Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) Stock Price Expected to Rise, UBS Group Analyst Says

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) had its target price upped by research analysts at UBS Group from $247.00 to $265.00 in a report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “neutral” rating on the specialty retailer’s stock. UBS Group‘s price target suggests a potential upside of 4.78% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other research firms have also weighed in on WSM. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a report on Monday, August 10th. Citigroup boosted their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $252.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, November 6th. KeyCorp restated an “overweight” rating and set a $270.00 price target (up from $250.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a report on Thursday, August 27th. Finally, Bank of America reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $261.00 price target (up from $250.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Monday, August 24th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $250.17.

Williams-Sonoma Trading Down 3.5%

WSM traded down $9.18 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $252.91. 52,588 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,131,192. Williams-Sonoma has a 12-month low of $165.51 and a 12-month high of $274.45. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $240.57 and a 200 day moving average of $216.79. The firm has a market cap of $29.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 1.49.

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, August 26th. The specialty retailer reported $2.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.08 by $0.02. Williams-Sonoma had a net margin of 14.73% and a return on equity of 53.48%. The company had revenue of $1.96 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.93 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.00 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Williams-Sonoma will post 9.50 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Anne A. Finucane sold 794 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.14, for a total value of $200,199.16. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 9,404 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,371,124.56. This represents a 7.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Karalyn Yearout sold 522 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $239.36, for a total value of $124,945.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 19,673 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,708,929.28. This trade represents a 2.58% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 39,361 shares of company stock worth $8,738,903 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Williams-Sonoma

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WSM. State Street Corp raised its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 5,945,408 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $1,355,196,000 after acquiring an additional 38,623 shares in the last quarter. TIAA CREF Individual & Institutional Services LLC lifted its position in Williams-Sonoma by 3.9% in the third quarter. TIAA CREF Individual & Institutional Services LLC now owns 1,645 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $375,000 after acquiring an additional 62 shares during the last quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Williams-Sonoma in the third quarter valued at $34,703,000. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. purchased a new stake in Williams-Sonoma in the third quarter valued at $984,000. Finally, Private Wealth Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 40.1% in the third quarter. Private Wealth Asset Management LLC now owns 2,088 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $476,000 after acquiring an additional 598 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.29% of the company’s stock.

About Williams-Sonoma

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a specialty retailer focused on home furnishings, kitchenware and related products. Its portfolio includes Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and Teen, West Elm, Rejuvenation, and Mark and Graham, with offerings ranging from cookware and furniture to lighting, textiles, décor and gifts. Founded in 1956 by Chuck Williams as a cookware shop in Sonoma, California, the company has grown into a multichannel retailer. It sells through its websites and retail stores, serving customers in North America and select international markets.