{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"30199","rtpr_id":"nGNX8yFw4M","ticker":"WLFC","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["WLFC"],"title":"Four Tree Island Advisory Urges Willis Lease Finance Stockholders to Vote “AGAINST” Proposals at Upcoming Annual Meeting and Demand Board Accountability","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-05-11T19:33:24.095Z","article_body":"Highlights $52.1 million 2025 Compensation for Executive Chairman Charles\nWillis Far Exceeds Pay at Exponentially Larger, Better-Performing Companies\n\nCalls on Stockholders to Send a Clear Message of Dissatisfaction by Opposing\nAll Proposals Other than Ratification of Independent Auditor\n\nPORTSMOUTH, N.H., May 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Four Tree Island Advisory\nLLC (“Four Tree Island”), a top-10 stockholder of Willis Lease Finance\nCorporation (NASDAQ:WLFC) (“WLFC” or the “Company”) based on public\ninformation, today urged fellow stockholders to vote AGAINST all proposals set\nforth in WLFC’s proxy statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders\nscheduled to be held on May 26, 2026 (the “Annual Meeting”), except the\nproposal to ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s\nindependent registered public accounting firm.\n\nAs WLFC stockholders consider how to vote their shares at the upcoming Annual\nMeeting, Four Tree Island believes that stockholders should focus on Executive\nChairman Charles Willis’s egregious $52.1 million in total 2025 compensation\nas disclosed in the Company’s proxy statement, which appears entirely\nunjustifiable in light of the Company’s size and 2025 total shareholder\nreturns (TSR), and even more absurd when compared to pay levels at far larger,\nbetter performing companies.\n\nEquilar, a leading provider of corporate leadership data solutions that\nspecializes in executive compensation, published “Equilar 100: An Early Look\nat the Highest-Paid CEOs in 2025” on April 23, 2026\n(https://www.equilar.com/reports/126-highest-paid-ceos-2026-equilar-100.html).\n\nUsing the list of the top 20 highest-paid CEOs in 2025 as identified in\nEquilar’s report and comparing it with year-end 2025 market capitalizations\nand 2025 TSR for those companies, WLFC’s compensation practices stand out in\nstark relief:\n* If Executive Chairman Willis were included in the Equilar 100 analysis, his\n2025 total compensation would place him 18(th) highest paid, ahead of Nvidia\nCEO Jensen Huang, despite WLFC’s dramatically smaller scale (0.02% the\nmarket capitalization of Nvidia) and weaker stock performance (WLFC’s TSR\nunderperformed that of Nvidia in 2025 by 73%: +39% for Nvidia vs. -34% for\nWLFC).\n\n\n* The smallest market capitalization among companies with a top 20 paid CEO in\n2025 was roughly 14x the size of WLFC’s market capitalization.\n\n\n* The median market capitalization for a company with a top 20 paid CEO in\n2025 was approximately 174x the market capitalization of WLFC.\n\n\n* The weakest 2025 TSR for companies with a top 20 paid CEO in 2025 still\nexceeded WLFC’s 2025 TSR by ~1,300 basis points.\n\n\n* The median TSR for a company with a top 20 paid CEO in 2025 was 68% better\nthan WLFC’s 2025 TSR.\nIn our view, it is impossible to reconcile approximately $52.1 million in 2025\ncompensation for an Executive Chairman – who is not the Company’s CEO –\nwith the economic reality faced by WLFC’s minority stockholders. When an\nexecutive at a small cap company is effectively paid like the leadership of\nexponentially larger, better performing enterprises, we believe stockholders\nare entitled to ask whether the Board is fulfilling its fiduciary\nresponsibilities.\n\nFour Tree Island previously outlined significant concerns about WLFC’s\ngovernance, related party transactions and executive compensation practices in\na letter sent privately to the independent members of the Board on January 6,\n2026, which was subsequently made public as an attachment to its March 30,\n2026 press release. These concerns focus on whether the Board has exercised\nappropriate oversight and care in approving executive compensation\narrangements and other matters that primarily benefit Executive Chairman\nWillis.\n\nIn his letter to stockholders accompanying the proxy statement for the Annual\nMeeting, Executive Chairman Willis stated that “the Board values your\nengagement.” Consistent with that invitation, Four Tree Island Advisory is\ncalling on minority stockholders to send a clear message this year.\n\nFour Tree Island therefore urges WLFC stockholders to:\n* Vote AGAINST every proposal at the Annual Meeting, except the proposal to\nratify Grant Thornton LLP as WLFC’s independent auditor.\n\n\n* Recognize that the Company needs to secure support from 80% of the\noutstanding shares to approve the proposed increase in share capital and\npotential 3-for-1 forward stock split proposal (the “Charter Amendment”),\nso minority stockholders will determine whether this proposal passes or not.\nIn our view, the Board has routinely made decisions benefiting Executive\nChairman Willis at the expense of minority stockholders, so we question the\ntrue motivations for the Board seeking approval of the Charter Amendment. As\nindicated in Four Tree Island’s original private letter to the Board sent on\nNovember 25, 2025 and made public on January 6, 2026, WLFC has suffered a\nconsistent, high rate of stockholder dilution through stock-based\ncompensation. Four Tree Island submits that anything that may be used to\npotentially further dilute minority stockholders is not deserving of an\naffirmative vote, and a protest AGAINST vote is warranted based on Executive\nChairman Willis’s egregious compensation alone.\nBased on an abundance of outreach from fellow WLFC stockholders, Four Tree\nIsland believes that minority investors share serious concerns regarding the\nCompany’s executive compensation, governance and capital allocation. The\nfirm encourages stockholders to convey their views directly to the Board.\nAccording to the Company’s proxy statement, communications to the Board may\nbe directed through WLFC’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, who can\nbe reached at cdameron@willislease.com.\n\nStockholders should refer to their proxy materials for detailed instructions\non how to vote or change previously submitted votes. According to the\nCompany’s proxy materials, votes must be received by 11:59pm Eastern Time on\nMay 25, 2026, and may be submitted by telephone or online at\nproxydocs.com/WLFC. Stockholders who have already voted retain the right to\nchange their vote at any time before the deadline.\n\nTHIS COMMUNICATION IS NOT A SOLICITATION OF AUTHORITY TO VOTE YOUR PROXY AND\nDOES NOT REQUEST OR SEEK THE POWER TO ACT AS A PROXY FOR ANY STOCKHOLDER. DO\nNOT SEND US YOUR PROXY CARD. FOUR TREE ISLAND IS NOT ASKING FOR YOUR PROXY\nCARD AND WILL NOT ACCEPT PROXY CARDS IF SENT. FOUR TREE ISLAND IS NOT ABLE TO\nVOTE YOUR PROXY, NOR DOES THIS COMMUNICATION CONTEMPLATE SUCH AN EVENT.\n\nContact\nFour Tree Island Advisory LLC \ninfo@fourtreeislandadvisory.com \n(603) 427-8053\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNX8yFw4M","title":"Four Tree Island Advisory Urges Willis Lease Finance Stockholders to Vote “AGAINST” Proposals at Upcoming Annual Meeting and Demand Board Accountability","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"WLFC","created":"2026-05-11T19:33:24.095Z","tickers":["WLFC"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"Highlights $52.1 million 2025 Compensation for Executive Chairman Charles\nWillis Far Exceeds Pay at Exponentially Larger, Better-Performing Companies\n\nCalls on Stockholders to Send a Clear Message of Dissatisfaction by Opposing\nAll Proposals Other than Ratification of Independent Auditor\n\nPORTSMOUTH, N.H., May 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Four Tree Island Advisory\nLLC (“Four Tree Island”), a top-10 stockholder of Willis Lease Finance\nCorporation (NASDAQ:WLFC) (“WLFC” or the “Company”) based on public\ninformation, today urged fellow stockholders to vote AGAINST all proposals set\nforth in WLFC’s proxy statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders\nscheduled to be held on May 26, 2026 (the “Annual Meeting”), except the\nproposal to ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s\nindependent registered public accounting firm.\n\nAs WLFC stockholders consider how to vote their shares at the upcoming Annual\nMeeting, Four Tree Island believes that stockholders should focus on Executive\nChairman Charles Willis’s egregious $52.1 million in total 2025 compensation\nas disclosed in the Company’s proxy statement, which appears entirely\nunjustifiable in light of the Company’s size and 2025 total shareholder\nreturns (TSR), and even more absurd when compared to pay levels at far larger,\nbetter performing companies.\n\nEquilar, a leading provider of corporate leadership data solutions that\nspecializes in executive compensation, published “Equilar 100: An Early Look\nat the Highest-Paid CEOs in 2025” on April 23, 2026\n(https://www.equilar.com/reports/126-highest-paid-ceos-2026-equilar-100.html).\n\nUsing the list of the top 20 highest-paid CEOs in 2025 as identified in\nEquilar’s report and comparing it with year-end 2025 market capitalizations\nand 2025 TSR for those companies, WLFC’s compensation practices stand out in\nstark relief:\n* If Executive Chairman Willis were included in the Equilar 100 analysis, his\n2025 total compensation would place him 18(th) highest paid, ahead of Nvidia\nCEO Jensen Huang, despite WLFC’s dramatically smaller scale (0.02% the\nmarket capitalization of Nvidia) and weaker stock performance (WLFC’s TSR\nunderperformed that of Nvidia in 2025 by 73%: +39% for Nvidia vs. -34% for\nWLFC).\n\n\n* The smallest market capitalization among companies with a top 20 paid CEO in\n2025 was roughly 14x the size of WLFC’s market capitalization.\n\n\n* The median market capitalization for a company with a top 20 paid CEO in\n2025 was approximately 174x the market capitalization of WLFC.\n\n\n* The weakest 2025 TSR for companies with a top 20 paid CEO in 2025 still\nexceeded WLFC’s 2025 TSR by ~1,300 basis points.\n\n\n* The median TSR for a company with a top 20 paid CEO in 2025 was 68% better\nthan WLFC’s 2025 TSR.\nIn our view, it is impossible to reconcile approximately $52.1 million in 2025\ncompensation for an Executive Chairman – who is not the Company’s CEO –\nwith the economic reality faced by WLFC’s minority stockholders. When an\nexecutive at a small cap company is effectively paid like the leadership of\nexponentially larger, better performing enterprises, we believe stockholders\nare entitled to ask whether the Board is fulfilling its fiduciary\nresponsibilities.\n\nFour Tree Island previously outlined significant concerns about WLFC’s\ngovernance, related party transactions and executive compensation practices in\na letter sent privately to the independent members of the Board on January 6,\n2026, which was subsequently made public as an attachment to its March 30,\n2026 press release. These concerns focus on whether the Board has exercised\nappropriate oversight and care in approving executive compensation\narrangements and other matters that primarily benefit Executive Chairman\nWillis.\n\nIn his letter to stockholders accompanying the proxy statement for the Annual\nMeeting, Executive Chairman Willis stated that “the Board values your\nengagement.” Consistent with that invitation, Four Tree Island Advisory is\ncalling on minority stockholders to send a clear message this year.\n\nFour Tree Island therefore urges WLFC stockholders to:\n* Vote AGAINST every proposal at the Annual Meeting, except the proposal to\nratify Grant Thornton LLP as WLFC’s independent auditor.\n\n\n* Recognize that the Company needs to secure support from 80% of the\noutstanding shares to approve the proposed increase in share capital and\npotential 3-for-1 forward stock split proposal (the “Charter Amendment”),\nso minority stockholders will determine whether this proposal passes or not.\nIn our view, the Board has routinely made decisions benefiting Executive\nChairman Willis at the expense of minority stockholders, so we question the\ntrue motivations for the Board seeking approval of the Charter Amendment. As\nindicated in Four Tree Island’s original private letter to the Board sent on\nNovember 25, 2025 and made public on January 6, 2026, WLFC has suffered a\nconsistent, high rate of stockholder dilution through stock-based\ncompensation. Four Tree Island submits that anything that may be used to\npotentially further dilute minority stockholders is not deserving of an\naffirmative vote, and a protest AGAINST vote is warranted based on Executive\nChairman Willis’s egregious compensation alone.\nBased on an abundance of outreach from fellow WLFC stockholders, Four Tree\nIsland believes that minority investors share serious concerns regarding the\nCompany’s executive compensation, governance and capital allocation. The\nfirm encourages stockholders to convey their views directly to the Board.\nAccording to the Company’s proxy statement, communications to the Board may\nbe directed through WLFC’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, who can\nbe reached at cdameron@willislease.com.\n\nStockholders should refer to their proxy materials for detailed instructions\non how to vote or change previously submitted votes. According to the\nCompany’s proxy materials, votes must be received by 11:59pm Eastern Time on\nMay 25, 2026, and may be submitted by telephone or online at\nproxydocs.com/WLFC. Stockholders who have already voted retain the right to\nchange their vote at any time before the deadline.\n\nTHIS COMMUNICATION IS NOT A SOLICITATION OF AUTHORITY TO VOTE YOUR PROXY AND\nDOES NOT REQUEST OR SEEK THE POWER TO ACT AS A PROXY FOR ANY STOCKHOLDER. DO\nNOT SEND US YOUR PROXY CARD. FOUR TREE ISLAND IS NOT ASKING FOR YOUR PROXY\nCARD AND WILL NOT ACCEPT PROXY CARDS IF SENT. FOUR TREE ISLAND IS NOT ABLE TO\nVOTE YOUR PROXY, NOR DOES THIS COMMUNICATION CONTEMPLATE SUCH AN EVENT.\n\nContact\nFour Tree Island Advisory LLC \ninfo@fourtreeislandadvisory.com \n(603) 427-8053\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-05-11T19:33:24.137651693Z","server_sent_at_ms":1778528004137},"received_at":"2026-05-11T19:33:24.191Z","source_url":null},"analysis":{"id":"22363","press_release_id":"30199","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Asset Management","sector":"Financials"},"redFlags":["executive compensation far exceeds industry norms","potential for further stockholder dilution through Charter Amendment","governance and capital allocation concerns raised by top-10 stockholder"],"eventType":"board_change","narrative":"Four Tree Island Advisory, a top-10 stockholder of Willis Lease Finance Corporation, is urging fellow stockholders to vote against all proposals at the upcoming Annual Meeting, except the auditor ratification.\n\nThe primary concern is the egregious $52.1 million in total 2025 compensation for Executive Chairman Charles Willis, which far exceeds pay at much larger and better-performing companies.\n\nFour Tree Island believes that the Board has routinely made decisions benefiting Charles Willis at the expense of minority stockholders, and questions the motivations behind the proposed Charter Amendment, which could further dilute stockholders.\n\nStockholders are encouraged to convey their views directly to the Board, with detailed voting instructions provided in the proxy materials.","sentiment":"bearish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":true,"suggestedAngle":"Top-10 stockholder Four Tree Island Advisory urges WLFC stockholders to vote against proposals, citing excessive executive pay and governance issues."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"tsr_difference":"73%","market_cap_ratio":"0.02%","executive_compensation":52100000}},"quotedText":"it is impossible to reconcile approximately $52.1 million in 2025 compensation for an Executive Chairman – who is not the Company’s CEO – with the economic reality faced by WLFC’s minority stockholders.","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Charles Willis","role":"Executive Chairman"},{"name":"Jensen Huang","role":"CEO of Nvidia"}],"products":[],"companies":[{"name":"Willis Lease Finance Corporation","ticker":"WLFC","relationship":"issuer"},{"name":"Four Tree Island Advisory LLC","relationship":"top-10 stockholder"},{"name":"Nvidia","relationship":"comparison company"},{"name":"Grant Thornton LLP","relationship":"independent auditor"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$52.1 million","context":"2025 total compensation for Executive Chairman Charles Willis"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":4,"reasoning":"Four Tree Island Advisory, a top-10 stockholder, is urging stockholders to vote against all proposals except the auditor ratification. This highlights significant governance and compensation issues, which could lead to board changes and impact the company's future direction."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"WLFC"},"globalImportance":35,"audienceRelevance":50,"eventTypeSecondary":["executive_change"],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"small-cap","eventGravity":"governance and compensation issues","issuerAuthored":false,"topStockholderInvolvement":true}},"event_type":"board_change","event_type_secondary":["executive_change"],"sentiment":"bearish","material_impact_score":4,"narrative":"Four Tree Island Advisory, a top-10 stockholder of Willis Lease Finance Corporation, is urging fellow stockholders to vote against all proposals at the upcoming Annual Meeting, except the auditor ratification.\n\nThe primary concern is the egregious $52.1 million in total 2025 compensation for Executive Chairman Charles Willis, which far exceeds pay at much larger and better-performing companies.\n\nFour Tree Island believes that the Board has routinely made decisions benefiting Charles Willis at the expense of minority stockholders, and questions the motivations behind the proposed Charter Amendment, which could further dilute stockholders.\n\nStockholders are encouraged to convey their views directly to the Board, with detailed voting instructions provided in the proxy materials.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"tsr_difference":"73%","market_cap_ratio":"0.02%","executive_compensation":52100000}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Charles Willis","role":"Executive Chairman"},{"name":"Jensen Huang","role":"CEO of Nvidia"}],"products":[],"companies":[{"name":"Willis Lease Finance Corporation","ticker":"WLFC","relationship":"issuer"},{"name":"Four Tree Island Advisory LLC","relationship":"top-10 stockholder"},{"name":"Nvidia","relationship":"comparison company"},{"name":"Grant Thornton LLP","relationship":"independent auditor"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$52.1 million","context":"2025 total compensation for Executive Chairman Charles Willis"}]},"model_name":"Qwen/Qwen2.5-72B-Instruct-AWQ","prompt_hash":"sha256:a76fb3b19e8e8b7b","schema_hash":"sha256:8658c370b800cf3d","created_at":"2026-05-11T19:33:42.529Z","global_importance":35,"audience_relevance":50,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"small-cap","eventGravity":"governance and compensation issues","issuerAuthored":false,"topStockholderInvolvement":true}},"durationMs":18381,"modelName":"george-droid-qwen-72b"}}