Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Major Shareholder Robert Haas Sells 5,832 Shares

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) major shareholder Robert Haas sold 5,832 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.00, for a total value of $139,968.00. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Major shareholders that own more than 10% of a company’s shares are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.

Levi Strauss & Co. Trading Up 1.3%

Levi Strauss & Co. stock opened at $23.69 on Friday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $21.19 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $21.16. 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 cap of $9.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 1.35. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 12 month low of $16.50 and a 12 month high of $24.82.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 7th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.05. Levi Strauss & Co. had a return on equity of 25.35% and a net margin of 9.52%.The company had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.65 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.38 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.5 EPS for the current year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd were paid a $0.14 dividend. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, April 22nd. Levi Strauss & Co.’s dividend payout ratio is currently 35.67%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Levi Strauss & Co. from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $25.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, UBS Group upped their price objective on Levi Strauss & Co. from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Levi Strauss & Co. has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $26.79.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of LEVI. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new stake in Levi Strauss & Co. during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. US Bancorp DE grew its position 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 worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 810 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its position 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 worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 833 shares during the last quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in Levi Strauss & Co. during the 4th quarter worth approximately $39,000. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 133.5% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 3,286 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $51,000 after acquiring an additional 1,879 shares during the last quarter. 69.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Levi Strauss & Co. News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Levi Strauss & Co. this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Levi Strauss as a “Moderate Buy”, which suggests Wall Street still sees upside in the company despite the recent insider selling. Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: An article highlighted analyst commentary on Levi Strauss alongside other consumer cyclical stocks, but it did not appear to include any major new company-specific operational update. Analysts Offer Insights on Consumer Cyclical Companies: Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI), Toll Brothers (TOL) and Five Below (FIVE)
• Negative Sentiment: Major shareholder Robert D. Haas sold 192,451 shares in a pre-arranged transaction, a large insider disposition that can pressure sentiment even if it was planned. SEC filing for Robert D. Haas sale
• Negative Sentiment: Robert D. Haas also sold an additional 5,832 shares at $24.00, reinforcing the impression of insider selling near recent highs. SEC filing for Robert D. Haas sale
• Negative Sentiment: Peter Haas Jr. Family Fund sold 4,338 shares in another 10b5-1 transaction, while Margaret E. Haas sold 2,279 shares, adding to the cluster of insider sales. SEC filing for Peter Haas Jr. Family Fund sale SEC filing for Margaret E. Haas sale

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.