Framework Journal · one stock, one dated entry

Recorded 2026-07-19 · Permanent

Willdan Group, Inc. logoWilldan Group, Inc. WLDN

Clears both ethical standards

An entry written while the outcome is still unknown. It will be scored by what the market does next, and it will never be edited to look cleverer than it was.

In plain words · Willdan Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides professional, technical, and consulting services through engineering, program management, policy advisory, and software and data analytics primarily in the Un…

The label
Distribution

read at $72.70

Willdan Group, Inc. holds its Distribution at $72.70.

PHINPOOPSC
  • PHPhase · the trend structure carries the Distribution label
  • INInsiders · no filings inside 60 days, left as found
  • POPositioning · no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
  • OPOptions · no verdict drawn today, left as found
  • SCScreen · passes the values gate
  • edge confirmed
  • edge broken
  • edge forming

Each arm is one independent read. Conviction is not a single call, it is how many edges converge.

The investor read · the season, not the day

As held on the ledger · 2026-07-19
PhaseDistribution · caution
Quantitative stateThe statistical read favours the sellers, held for 13 days
Price$72.70
Valuation19.54 trailing · 13.72 forward price to earnings
Values screenPASS · score 70.0
Beta1.13

The opportunity · what the numbers say it is worth

Read at
$72.70
19.54 P/E · 13.72 fwd
Our fair value
$121.75
68% discount
Analyst target (avg)
$137.50
+89% to current
Target low $130.00Analyst target rangeTarget high $145.00
▲ current $72.70 · | average target

Price history & projections · where it has been, where the models see it going

$155$82$9TODAY5y agoPROJECTIONAnalyst high$145.00 +50%Analyst avg$137.50 +42%Our fair value$121.75 +26%Conservative$117.00 +21%

The valuation journey · where the price sits against fair value and the Street

Current
$72.70
you are here
Conservative
$117.00
+61%
Analyst avg
$137.50
+89%
Our fair value
$121.75
+67%
Analyst high
$145.00
+99%

Green marks levels above today's price, red below; the shaded band is the gap between the price and our fair value.

Reading the gap · Both our model and the analysts see meaningful upside from here.

Revenue growth1.80%
Profit margin8.24%
Debt to equity22.38
Analyst consensusStrong Buy · 2 covering

Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; target range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.

The values screen, explained · five checks, plain English

This company clears both standards. There are two widely recognised ways to check whether a company is suitable for a Muslim investor. Here is how it did on each:

The common standard · AAOIFI
Used by most halal investing apps
✓ PASSES
Our stricter standard · asset-based
The one Titan applies
✓ PASSES

What these two standards are, and how they differ →

  • Business activity Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines — no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending. Pass
  • Debt load Interest-bearing debt is of its assets, above the one-third ceiling the screen allows. Fail
  • Interest-bearing cash Interest-bearing cash and securities are of assets, above the one-third limit. Fail
  • Receivables Money owed to the company is of assets, above the 49% limit. Fail
  • Revenue purity Only 0.0% of revenue comes from non-compliant sources — under the 5% line. Pass

Every security is read against two recognised standards: our stricter asset-based screen (ratios measured against total assets) and the more widely used market-value standard (measured against market capitalisation). Where they agree we say so plainly; where they part ways — almost always on the debt check — we show both readings and mark it, because that disagreement is the finding, not a fault. We report the score; you and your scholar make the call.

The business, in plain words · what the numbers mean

US Engineering Consultant With Safety But No Edge

Picture a local firm hired to design energy upgrades for city halls and utilities across America. Willdan handles the technical work in a fragmented market, yet its revenue is crawling forward at just 2% while the forward multiple sits at 13.7 times. Strong returns on equity of 20% and an ethical pass look attractive on paper, but an unknown moat and minimal growth leave little reason to expect durable outperformance.

Analysts see upside to 138 dollars from the current 72.70 price and our own fair value sits at 121.75, yet the opportunity rating remains none. Low single-digit top-line expansion in engineering and construction rarely compounds into lasting value when competitive advantages are unclear. The valuation gap exists, but the business does not demonstrate the qualities that turn a cheap multiple into a reliable compounder.

Cyclical exposure to public budgets and infrastructure spending adds real volatility that a low multiple does not offset. Thin profit margins of 8% offer little cushion when projects slow. We therefore pass despite the numbers. Analysis, not advice.

The fundamentals · plain-English read
Forward P/E13.7x
expensive even after accounting for its growth
Trailing P/E19.5x
reasonably valued
Revenue growth1.8%
slow but positive growth
Profit margin8.2%
thin but positive margins
Return on equity20.3%
an exceptional return on shareholder capital
Debt to equity0.22
minimal debt — a conservative balance sheet
Current ratio1.68
healthy short-term liquidity
Beta1.13
moves a little more than the market
Market cap$1.1B
Employees1,814

The risks · The things to watch: it's a small-cap, so the share price can swing harder than the market.

Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.

Related securities · others in WLDN's space worth a look

Screened names in the same industry · explore each on its own page.

Where & how to trade · wherever in the world you are

WLDN trades on Nasdaq. As a US-listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering US markets. New to this, or investing from outside the US? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.

The trader read · the latest dated commentary

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 72%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 41%. The street (2 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $138. Entered 2026-07-18 · Markup

The dated journal · newest first, never edited

2026-07-18 Markup $96.30 +0.0% Entry 3

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are up 72%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 41%. The street (2 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $138.

2026-07-03 Markup $96.30 +0.0% Entry 2

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (70). The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns.

2026-07-02 Markup $96.30 Entry 1

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (70). The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns.

Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.

What holding actually paid · price plus dividends

If $1,000 had been placed · historical, not a promise
PeriodPrice thenPrice returnDivs per share$1,000 becameTotal return
1 month $92.91 +4.1% · $1,041 +4.1%
2 months $78.22 +23.7% · $1,237 +23.7%
3 months $79.93 +21.0% · $1,210 +21.0%
6 months $108.11 -10.5% · $895 -10.5%
1 year $56.30 +71.8% · $1,718 +71.8%
2 years $30.67 +215.4% · $3,154 +215.4%
3 years $18.83 +413.7% · $5,137 +413.7%
5 years $39.10 +147.4% · $2,474 +147.4%

Historical returns from market close data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

This entry now belongs to the ledger. Whatever WLDN does next, these words stay.

Willdan Group, Inc. · WLDN · Distribution · $72.70
Recorded 2026-07-19 · before the outcome · scored mechanically

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