Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Downgraded to “Hold” Rating by Wall Street Zen

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) was downgraded by Wall Street Zen from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued on Saturday.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Raymond James Financial assumed coverage on Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Tuesday, December 23rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $26.00 target price for the company. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $27.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $23.00 to $33.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $26.46.

Levi Strauss & Co. Price Performance

Levi Strauss & Co. stock opened at $19.82 on Friday. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 52 week low of $12.17 and a 52 week high of $24.82. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $21.47 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $21.49. The stock has a market cap of $7.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $1.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.71 billion. Levi Strauss & Co. had a return on equity of 25.08% and a net margin of 9.20%.Levi Strauss & Co.’s quarterly revenue was up .9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.50 earnings per share. Levi Strauss & Co. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.400-1.460 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.27 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Levi Strauss & Co.

In other news, SVP David Jedrzejek sold 7,093 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.38, for a total value of $151,648.34. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 98,193 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,099,366.34. The trade was a 6.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 1.25% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 181.6% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 151,645 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $2,364,000 after acquiring an additional 97,800 shares in the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in the first quarter valued at $224,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its stake in shares of 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 valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 1,879 shares during the period. Caxton Associates LLP purchased a new stake in Levi Strauss & Co. during the 1st quarter worth about $241,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 3.4% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 1,597,687 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $24,908,000 after purchasing an additional 52,332 shares in the last quarter. 69.14% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Levi Strauss & Co.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat — Adjusted EPS $0.41 vs $0.39 expected and revenue $1.77B vs $1.71B, driven by denim and DTC strength; this confirms near‑term demand resilience. Proactive: Levi Strauss tops quarterly estimates
• Positive Sentiment: DTC/strategy momentum — CEO called the business at a “true inflection,” emphasizing DTC-first, brand elevation and marketing (including a planned Super Bowl ad) that support longer‑term margin expansion and revenue mix improvement. MSN: CEO sees ‘true inflection’
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support — Multiple firms (TD Cowen, Needham, BTIG) reiterated Buy ratings and raised/maintained targets (~$26–$28), indicating analyst conviction in execution and upside from current levels. TipRanks: Analyst note
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns — Company declared a quarterly dividend ($0.14/share, ~2.7% yield annualized), reinforcing capital return policy and supporting valuation floor for income‑seeking investors.
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor‑day/earnings call color — Transcripts provide detail on product mix (denim, yoga), pricing actions and marketing spend (useful for thesis but less likely to move price immediately). Seeking Alpha: Earnings call transcript
• Negative Sentiment: FY2026 guidance short of consensus — Company set FY26 EPS at $1.40–$1.46 vs ~$1.48 consensus, prompting near‑term selling despite the quarter beat. Investing.com: Beat but weak outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressures — Tariff cost impacts and a softer wholesale channel were cited as headwinds to near‑term margins, limiting upside to profit despite revenue growth. Proactive: Tariff, wholesale headwinds
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling — SVP David Jedrzejek sold ~7,093 shares (~6.7% reduction of his holding), a modest negative signal for some investors. SEC Form 4: Jedrzejek sale

About Levi Strauss & Co.

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.