Insider Selling: Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Major Shareholder Sells $3,497,344.62 in Stock

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) major shareholder E. Haas Jr. Family Fund Peter sold 145,662 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.01, for a total transaction of $3,497,344.62. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 145,662 shares in the company, valued at $3,497,344.62. This represents a 50.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Large shareholders that own 10% or more of a company’s stock are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.

E. Haas Jr. Family Fund Peter also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Wednesday, May 27th, E. Haas Jr. Family Fund Peter sold 4,338 shares of Levi Strauss & Co. stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.00, for a total transaction of $104,112.00.

Levi Strauss & Co. Price Performance

Levi Strauss & Co. stock opened at $24.02 on Monday. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 12-month low of $16.50 and a 12-month high of $24.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 1.34. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $22.23 and its two-hundred day moving average is $21.34. 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. (NYSE:LEVI) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 7th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.05. Levi Strauss & Co. had a net margin of 9.52% and a return on equity of 25.35%. The company had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.65 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.38 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd were paid a dividend of $0.14 per share. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, April 22nd. Levi Strauss & Co.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 35.67%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

LEVI has been the topic of several research analyst reports. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $27.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $27.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. UBS Group raised 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. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $26.79.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new position in Levi Strauss & Co. in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. US Bancorp DE raised its stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 260.5% during the third quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 1,121 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 810 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its stake in shares of 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 valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 833 shares during the period. Kestra Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its stake in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 1,879 shares during the period. 69.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.