6% from FY22 to TTM).
Price
Today's multiples against the company's own history and its peers. · 1 finding−17 of −35
- −17Multiples vs own history and peersTrailing P/E 36.3 vs 27.4–34.5 in FY21–25, and forward 31.8 vs 24.2–33.6 (average 28.7; previously cited as equal to the 6-year average, which was wrong). EV/EBITDA 25.1 is at the top of 16.9–25.7, and P/FCF 51.1 is above 16.9–44.5. The FCF yield is 2.0%. Every multiple is at or above the top of its own history.
Cracks
Cash flow, customers, debt, insiders, guidance and what sits behind the headline numbers. · 5 findings−15 of −35
- −5Cash flowFY26 FCF guidance is held at $300–350m (vs $340m last year), even though adjusted EPS rises about 37%. Capex has doubled to $156m after nine months, and FCF is only 68% of net profit TTM ($377m vs 552m).
- −2GuidancePricing gains are expected to normalise to 3–5%, and the aerospace growth range was narrowed downwards (21–23% from 21–24%). The stock fell about 14.5% around the Q3 report.
- −2ExecutionThere are shortages of castings, forgings and rare earths, and production is moving to Spartanburg. That creates a risk of delays and extra costs in a year of capacity expansion.
- −3Insider tradingInsiders have sold about $31.2m over 12 months (Nov 2025–Jul 2026) and bought nothing. CEO Blankenship sold $10.5m in March, COO Cromwell $8.9m and director Korte $5.2m.
- −3MacroMelius downgraded to Hold on 14/9/2026 and cut its target from $458 to 388, because growth in aircraft spare parts and services is expected to slow to high single digits. Commercial Services is 38% of Aerospace sales ($268m of 709m in Q3), and Defense OEM fell 6%.
Plus
Only documented strengths. · 2 findings+3 of +15
- +2Raised guidanceFY26 adjusted EPS guidance raised to $9.30–9.50 (from 9.15–9.45), and Industrial growth and margin were raised (margin about 19% from 18–18.5%). Q3 segment margins: Aerospace 24.0% (+290 bp) and Industrial 22.1% (+720 bp).
- +1Diversified customer baseNo customer accounted for over 10% of group sales in FY24–25. At segment level, RTX, GE Aerospace and Boeing each account for over 10% of Aerospace, and Rolls-Royce, Caterpillar and GE Vernova for over 10% of Industrial.
Caveats
What the score does not capture, or where the data is weak.
Free cash flow lags earnings, and this year's buybacks are debt-funded. The share is more expensive than its own history on all multiples. Melius downgraded on 14/9 because the boom in aircraft spare parts is fading. FY26 results come in November.
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