Eleven major brokerages covering AerCap have assigned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy,” with eight firms maintaining buy ratings, two on hold and one recommending sell. Analysts’ average 12-month target stands at $148.86, reflecting a roughly 4.3% upside from current levels. Truist Financial initiated coverage in early December with a buy rating and a $159 target, while Susquehanna lifted its objective from $134 to $157 in November. Morgan Stanley and Cowen also reaffirmed positive views, with Morgan Stanley boosting its target from $120 to $150 and Cowen reiterating a buy stance in late October.

Institutional investors now control over 96% of AerCap’s shares. In Q3, Mizuho Markets Cayman increased its stake by an extraordinary 45,615%, acquiring 3.5 million shares valued at $425 million. Alyeska Investment Group expanded holdings 642.7%, adding 961,890 shares for $134.5 million, while newcomer Norges Bank deployed $241.4 million in Q2. Mawer Investment Management allocated $181.4 million to a fresh position, and Ninety One UK lifted its stake by 44.8%, investing $327 million during the same quarter.

In Q3, AerCap delivered $4.97 in EPS, surpassing consensus by $1.81, and reported revenue of $2.31 billion, an 18.5% year-over-year increase. The company achieved a 45.4% net margin and 15.2% return on equity. Management set fiscal 2025 EPS guidance at 13.70, compared to current consensus of 11.29. The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.27 per share, corresponding to an annualized yield of 0.8% and a payout ratio of just over 5%, demonstrating ample cash generation relative to distributions.