<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193125-26-226818.txt : 20260515
<SEC-HEADER>0001193125-26-226818.hdr.sgml : 20260515
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20260515161745
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193125-26-226818
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	DEFA14A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20260515
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20260515

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			WILLIS LEASE FINANCE CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001018164
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	WHOLESALE-MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES [5080]
		ORGANIZATION NAME:           	07 Trade & Services
		EIN:				680070656
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		DEFA14A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15369
		FILM NUMBER:		26987898

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4700 LYONS TECHNOLOGY PARKWAY
		CITY:			COCONUT CREEK
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33073
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5613499989

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4700 LYONS TECHNOLOGY PARKWAY
		CITY:			COCONUT CREEK
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33073
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>DEFA14A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>d136485ddefa14a.htm
<DESCRIPTION>DEFA14A
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<Center><DIV STYLE="width:8.5in" align="left">
<DIV STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;
</DIV><DIV STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>UNITED STATES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549 </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center><DIV STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</DIV></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SCHEDULE 14A </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section&nbsp;14(a) of the </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Securities Exchange Act of 1934 </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center><DIV STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</DIV></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Filed by the Registrant&#8194;&#9746; </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Filed by a Party other
than the Registrant&#8194;&#9744; </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Check the appropriate box: </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9744;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Preliminary Proxy Statement </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B></B>&#9744;<B></B><B></B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><B>Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">14a-6(e)(2))</FONT> </B></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9744;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Definitive Proxy Statement </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9746;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Definitive Additional Materials </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9744;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Soliciting Material under <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">&#167;240.14a-12</FONT> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Willis Lease Finance Corporation </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9746;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">No fee required. </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9744;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9744;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">14a-6(i)(1)</FONT> and <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">0-11.</FONT> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><DIV STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;
</DIV><DIV STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Willis Lease Finance Corporation </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">4700 Lyons Technology Parkway </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">Coconut Creek, Florida 33073 </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE 2026 ANNUAL </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The following
letter was mailed to stockholders of Willis Lease Finance Corporation (the &#8220;Company&#8221;) on May&nbsp;15, 2026 in connection with the matters to be considered and voted on at the 2026 annual meeting of the Company&#8217;s stockholders (the
&#8220;Annual Meeting&#8221;) scheduled to be convened on May&nbsp;26, 2026, as set forth in additional detail in the Company&#8217;s proxy statement dated April&nbsp;24, 2026 (the &#8220;Proxy Statement&#8221;) that the Company previously provided
to its stockholders in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of the Company for use at the Annual Meeting. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>THE FOLLOWING LETTER SUPPLEMENTS AND SHOULD BE READ IN </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>CONJUNCTION WITH THE PROXY STATEMENT </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Dear
Fellow Stockholder: </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We are following up regarding Willis Lease Finance Corporation&#8217;s Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on Tuesday,
May&nbsp;26, 2026. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Your Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote &#8220;FOR&#8221; all the proposals TODAY. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We have built clear momentum across the business over the past several years, <B>resulting in outstanding share price appreciation for our stockholders</B>. In
2025, Willis Lease delivered another year of record financial performance driven by our operational excellence and the initiatives we&#8217;ve undertaken to grow and diversify revenue. Notably, the Board oversaw the establishment of Willis
Lease&#8217;s asset management arm, Willis Aviation Capital (WAC), to increase our asset management capabilities. This was a pivotal moment for the Company, laying the groundwork for our long-term strategy and further accelerating growth. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Over the past five years, the Company has grown revenue by more than 2.6x and maintained strong and improving profitability metrics. The strength of our
business has been evident through the Company&#8217;s robust stockholder value creation, even in the face of recent macroeconomic trends and shifts that have affected the broader market. For example: </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">The Company&#8217;s <B>total return to stockholders has meaningfully outperformed the Russell 3000 </B>on a
five-year and three-year basis. </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">The Company&#8217;s five-year and three-year total return to stockholders, when assuming the reinvestment of
dividends, are 327.7% and 336%, respectively, highlighting our strong recovery from the market impacts of both the introduction of new tariff policies in 2025 and the dynamic macro environment so far in 2026. </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>The Board remains committed to delivering sustainable long-term value and regularly explores opportunities to improve stockholder value. In addition to the
reelection of one of our independent directors and certain required advisory proposals, Proposal 2 seeks to amend the Company&#8217;s certificate of incorporation to effect a
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">three-for-one</FONT></FONT> forward stock split of the Company&#8217;s common stock. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Board of Directors, including three independent directors, has unanimously approved &#8211; and recommends that stockholders approve &#8211; Proposal 2,
which, if implemented, would automatically subdivide each existing outstanding share of common stock into three reclassified shares of common stock. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The
Board believes that the proposed stock split is in the best interests of the Company and all of our stockholders. Given our continued operational and strategic success, as highlighted above, the trading price of our common stock has increased
significantly over the past several years. The Board believes the stock split can help reset the market price of our common stock to a range that would make an investment in Willis Lease more accessible to more potential investors, increasing
investor engagement to benefit all of the Company&#8217;s stockholders and driving both liquidity within the stock and the possibility for further value creation. <B>Your Board of Directors believes the stock split will benefit
</B><B><U>all</U></B><B> Willis Lease stockholders.</B> </P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>ISS and Glass Lewis, independent proxy advisory firms to thousands of institutional investors and pension
funds, have both recommended in <U>FAVOR</U>&nbsp;of the forward&nbsp;stock split&nbsp;in Proposal 2. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Your vote is very important, </B>regardless
of how many shares you own. Stockholders are urged to vote <B>&#8220;FOR&#8221;</B> all the proposals. Approval of Proposal 2 requires 80% of the outstanding Willis Lease shares, so every vote is important. Depending on how you hold your shares,
failing to vote may have the same effect as voting against Proposal 2. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>If you have not already done so, please vote <U>TODAY</U> via the Internet, by
telephone, or by signing, dating, and returning the enclosed proxy card or voting instruction form in the postage-paid envelope provided. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Thank you
for your support. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Sincerely, </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Board of Directors </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B><I>YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT&#8212;PLEASE VOTE TODAY! </I></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">If you have any questions, or need assistance in voting </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">your shares, please call our proxy solicitor: </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">INNISFREE M&amp;A INCORPORATED </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">+1
(877) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">825-8772</FONT> (toll-free from the U.S. and Canada) or </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">+1 (412)
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">232-3651</FONT> (from other countries) </P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">This letter includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than
statements of historical fact, including statements regarding prospects or future results of operations or financial position, made in this proxy statement are forward-looking. We use words such as anticipates, believes, expects, future, intends,
and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect management&#8217;s current expectations and are inherently uncertain. Actual results could differ materially for a variety of reasons, including,
among others, market conditions and demand, risks associated with owning and leasing jet engines and aircraft competitive factors, changes in business strategy or development plans, and general economic and business conditions. </P>
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