Key Points
- CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 32,684 shares on March 26 at an average price of $180.64 for about $5.90 million, trimming his position by 48.91% to 34,138 shares (valued ~ $6.17M).
- Dividend increase: Williams‑Sonoma raised its quarterly dividend to $0.76 from $0.66 (ex-dividend April 17, payable May 22), implying a $3.04 annualized payout and roughly a 1.7% yield.
- Recent results and outlook: The company reported Q earnings of $3.04 EPS (above the $2.90 estimate) while revenue fell 4.3% year-over-year; analysts’ consensus is a "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $209.56.
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM - Get Free Report) CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 32,684 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $180.64, for a total value of $5,904,037.76. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 34,138 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,166,688.32. This trade represents a 48.91% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.
Williams-Sonoma Stock Performance
Shares of WSM opened at $175.50 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $200.80 and a two-hundred day moving average of $194.19. The stock has a market cap of $20.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.83, a P/E/G ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.64. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a one year low of $130.07 and a one year high of $222.00.
Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 18th. The specialty retailer reported $3.04 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.90 by $0.14. Williams-Sonoma had a return on equity of 51.45% and a net margin of 13.94%.The business had revenue of $2.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.41 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $3.28 earnings per share. The company's revenue was down 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 8.36 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Williams-Sonoma Increases Dividend
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 22nd. Investors of record on Friday, April 17th will be issued a $0.76 dividend. This is a boost from Williams-Sonoma's previous quarterly dividend of $0.66. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 17th. This represents a $3.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.7%. Williams-Sonoma's dividend payout ratio is currently 29.83%.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Williams-Sonoma
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in WSM. Gateway Investment Advisers LLC increased its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 37.9% in the third quarter. Gateway Investment Advisers LLC now owns 16,398 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $3,205,000 after buying an additional 4,510 shares in the last quarter. EFG Asset Management North America Corp. raised its position in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 51.5% in the third quarter. EFG Asset Management North America Corp. now owns 14,593 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $2,852,000 after acquiring an additional 4,961 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 30.2% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 997,414 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $194,947,000 after acquiring an additional 231,489 shares in the last quarter. Berry Wealth Group LP acquired a new stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the 2nd quarter valued at about $230,000. Finally, Vest Financial LLC grew its position in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 39.5% during the 3rd quarter. Vest Financial LLC now owns 282,503 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $55,215,000 after acquiring an additional 80,044 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.29% of the company's stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several analysts have commented on WSM shares. Evercore set a $215.00 price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $175.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, March 11th. Zelman & Associates upgraded shares of Williams-Sonoma from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $205.00 target price for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $220.00 price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Finally, Citigroup increased their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $188.00 to $208.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $209.56.
View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Williams-Sonoma
About Williams-Sonoma
(
Get Free Report)
Williams‑Sonoma, Inc is a specialty retailer focused on the home and culinary markets, best known for premium cookware, kitchen tools and home furnishings. The company traces its roots to a single cookware store founded by Chuck Williams in 1956 in Sonoma, California, and has evolved into a multi‑brand home furnishings and housewares business. Its merchandise mix spans cookware and kitchen electrics, tabletop and food prep items, furniture, bedding, lighting and decorative accessories designed for both everyday use and higher‑end interiors.
The company operates a portfolio of consumer brands that target distinct segments of the home market.
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