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

Key Points

• UBS Group raised its Williams-Sonoma price target from $247 to $265 but kept a neutral rating, implying about 4.8% upside from the stock’s then-current price.
• Analyst sentiment is more positive overall: MarketBeat reported a “Moderate Buy” consensus, with 10 Buy and 8 Hold ratings and an average target of $250.17.
• Williams-Sonoma’s latest reported quarterly results topped estimates, with EPS of $2.10 versus $2.08 expected and revenue of $1.96 billion, up 6.7% year over year.

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM - Get Free Report) had its price objective lifted by stock analysts at UBS Group from $247.00 to $265.00 in a report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a "neutral" rating on the specialty retailer's stock. UBS Group's price objective points to a potential upside of 4.78% from the stock's current price.

WSM has been the subject of a number of other reports. TD Cowen restated a "buy" rating on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Monday, August 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $261.00 price objective (up from $230.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Argus upped their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $230.00 to $250.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Seaport Research Partners reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research note on Friday, August 14th. Finally, Citigroup raised 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. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $250.17.

Williams-Sonoma Price Performance

WSM stock traded down $9.18 during trading on Thursday, hitting $252.91. The stock had a trading volume of 52,588 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,131,192. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.95, a PEG ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 1.49. The company's 50-day moving average price is $240.57 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $216.79. Williams-Sonoma has a twelve month low of $165.51 and a twelve month high of $274.45.

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly 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. The firm had revenue of $1.96 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.93 billion. Williams-Sonoma had a return on equity of 53.48% and a net margin of 14.73%. The business's revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.00 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Williams-Sonoma will post 9.50 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Laura Alber sold 35,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $221.20, for a total value of $7,742,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 853,524 shares in the company, valued at approximately $188,799,508.80. The trade was a 3.94% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 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 dated Friday, October 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $239.36, for a total transaction of $124,945.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 19,673 shares in the company, valued at $4,708,929.28. The trade was a 2.58% 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 a total of 39,361 shares of company stock valued at $8,738,903 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.10% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Williams-Sonoma

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

Williams-Sonoma Company Profile

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.

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