Robert Haas Sells 31,000 Shares of Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Stock

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) major shareholder Robert Haas sold 31,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.00, for a total value of $682,000.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Major shareholders that own more than 10% of a company’s shares are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.

Levi Strauss & Co. Price Performance

Shares of NYSE LEVI opened at $23.40 on Thursday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $21.09 and its two-hundred day moving average is $21.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 0.97. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 1-year low of $16.50 and a 1-year high of $24.82. The company has a market cap of $9.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 1.35.

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 the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.05. Levi Strauss & Co. had a return on equity of 25.35% and a net margin of 9.52%.The company had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.65 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.38 EPS. Levi Strauss & Co.’s revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd were issued a dividend of $0.14 per share. 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 35.67%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. They set a “buy” rating and a $25.00 price target on the stock. Needham & Company LLC restated a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $27.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on Levi Strauss & Co. from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $26.79.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. US Bancorp DE grew its stake in Levi Strauss & Co. by 260.5% during the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 1,121 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 810 shares during the last quarter. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new position in Levi Strauss & Co. during the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 140.7% during the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,425 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 833 shares during the period. Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in Levi Strauss & Co. during the fourth quarter worth approximately $39,000. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its position 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 worth $51,000 after buying an additional 1,879 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.14% of the company’s stock.

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.