Air Lease Stock Up 43% as Investor Trims $6.9 Million Stake Despite $1 Billion Profit Year
Key Points
Gagnon Securities sold 108,661 AL shares in the fourth quarter; the estimated transaction value was $6.94 million based on quarterly average prices.
Meanwhile, the quarter-end position value declined by $6.63 million, reflecting both share sale and price movement.
Post-trade, the fund holds 496,957 shares valued at $31.92 million.
On February 12, 2026, Gagnon Securities reported selling 108,661 shares of Air Lease Corporation (NYSE:AL), an estimated $6.94 million trade based on quarterly average pricing.
What happened
According to its SEC filing dated February 12, 2026, Gagnon Securities sold 108,661 shares of Air Lease Corporation during the fourth quarter. The estimated transaction value, based on the average closing price for the period, was approximately $6.94 million. The fund’s quarter-end stake in AL was valued at $31.92 million, with the net position change of $6.63 million reflecting both the share reduction and price changes during the quarter.
What else to know
- This was a partial sale, with the AL stake now accounting for 6.6% of Gagnon Securities’ 13F reportable assets.
- Top holdings after the filing:
- NASDAQ:CDNA: $33.44 million (6.9% of AUM)
- NASDAQ:WGS: $32.97 million (6.8% of AUM)
- NYSE:AL: $31.92 million (6.6% of AUM)
- NASDAQ:ENSG: $31.45 million (6.5% of AUM)
- NYSE:AMRC: $24.40 million (5.0% of AUM)
- As of February 12, 2026, AL shares were priced at $64.66, up 43.7% over the past year and outperforming the S&P 500 by 30.76 percentage points.
Company overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Revenue (TTM) | $3.02 billion |
| Net income (TTM) | $1.09 billion |
| Dividend yield | 1.36% |
| Price (as of market close February 12, 2026) | $64.66 |
Company snapshot
- Air Lease Corporation offers commercial jet aircraft leasing, aircraft sales, and fleet management services to airlines and investors globally.
- The company generates revenue primarily through long-term operating leases of aircraft, with additional income from aircraft sales and management fees.
- It serves airlines worldwide as its principal customers, including both major carriers and regional operators.
Air Lease Corporation operates a diverse fleet and provides leasing solutions to airline clients worldwide. The company acquires, leases, and remarkets commercial jet aircraft and also offers aircraft sales and fleet management services.
What this transaction means for investors
Discipline often shows up when performance is strongest, not weakest, and that seems to be the case here. After a year in which Air Lease generated record revenue of $3.0 billion and delivered $1.04 billion in net income, trimming a position into strength reflects portfolio management more than a verdict on fundamentals.
The company’s fourth quarter alone brought in $820 million of revenue, up 15%, with diluted earnings per share surging 82% to $1.51. For the full year, EPS reached $9.29, boosted by both fleet growth and a sizable insurance recovery tied to aircraft detained in Russia. Meanwhile, the owned fleet expanded to 490 aircraft with $28.9 billion in committed future rentals, underscoring long term cash flow visibility.
Within the broader portfolio, this holding still represents 6.6% of assets, and that context matters. When a stock has climbed nearly 44% in a year and materially outperformed the market, risk balancing becomes very rational, even if conviction remains strong.
Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.