Insider Selling: Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Major Shareholder Sells $1,145,781.21 in Stock

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) major shareholder Margaret Haas sold 47,721 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.01, for a total transaction of $1,145,781.21. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, 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 at least 10% of a company’s stock are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.

Levi Strauss & Co. Stock Up 0.0%

NYSE:LEVI opened at $24.02 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.58. The company has a market capitalization of $9.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 1.34. Levi Strauss & Co. has a one year low of $16.50 and a one year high of $24.82. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $22.23 and a 200 day simple moving average of $21.34.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 7th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.65 billion. Levi Strauss & Co. had a return on equity of 25.35% and a net margin of 9.52%.Levi Strauss & Co.’s revenue for the quarter was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.38 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 22nd were given 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 is currently 35.67%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Wells Fargo & Company MN grew its position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 0.4% during the fourth quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 132,304 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $2,744,000 after acquiring an additional 465 shares during the last quarter. Figure 8 Investment Strategies LLC lifted its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Figure 8 Investment Strategies LLC now owns 50,939 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $1,056,000 after purchasing an additional 583 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its stake in Levi Strauss & Co. by 10.3% during the 3rd quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 6,553 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $151,000 after purchasing an additional 614 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 26,732 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $575,000 after purchasing an additional 638 shares during the last quarter. Finally, US Bancorp DE grew its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 260.5% in the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 1,121 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 810 shares during the last quarter. 69.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have commented on LEVI. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $27.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 11th. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $27.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price 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.