Form 4: Willis Lease Exec Dameron's Stock Vesting & Tax Sale

Willis Lease Finance Corp's SVP, GC & Corporate Secretary, Clifton Dameron, acquired 2,635 shares through a performance-based award vesting and sold 213 shares for tax withholding.

Summary

• Clifton Dameron, SVP, GC & Corporate Secretary of Willis Lease Finance Corp (WLFC), reported transactions on March 16, 2026.
• Acquired 2,635 shares of Common Stock through the vesting of a performance-based restricted stock award (PSA).
• Disposed of 213 shares of Common Stock at a price of $167.18 per share to cover tax withholding liabilities.
• Following these transactions, Dameron beneficially owns 14,943 shares of Common Stock directly.
• The PSA was granted in 2025 and vested over two years, based on performance criteria including profitability of services, leasing portfolio growth, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel initiative viability.
• 2,229 PSAs from the original target amount were forfeited due to performance criteria not being fully met.

Sentiment

Score: 7

Explanation: StockSavvy.ai views this as a moderately positive development, reflecting the achievement of some performance targets for the executive, while also noting the forfeiture of a portion of the award. The tax-related sale is a neutral, routine event.

Positives

• The vesting of 2,635 performance-based restricted stock awards indicates the achievement of specific company performance criteria, including profitability of services businesses, growth of the leasing portfolio, and viability of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel initiative.

Negatives

• 2,229 performance-based restricted stock awards were forfeited, indicating that the 100% target performance criteria were not fully achieved.
• The disposal of 213 shares of common stock at $167.18 per share was solely to satisfy tax withholding obligations, representing a reduction in direct ownership.

Future Outlook

Not applicable. This Form 4 filing reports past transactions and does not contain forward-looking statements or guidance.

Industry Context

StockSavvy.ai notes that this Form 4 filing details a routine insider transaction involving the vesting of executive compensation and subsequent share disposal for tax purposes. Such transactions are common across publicly traded companies and reflect the standard structure of performance-based incentive plans.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• The structure of performance-based restricted stock awards, with vesting tied to specific company performance criteria (profitability, growth, strategic initiatives like Sustainable Aviation Fuel), aligns with common executive compensation practices seen in the aviation leasing and financial services industries.
• The practice of selling a portion of vested shares to cover tax liabilities is a standard procedure for executives receiving equity compensation, comparable to practices at companies like AerCap Holdings N.V. (AER) or Air Lease Corporation (AL).
• The forfeiture of a portion of the target award (2,229 PSAs) due to performance criteria not being fully met demonstrates that the compensation plan has measurable targets and is not simply a time-based grant, which is a positive governance feature.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: Minor impact as it reflects routine executive compensation and performance against set targets. The partial forfeiture suggests the performance hurdles are meaningful.

Key Dates

Keywords

Willis Lease Finance Corp, WLFC, Clifton Dameron, Form 4, insider transaction, restricted stock award, executive compensation, stock vesting, tax withholding, common stock