Aberdeen Group plc Raises Position in Wabtec $WAB

Aberdeen Group plc increased its holdings in Wabtec (NYSE:WAB) by 0.4% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 212,350 shares of the transportation company’s stock after buying an additional 930 shares during the period. Aberdeen Group plc’s holdings in Wabtec were worth $44,486,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. PFS Partners LLC raised its position in Wabtec by 70.4% during the second quarter. PFS Partners LLC now owns 121 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont raised its position in Wabtec by 44.2% during the second quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 163 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. raised its position in Wabtec by 30.2% during the second quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 207 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in Wabtec during the second quarter valued at about $44,000. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. raised its position in Wabtec by 22.2% during the second quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 358 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $75,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.69% of the company’s stock.

Wabtec Stock Down 2.4%

WAB opened at $190.92 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The company has a market cap of $32.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.50, a P/E/G ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 1.10. Wabtec has a 12 month low of $151.81 and a 12 month high of $216.10. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $192.98 and its 200-day moving average price is $194.47.

Wabtec (NYSE:WAB) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The transportation company reported $2.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.18 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $2.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.76 billion. Wabtec had a return on equity of 13.65% and a net margin of 10.92%.Wabtec’s quarterly revenue was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.96 earnings per share. Wabtec has set its FY 2025 guidance at 8.550-9.150 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Wabtec will post 8.54 EPS for the current year.

Wabtec Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 14th were paid a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 14th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Wabtec’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 14.93%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have weighed in on WAB. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Wabtec in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Wabtec from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Wabtec from $216.00 to $200.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 14th. Citigroup began coverage on Wabtec in a research report on Monday, September 22nd. They set a “buy” rating and a $225.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Bank of America lifted their price objective on Wabtec from $231.00 to $236.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 8th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $222.88.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Rafael Santana sold 1,798 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $189.63, for a total value of $340,954.74. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 134,931 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $25,586,965.53. This trade represents a 1.32% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Insiders sold 4,483 shares of company stock valued at $853,558 over the last quarter. 1.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wabtec Profile

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides technology-based locomotives, equipment, systems, and services for the freight rail and passenger transit industries worldwide. It offers diesel-electric, battery, and liquid natural gas-powered locomotives; engines, electric motors, and propulsion systems; and marine and mining products.