Analysts Set Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Target Price at $26.69

Shares of Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) have received a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the fifteen research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $26.7692.

LEVI has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $25.00 target price for the company. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $27.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Raymond James Financial began coverage on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Tuesday, December 23rd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $26.00 target price for the company. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday.

Levi Strauss & Co. Trading Up 0.4%

Shares of LEVI opened at $22.41 on Wednesday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $20.31 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $21.06. Levi Strauss & Co. has a twelve month low of $13.83 and a twelve month high of $24.82. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.27, a PEG ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.34.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 7th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.42 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.05. Levi Strauss & Co. had a net margin of 9.52% and a return on equity of 25.35%. The firm had revenue of $1.74 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.65 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.38 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.27 EPS for the current year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be paid a $0.14 dividend. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 22nd. Levi Strauss & Co.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.67%.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Jason Gowans sold 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 92,199 shares in the company, valued at $2,012,704.17. This trade represents a 30.26% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP David Jedrzejek sold 7,093 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.38, for a total transaction of $151,648.34. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 98,193 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,099,366.34. The trade was a 6.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 49,341 shares of company stock valued at $1,068,909. 1.08% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. US Bancorp DE increased its stake in Levi Strauss & Co. by 260.5% during the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 1,121 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 810 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its stake in Levi Strauss & Co. by 140.7% during the 2nd 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 in the last quarter. Hara Capital LLC increased its stake 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 bought a new stake in Levi Strauss & Co. during the 4th quarter valued at about $39,000. 69.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Levi Strauss & Co. Company Profile

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.