{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"83727","rtpr_id":"nGNX6ZTzBW","ticker":"WLFC","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["WLFC"],"title":"Willis Lease Finance Corporation Added to Three Russell 2000 Indexes","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-07-08T19:55:23.104Z","article_body":"COCONUT CREEK, Fla., July 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Willis Lease Finance\nCorporation (NASDAQ: WLFC) (\"WLFC\" or the \"Company\"), the leading lessor of\ncommercial aircraft engines and a global provider of aviation services, today\nannounced that it has been added to three Russell 2000 Indexes, effective June\n26, 2026, as part of the FTSE Russell 2026 U.S. Indexes reconstitution.\n\nA member of the Russell 2000 Index since 2009, WLFC is now included in these\nadditional indexes:\n* Russell 2000 Defensive Index\n* Russell 2000 Growth-Defensive Index\n* Russell 2000 Value-Defensive Index\n\"We are delighted to be represented in three additional Russell 2000 Indexes,\nwhich should broaden WLFC’s visibility with the investment community,\" said\nAustin C. Willis, Chief Executive Officer of WLFC. \"These indexes are designed\nto deliver financial stability for investors, and we believe our inclusion\nvalidates our long-term strategy to create value for shareholders.”\n\nRussell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional\ninvestors for index funds and as benchmarks for active investment strategies.\nAs of June 30, 2025, approximately $12.2 trillion in assets are benchmarked to\nthe Russell US Indexes, which belong to FTSE Russell, the global index\nprovider.\n\nWillis Lease Finance Corporation\n\nWillis Lease Finance Corporation leases large and regional spare commercial\naircraft engines and aircraft to airlines, aircraft engine manufacturers and\nmaintenance, repair, and overhaul providers worldwide. These leasing\nactivities are integrated with engine and aircraft trading, engine lease\npools, and asset management services through Willis Mitsui & Co. Asset\nManagement Limited, as well as various end-of-life solutions for engines and\naviation materials provided through Willis Aeronautical Services, Inc. Through\nWillis Engine Repair Center®, Jet Centre by Willis, and Willis Aviation\nServices Limited, the Company’s service offerings include Part 145 engine\nmaintenance, aircraft line and base maintenance, aircraft disassembly, parking\nand storage, airport FBO and ground and cargo handling services.\n\nExcept for historical information, the matters discussed in this press release\ncontain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Do\nnot unduly rely on forward-looking statements, which give only expectations\nabout the future and are not guarantees. Forward-looking statements speak only\nas of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them to\nreflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events,\nconditions, or circumstances on which the forward-looking statement is based,\nexcept as required by law.\n\nThe Company’s actual results may differ materially from the results\ndiscussed in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a\ndifference include, but are not limited to: the effects on the airline\nindustry and the global economy of events such as war, terrorist activity and\nthe COVID-19 pandemic; changes in oil prices, rising inflation and other\ndisruptions to world markets; trends in the airline industry and the\nCompany’s ability to capitalize on those trends, including growth rates of\nmarkets and other economic factors; risks associated with owning and leasing\njet engines and aircraft; the Company’s ability to successfully negotiate\nequipment purchases, sales and leases, to collect outstanding amounts due and\nto control costs and expenses; changes in interest rates and availability of\ncapital, both to the Company and its customers; the Company’s ability to\ncontinue to meet changing customer demands; regulatory changes affecting\nairline operations, aircraft maintenance, accounting standards and taxes; the\nmarket value of engines and other assets in the Company’s portfolio; and\nrisks detailed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other\ncontinuing and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange\nCommission. It is advisable, however, to consult any further disclosures the\nCompany makes on related subjects in such filings. These statements constitute\nthe Company’s cautionary statements under the Private Securities Litigation\nReform Act of 1995.\n\n CONTACT:  Lynn Mailliard Kohler                      \n           Director, Global Corporate Communications  \n           (415) 328-4798                             \n           lkohler@willislease.com                    \n\n\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c7750338-127c-4be8-9305-fb8b94ddd7a4)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNX6ZTzBW","title":"Willis Lease Finance Corporation Added to Three Russell 2000 Indexes","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"WLFC","created":"2026-07-08T19:55:23.104Z","tickers":["WLFC"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"COCONUT CREEK, Fla., July 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Willis Lease Finance\nCorporation (NASDAQ: WLFC) (\"WLFC\" or the \"Company\"), the leading lessor of\ncommercial aircraft engines and a global provider of aviation services, today\nannounced that it has been added to three Russell 2000 Indexes, effective June\n26, 2026, as part of the FTSE Russell 2026 U.S. Indexes reconstitution.\n\nA member of the Russell 2000 Index since 2009, WLFC is now included in these\nadditional indexes:\n* Russell 2000 Defensive Index\n* Russell 2000 Growth-Defensive Index\n* Russell 2000 Value-Defensive Index\n\"We are delighted to be represented in three additional Russell 2000 Indexes,\nwhich should broaden WLFC’s visibility with the investment community,\" said\nAustin C. Willis, Chief Executive Officer of WLFC. \"These indexes are designed\nto deliver financial stability for investors, and we believe our inclusion\nvalidates our long-term strategy to create value for shareholders.”\n\nRussell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional\ninvestors for index funds and as benchmarks for active investment strategies.\nAs of June 30, 2025, approximately $12.2 trillion in assets are benchmarked to\nthe Russell US Indexes, which belong to FTSE Russell, the global index\nprovider.\n\nWillis Lease Finance Corporation\n\nWillis Lease Finance Corporation leases large and regional spare commercial\naircraft engines and aircraft to airlines, aircraft engine manufacturers and\nmaintenance, repair, and overhaul providers worldwide. These leasing\nactivities are integrated with engine and aircraft trading, engine lease\npools, and asset management services through Willis Mitsui & Co. Asset\nManagement Limited, as well as various end-of-life solutions for engines and\naviation materials provided through Willis Aeronautical Services, Inc. Through\nWillis Engine Repair Center®, Jet Centre by Willis, and Willis Aviation\nServices Limited, the Company’s service offerings include Part 145 engine\nmaintenance, aircraft line and base maintenance, aircraft disassembly, parking\nand storage, airport FBO and ground and cargo handling services.\n\nExcept for historical information, the matters discussed in this press release\ncontain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Do\nnot unduly rely on forward-looking statements, which give only expectations\nabout the future and are not guarantees. Forward-looking statements speak only\nas of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them to\nreflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events,\nconditions, or circumstances on which the forward-looking statement is based,\nexcept as required by law.\n\nThe Company’s actual results may differ materially from the results\ndiscussed in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a\ndifference include, but are not limited to: the effects on the airline\nindustry and the global economy of events such as war, terrorist activity and\nthe COVID-19 pandemic; changes in oil prices, rising inflation and other\ndisruptions to world markets; trends in the airline industry and the\nCompany’s ability to capitalize on those trends, including growth rates of\nmarkets and other economic factors; risks associated with owning and leasing\njet engines and aircraft; the Company’s ability to successfully negotiate\nequipment purchases, sales and leases, to collect outstanding amounts due and\nto control costs and expenses; changes in interest rates and availability of\ncapital, both to the Company and its customers; the Company’s ability to\ncontinue to meet changing customer demands; regulatory changes affecting\nairline operations, aircraft maintenance, accounting standards and taxes; the\nmarket value of engines and other assets in the Company’s portfolio; and\nrisks detailed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other\ncontinuing and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange\nCommission. It is advisable, however, to consult any further disclosures the\nCompany makes on related subjects in such filings. These statements constitute\nthe Company’s cautionary statements under the Private Securities Litigation\nReform Act of 1995.\n\n CONTACT:  Lynn Mailliard Kohler                      \n           Director, Global Corporate Communications  \n           (415) 328-4798                             \n           lkohler@willislease.com                    \n\n\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c7750338-127c-4be8-9305-fb8b94ddd7a4)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-07-08T19:55:23.143330844Z","server_sent_at_ms":1783540523143},"received_at":"2026-07-08T19:55:23.210Z","source_url":null},"analysis":{"id":"72787","press_release_id":"83727","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Air Freight & Logistics","sector":"Industrials"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"other","narrative":"Willis Lease Finance Corporation was added to three Russell 2000 sub-indexes—the Russell 2000 Defensive Index, the Russell 2000 Growth-Defensive Index, and the Russell 2000 Value-Defensive Index—effective June 26, 2026, as part of the FTSE Russell reconstitution.\n\nThe company has been a member of the Russell 2000 Index since 2009, and CEO Austin C. Willis noted that the inclusion in these additional indexes should broaden WLFC's visibility with the investment community.\n\nRussell indexes serve as benchmarks for approximately $12.2 trillion in assets, highlighting the potential for increased passive investment interest in the company's shares.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"WLFC added to Russell 2000 Defensive sub-indexes, potentially attracting defensive-focused funds."},"keyFigures":null,"quotedText":"We are delighted to be represented in three additional Russell 2000 Indexes, which should broaden WLFC’s visibility with the investment community,","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Austin C. Willis","role":"Chief Executive Officer"},{"name":"Lynn Mailliard Kohler","role":"Director, Global Corporate Communications"}],"products":["Russell 2000 Index","Russell 2000 Defensive Index","Russell 2000 Growth-Defensive Index","Russell 2000 Value-Defensive Index"],"companies":[{"name":"Willis Lease Finance Corporation","ticker":"WLFC"},{"name":"FTSE Russell","relationship":"index provider"},{"name":"Willis Mitsui & Co. 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This is an incremental positive update rather than a material operational shift."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"WLFC"},"globalImportance":20,"audienceRelevance":20,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"small-cap","eventGravity":"index-addition-sub-index","sectorWeight":"niche"}},"event_type":"other","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":2,"narrative":"Willis Lease Finance Corporation was added to three Russell 2000 sub-indexes—the Russell 2000 Defensive Index, the Russell 2000 Growth-Defensive Index, and the Russell 2000 Value-Defensive Index—effective June 26, 2026, as part of the FTSE Russell reconstitution.\n\nThe company has been a member of the Russell 2000 Index since 2009, and CEO Austin C. Willis noted that the inclusion in these additional indexes should broaden WLFC's visibility with the investment community.\n\nRussell indexes serve as benchmarks for approximately $12.2 trillion in assets, highlighting the potential for increased passive investment interest in the company's shares.","key_figures":null,"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Austin C. Willis","role":"Chief Executive Officer"},{"name":"Lynn Mailliard Kohler","role":"Director, Global Corporate Communications"}],"products":["Russell 2000 Index","Russell 2000 Defensive Index","Russell 2000 Growth-Defensive Index","Russell 2000 Value-Defensive Index"],"companies":[{"name":"Willis Lease Finance Corporation","ticker":"WLFC"},{"name":"FTSE Russell","relationship":"index provider"},{"name":"Willis Mitsui & Co. Asset Management Limited","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"Willis Aeronautical Services, Inc.","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"Willis Engine Repair Center®","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"Jet Centre by Willis","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"Willis Aviation Services Limited","relationship":"subsidiary"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$12.2 trillion","context":"assets benchmarked to the Russell US Indexes as of June 30, 2025"}]},"model_name":"qwen3_6_27b_awq","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-07-08T19:58:10.078Z","global_importance":20,"audience_relevance":20,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"small-cap","eventGravity":"index-addition-sub-index","sectorWeight":"niche"}},"durationMs":166857,"modelName":"george-droid-qwen-72b"}}