Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Major Shareholder Sells $682,000.00 in Stock

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) major shareholder Robert Haas sold 31,000 shares of Levi Strauss & Co. stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.00, for a total value of $682,000.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Major shareholders that own at least 10% of a company’s stock are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.

Levi Strauss & Co. Stock Up 1.3%

Shares of NYSE LEVI opened at $23.69 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $9.11 billion, a PE ratio of 15.09, a P/E/G 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. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $21.19 and its 200 day simple moving average is $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.

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

Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Dividend

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

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 favorably, with the stock carrying a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target around $26.69, reflecting expectations for further upside. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s latest quarterly results beat expectations, with revenue and EPS both topping estimates and revenue rising 14.1% year over year, reinforcing the case for fundamental strength. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several large shareholders, including Robert D. Haas, Margaret E. Haas, and the E. Haas Jr. Family Fund, disclosed stock sales under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans. While these transactions are routine and not necessarily a negative signal, the volume of selling may still weigh on investor sentiment. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: The largest disclosed sale was Robert D. Haas selling 192,451 shares for about $4.36 million, adding to concerns that insiders may be trimming exposure after the recent run-up in the stock. Article Title

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently commented on LEVI shares. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $25.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Monday, May 4th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on 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. UBS Group boosted their target price on Levi Strauss & Co. from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, 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. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $26.79.

Institutional Trading of Levi Strauss & Co.

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 3.8% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 9,320,747 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $193,312,000 after purchasing an additional 342,009 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 462.4% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 4,839,861 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $89,489,000 after purchasing an additional 3,979,223 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 44.0% during the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 4,243,680 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $88,014,000 after purchasing an additional 1,296,474 shares in the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. increased its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 9.3% during the 3rd quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 3,457,702 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $80,564,000 after purchasing an additional 294,053 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GW&K Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 31.5% during the 4th quarter. GW&K Investment Management LLC now owns 2,219,599 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $46,034,000 after purchasing an additional 531,963 shares in the last quarter. 69.14% of the stock is 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.