Proficio Capital Partners LLC Purchases 493,146 Shares of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM)

Proficio Capital Partners LLC grew its position in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) by 19,941.2% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 495,619 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 493,146 shares during the period. Proficio Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $91,779,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of WSM. Smithfield Trust Co grew its position in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 160 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the period. Cassady Schiller Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. Cassady Schiller Wealth Management LLC now owns 166 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 83 shares during the period. Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. HM Payson & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. HM Payson & Co. now owns 200 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the period. Finally, Sittner & Nelson LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. Sittner & Nelson LLC now owns 200 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 99.29% of the company’s stock.

Williams-Sonoma Stock Down 3.1 %

Shares of NYSE WSM opened at $192.16 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $23.65 billion, a PE ratio of 22.73, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 1.79. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 12-month low of $115.41 and a 12-month high of $219.98. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $201.24 and its 200 day simple moving average is $167.62.

Williams-Sonoma Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 21st. Investors of record on Friday, January 17th were paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.19%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 17th. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio is presently 26.98%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Williams-Sonoma news, CEO Laura Alber sold 45,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $207.76, for a total transaction of $9,349,200.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 944,666 shares in the company, valued at approximately $196,263,808.16. This represents a 4.55 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 3,160 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $177.39, for a total transaction of $560,552.40. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 46,388 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,228,767.32. The trade was a 6.38 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently commented on WSM. Gordon Haskett raised shares of Williams-Sonoma to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Evercore ISI lifted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $140.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $116.00 to $123.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $162.00 to $189.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Citigroup cut their price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $140.00 to $134.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 8th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Williams-Sonoma has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $172.34.

Williams-Sonoma Profile

Williams-Sonoma, Inc operates as an omni-channel specialty retailer of various products for home. It offers cooking, dining, and entertaining products, such as cookware, tools, electrics, cutlery, tabletop and bar, outdoor, furniture, and a library of cookbooks under the Williams Sonoma Home brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma lifestyle brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand.