Key Points
- CEO Laura Alber sold 35,000 Williams-Sonoma shares for approximately $7.74 million at an average price of $221.20, reducing her ownership by 3.94% to 853,524 shares. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.
- Williams-Sonoma recently beat quarterly expectations, reporting $2.10 in EPS and $1.96 billion in revenue, up 6.7% year over year. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $245.56.
- The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.76 per share, equivalent to $3.04 annually and a yield of roughly 1.4%; institutional investors own 99.29% of outstanding shares.
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM - Get Free Report) CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 3,045 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $220.61, for a total value of $671,757.45. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 34,138 shares of the company's stock, valued at $7,531,184.18. The trade was a 8.19% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.
Williams-Sonoma Stock Up 2.4%
Shares of WSM stock opened at $224.08 on Friday. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 52-week low of $165.51 and a 52-week high of $254.89. The stock has a market cap of $26.39 billion, a PE ratio of 22.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.47. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $232.18 and a 200-day simple moving average of $209.84.
Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, August 26th. The specialty retailer reported $2.10 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.08 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $1.96 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.93 billion. Williams-Sonoma had a return on equity of 53.48% and a net margin of 14.73%.Williams-Sonoma's revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.00 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 9.51 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 16th will be given a $0.76 dividend. This represents a $3.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 16th. Williams-Sonoma's dividend payout ratio is currently 31.12%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several research firms recently issued reports on WSM. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $190.00 to $240.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $275.00 price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Wednesday, August 26th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $260.00 price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a report on Thursday, August 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $261.00 price objective (up from $230.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, Seaport Research Partners reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $245.56.
Read Our Latest Stock Report on WSM
Key Headlines Impacting Williams-Sonoma
Here are the key news stories impacting Williams-Sonoma this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Rejuvenation, Williams-Sonoma’s lighting and home-furnishings brand, opened a new store in Dallas—its second Texas location. The expansion increases the brand’s physical retail presence and could support longer-term sales and customer awareness. Rejuvenation Opens New Store in Dallas
- Positive Sentiment: Williams-Sonoma declared a quarterly dividend of $0.76 per share, payable November 20 to shareholders of record October 16. The unchanged payout equates to $3.04 annually and a yield of roughly 1.4%, reinforcing shareholder returns and signaling continued cash-flow confidence. Williams-Sonoma Quarterly Dividend
- Neutral Sentiment: A recent investor-focused article has put the Williams-Sonoma story on the radar, potentially increasing attention around the stock. However, the headline alone does not identify a new earnings, guidance, or strategic catalyst. What Put the Williams-Sonoma Story on the Radar?
- Negative Sentiment: CEO Laura Alber sold 35,000 shares worth approximately $7.74 million, while CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 3,045 shares worth about $672,000. The sales reduce their individual holdings and can pressure sentiment, although both transactions were made under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans and do not necessarily indicate deteriorating operating expectations. CEO Insider Sale Filing
Institutional Trading of Williams-Sonoma
Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. MidFirst Bank acquired a new position in Williams-Sonoma in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Ballast Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Williams-Sonoma during the 1st quarter worth $30,000. Millstone Evans Group LLC boosted its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 229.4% during the 1st quarter. Millstone Evans Group LLC now owns 168 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 117 shares during the last quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the second quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the second quarter worth $35,000. 99.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
About Williams-Sonoma
(
Get Free Report)
Williams-Sonoma, Inc is a specialty retailer focused on high-quality home furnishings, housewares and lifestyle products. The company sells furniture, bedding, bath goods, lighting, rugs, window treatments, home décor, kitchen equipment, cookware, tabletop products, outdoor furnishings and related accessories through e-commerce platforms, catalogs and retail stores.
The company operates a portfolio of brands that includes Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, West Elm, Mark & Graham and Rejuvenation.
Further Reading
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