Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Short Interest Down 27.9% in January

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) was the target of a large drop in short interest during the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 7,377,714 shares, a drop of 27.9% from the January 15th total of 10,235,181 shares. Currently, 1.9% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 2,714,680 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.7 days. Based on an average trading volume of 2,714,680 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.7 days. Currently, 1.9% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Levi Strauss & Co. Price Performance

LEVI stock opened at $21.92 on Friday. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 1 year low of $12.17 and a 1 year high of $24.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 0.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.56 billion, a PE ratio of 15.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.33. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $21.26 and a 200-day simple moving average of $21.49.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.41 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.39 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $1.77 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.71 billion. Levi Strauss & Co. had a return on equity of 25.08% and a net margin of 9.20%.The firm’s revenue was up .9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.50 earnings per share. Levi Strauss & Co. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.400-1.460 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 25th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 10th will be issued a $0.14 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 10th. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Levi Strauss & Co.’s dividend payout ratio is presently 38.36%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Levi Strauss & Co.

In related news, SVP David Jedrzejek sold 2,248 shares of Levi Strauss & Co. stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $19.60, for a total transaction of $44,060.80. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 106,818 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,093,632.80. The trade was a 2.06% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Jason Gowans sold 40,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.83, for a total value of $873,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 92,199 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,012,704.17. The trade was a 30.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 49,341 shares of company stock valued at $1,068,909 over the last 90 days. 1.25% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Levi Strauss & Co.

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in LEVI. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. US Bancorp DE lifted its position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 260.5% during the third quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 1,121 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 810 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 140.7% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,425 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 833 shares during the period. Hara Capital LLC grew its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 8,080.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hara Capital LLC now owns 2,045 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 2,020 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in Levi Strauss & Co. in the 4th quarter worth $39,000. 69.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

LEVI has been the topic of several recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. They set a “buy” rating and a $25.00 target price on the stock. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $27.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. UBS Group boosted their price target on Levi Strauss & Co. from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC restated a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $26.69.

About Levi Strauss & Co.

Levi Strauss & Co is a global apparel company best known for its denim jeans and casual wear. Founded in 1853 in San Francisco by Bavarian immigrant Levi Strauss, the company pioneered the modern blue jean with the introduction of rivet-reinforced work pants. Over its more than 160-year history, Levi Strauss has evolved into a lifestyle brand, offering a broad portfolio that includes denim for men, women and children, as well as tops, outerwear, footwear and accessories.

The company’s flagship label, Levi’s®, is recognized worldwide for its iconic styles such as the 501® Original Fit Jeans, while additional brands, including Dockers®, Target core metric, and Denizen® by Levi’s, cater to diverse price points and consumer segments.