Robert Haas Sells 192,451 Shares of Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Stock

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) major shareholder Robert Haas sold 192,451 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.68, for a total value of $4,364,788.68. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Large shareholders that own more than 10% of a company’s shares are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.

Levi Strauss & Co. Trading Down 2.0%

Shares of Levi Strauss & Co. stock opened at $23.24 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $8.94 billion, a PE ratio of 14.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.35. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 1 year low of $16.50 and a 1 year high of $24.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 0.97. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $21.28 and a 200-day moving average price of $21.17.

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

Levi Strauss & Co. Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 22nd were paid a $0.14 dividend. The ex-dividend date 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 presently 35.67%.

Institutional Trading of Levi Strauss & Co.

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 181.6% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 151,645 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $2,364,000 after purchasing an additional 97,800 shares during the period. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in the first quarter worth $224,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its stake in Levi Strauss & Co. by 133.5% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 3,286 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $51,000 after buying an additional 1,879 shares during the period. Caxton Associates LLP bought a new stake in Levi Strauss & Co. during the first quarter valued at $241,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 3.4% during the first 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 buying an additional 52,332 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 69.14% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Levi Strauss & Co.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to rate Levi Strauss as a “Moderate Buy”, suggesting Wall Street still sees upside potential, with a consensus target price above the current share price. Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts
• Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary highlighted Levi Strauss’ direct-to-consumer growth as a key driver of revenue expansion, reinforcing the company’s fundamental momentum. Levi Strauss Gains as DTC Continues to Fuel Revenue Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Levi Strauss recently reported better-than-expected quarterly results, with earnings and revenue both topping estimates, which continues to support the stock’s longer-term valuation.
• Negative Sentiment: Major shareholder Robert D. Haas sold 192,451 shares in a pre-arranged transaction, a sizable insider sale that can dampen investor sentiment. SEC filing for Robert D. Haas sale
• Negative Sentiment: Additional insider selling by Peter Haas Jr. Family Fund and Margaret E. Haas added to concerns about insider confidence, even though the trades were made under 10b5-1 plans. SEC filing for Peter Haas Jr. Family Fund sale SEC filing for Margaret E. Haas sale

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have issued reports on LEVI. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Wednesday. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $27.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Needham & Company LLC restated a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $25.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Monday, May 4th. Finally, UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Thirteen 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 stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $26.79.

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.