Williams-Sonoma, Inc. $WSM Stake Boosted by Vise Technologies Inc.

Vise Technologies Inc. boosted its stake in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) by 47.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,786 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,165 shares during the quarter. Vise Technologies Inc.’s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $2,231,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Canopy Partners LLC grew its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. Canopy Partners LLC now owns 2,064 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $470,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC grew its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 3.9% during the 3rd quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC now owns 1,111 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $253,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the period. Focused Alpha LLC raised its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 2.0% in the third quarter. Focused Alpha LLC now owns 2,840 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $647,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. increased its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 6,447 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $1,470,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mediolanum International Funds Ltd increased its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 0.6% during the first quarter. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd now owns 11,262 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $1,992,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. 99.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Williams-Sonoma Trading Down 4.2%

Shares of NYSE WSM opened at $258.63 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $238.26 and its 200-day moving average price is $215.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $30.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.47, a P/E/G ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.49. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 12-month low of $165.51 and a 12-month high of $274.45.

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

Williams-Sonoma Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 16th will be paid a $0.76 dividend. This represents a $3.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 16th. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.12%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $190.00 to $240.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $210.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, August 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $261.00 price objective (up from $230.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a report on Monday, October 12th. Finally, Bank of America restated a “buy” rating and set a $261.00 price target (up from $250.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a 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’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $247.89.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 3,045 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.61, for a total value of $671,757.45. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 34,138 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,531,184.18. The trade was a 8.19% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed 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. Also, Director Anne A. Finucane sold 794 shares of Williams-Sonoma 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 owned 9,404 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,371,124.56. This trade represents a 7.79% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 39,361 shares of company stock valued at $8,738,903 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

About Williams-Sonoma

Williams-Sonoma, Inc is a specialty retailer focused on home furnishings, décor, kitchenware and related products. The company operates a portfolio of lifestyle brands, including Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, West Elm, Pottery Barn Kids, Rejuvenation and Mark & Graham.

Its products include cookware, tableware, appliances, furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, home accessories, gifts and personalized merchandise. Williams-Sonoma reaches customers through e-commerce websites, retail stores, catalogs and trade and contract sales, serving both individual consumers and professional customers such as interior designers and hospitality businesses.

Founded in 1956 by Chuck Williams, the company began as a retailer specializing in high-quality French cookware before expanding into a broader home-focused portfolio.