Willis Lease (WLFC) CEO sells 3,400 shares under Rule 10b5-1 plan
Filing Impact
Filing Sentiment
Form Type
4
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Willis Lease Finance Corp’s Chief Executive Officer and 10% owner Austin Chandler Willis reported selling 3,400 shares of common stock on May 1, 2026 in four open-market transactions at prices around $191–$194 per share.
The sales were carried out under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on June 3, 2025, indicating they were scheduled in advance. The filing also updates indirect holdings in entities such as CFW Partners, the 2019 Willis Family Trust and several family trusts and family members, showing substantial continuing ownership across these accounts.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
Insights
CEO’s 3,400-share Rule 10b5-1 sale looks routine and pre-planned.
Austin Chandler Willis, CEO and 10% owner of Willis Lease Finance Corp, reported selling 3,400 shares of common stock on May 1, 2026. The four trades occurred at weighted average prices between about $191 and $194 per share in open-market transactions.
A key detail is that these sales were effected under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on June 3, 2025. Such plans are set up in advance and execute automatically, so the timing generally reflects pre-arranged diversification rather than a fresh judgment about the stock.
The filing also lists several indirect holdings through CFW Partners, the 2019 Willis Family Trust, other family trusts and immediate family members. Combined with the remaining direct stake disclosed, this suggests the CEO continues to hold a significant position, making the reported sale appear modest relative to overall ownership based on this filing alone.
Insider Trade Summary 10b5-1
Net Seller: 3,400 shares ($655,414)
Net Sell
11 txns
Insider
Willis Austin Chandler
Role
Chief Executive Officer
Sold
3,400 shs ($655K)
| Type | Security | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sale | Common Stock | 800 | $191.2231 | $153K |
| Sale | Common Stock | 1,484 | $192.7387 | $286K |
| Sale | Common Stock | 716 | $193.6308 | $139K |
| Sale | Common Stock | 400 | $194.43 | $78K |
| holding | Common Stock | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Common Stock | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Common Stock | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Common Stock | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Common Stock | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Common Stock | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Common Stock | -- | -- | -- |
Holdings After Transaction:
Common Stock — 158,080 shares (Direct, null);
Common Stock — 1,822 shares (Indirect, Son)
Footnotes (1)
- The sales reported in this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on June 3, 2025. This transaction was executed in multiple trades at prices ranging from $190.97 to $191.61, inclusive. The price reported reflects the weighted average sale price. The reporting person hereby undertakes to provide upon request to the SEC staff, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in footnote (2) of this Form 4. This transaction was executed in multiple trades at prices ranging from $192.17 to $193.15, inclusive. The price reported reflects the weighted average sale price. The reporting person hereby undertakes to provide upon request to the SEC staff, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in footnote (3) of this Form 4. This transaction was executed in multiple trades at prices ranging from $193.28 to $194.13, inclusive. The price reported reflects the weighted average sale price. The reporting person hereby undertakes to provide upon request to the SEC staff, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in footnote (4) of this Form 4. Rooster A. Willis 2019 Trust, Austin Willis Trustee. Wilder Grace Willis 2019 Trust, Austin Willis Trustee. Charles F. Willis V 2019 Trust, Austin Willis Trustee. Austin C. Willis 2019 Irrevocable Trust, Mary Willis Trustee. Charles F. Willis V 2016 Trust, Austin Willis Trustee. 2019 Willis Family Trust, Austin Willis Trustee. Includes 213,415 shares having shared voting power of CFW Partners with Charles F. Willis IV. Shared voting power of CFW Partners with Charles F. Willis IV.
Key Figures
Shares sold: 3,400 shares
Sale price 1: $194.43 per share
Sale price 2: $193.6308 per share
+5 more
8 metrics
Shares sold
3,400 shares
Total open-market sales on May 1, 2026
Sale price 1
$194.43 per share
One of four weighted average sale prices
Sale price 2
$193.6308 per share
One of four weighted average sale prices
Sale price 3
$192.7387 per share
One of four weighted average sale prices
Sale price 4
$191.2231 per share
One of four weighted average sale prices
CFW Partners indirect holding
405,488 shares
Indirect ownership via CFW Partners
2019 Willis Family Trust holding
232,715 shares
Indirect ownership via 2019 Willis Family Trust
Holding entries
7 entries
Number of indirect holding lines reported
Key Terms
Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, open-market sale, indirect ownership, weighted average sale price, +1 more
5 terms
Rule 10b5-1 trading plan regulatory
"The sales reported in this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan"
A Rule 10b5-1 trading plan is a pre-arranged schedule that allows company insiders to buy or sell stock at specific times, even if they have inside information. It helps prevent accusations of unfair trading by making these transactions look planned and transparent, rather than sneaky or illegal.
open-market sale financial
"transaction_action": "open-market sale""
An open-market sale is when a shareholder sells existing shares directly on a public exchange to any willing buyer, rather than through a private deal. Think of it like putting goods on a busy market stall where price is set by supply and demand; for investors it matters because such sales increase available supply, can put short-term downward pressure on the stock price, and signal changes in liquidity or investor confidence.
indirect ownership financial
""ownership_type": "indirect", "ownership_code": "I""
weighted average sale price financial
"The price reported reflects the weighted average sale price."
FAQ
What did Willis Lease (WLFC) CEO Austin Chandler Willis report in this Form 4?
He reported selling 3,400 shares of Willis Lease Finance Corp common stock on May 1, 2026 through four open-market transactions, while also updating significant indirect holdings in CFW Partners, the 2019 Willis Family Trust and several family trusts and relatives.
Were the Willis Lease CEO’s stock sales made under a Rule 10b5-1 plan?
Yes. A footnote states the sales were effected under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on June 3, 2025. Such pre-arranged plans automate trades and typically reduce the significance of the specific execution date for signaling purposes.
What ongoing indirect WLFC holdings are shown for the CEO in this filing?
The Form 4 lists indirect ownership of 405,488 shares through CFW Partners, 232,715 shares in the 2019 Willis Family Trust, and additional stakes in the CFW V 2016 Trust, the Austin C. Willis 2019 Irrevocable Trust, a brother, and two children, reflecting broad family-related holdings.
Does the Form 4 indicate any remaining direct ownership by the Willis Lease CEO?
Yes. Each reported sale line includes a total shares following transaction figure for direct holdings, indicating that after selling 3,400 shares, the CEO still holds a substantial direct position in Willis Lease Finance common stock, alongside the sizable indirect and family-related stakes disclosed.