Lynn Bamford, CEO of Curtiss Wright (CW) recently bought 34 shares. The buy increased her stake by less than 1%, and came to a total cost of $10,340. She was one of six recent insider buys, including a pickup from the company’s CFO and COO.
Going further back insiders have a more mixed track record, with both buys and sellers, mostly from company executives. That includes prior sales by executives at lower prices than where shares trade today.
Overall, Curtiss Wright insiders own 0.7% of shares.
The defense contractor’s shares are up about 60% over the past year, far outperforming the overall stock market.
Concerns over global conflicts and continued spending in the defense sector have helped push earnings and shares higher.
Revenues rose by 10% in 2024, and overall earnings expanded by 15%. For the slow-and-steady defense industry, that’s a healthy sign.
Action to take: Long-term investors may like shares at current prices, and to use any market dip to add to that stake. Defense contractors tend to hold up well as long-term investments.
At current prices, Curtiss Wright also pays a 0.2% dividend.
For traders, with shares still in an uptrend, a call option trade looks attractive here. The March $380 calls, last trading for about $9.50, could deliver mid-double-digit returns on a further rally in the coming months.
Disclosure: The author of this article has no position in the company mentioned here, but may trade after the next 72 hours. The author receives no compensation from any company mentioned in this article.
