153,046 Shares in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. $WSM Purchased by Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super

Key Points

• Aware Super purchased 153,046 Williams-Sonoma shares worth approximately $34.9 million in the third quarter, giving it a 0.13% stake. Institutional investors collectively own 99.29% of the company.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $247.89; recent targets ranged as high as $261.
• Williams-Sonoma reported quarterly revenue of $1.96 billion and EPS of $2.10, exceeding estimates, while declaring a quarterly dividend of $0.76 per share, equivalent to a 1.2% yield.

Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super purchased a new stake in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM - Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 153,046 shares of the specialty retailer's stock, valued at approximately $34,885,000. Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super owned about 0.13% of Williams-Sonoma at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Little House Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the first quarter worth approximately $801,000. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in Williams-Sonoma by 313.2% in the 2nd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 49,821 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $11,613,000 after buying an additional 37,764 shares during the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC increased its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 12.1% in the 2nd quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 302,105 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $70,540,000 after buying an additional 32,644 shares during the period. Raiffeisen Bank International AG increased its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 319.2% in the 2nd quarter. Raiffeisen Bank International AG now owns 6,673 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $1,603,000 after buying an additional 5,081 shares during the period. Finally, Maven Securities LTD acquired a new position in Williams-Sonoma in the 2nd quarter valued at $6,003,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.29% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently commented on WSM. UBS Group restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research note on Monday, October 12th. Guggenheim reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research note on Thursday, August 27th. Argus increased their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $230.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Evercore set a $255.00 price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a report on Tuesday, October 20th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $261.00 price objective (up from $230.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $247.89.

Insider Transactions at Williams-Sonoma

In related news, CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 3,045 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $220.61, for a total value of $671,757.45. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 34,138 shares in the company, valued at $7,531,184.18. The trade was a 8.19% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Karalyn Yearout sold 522 shares of the 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 19,673 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,708,929.28. The trade was a 2.58% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 39,883 shares of company stock worth $8,867,518. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the company's stock.

Williams-Sonoma Stock Up 2.7%

Shares of WSM opened at $259.42 on Tuesday. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 52-week low of $165.51 and a 52-week high of $263.65. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $236.84 and a 200-day simple moving average of $215.01. The company has a market capitalization of $30.55 billion, a PE ratio of 27.69, a P/E/G ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 1.48.

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 26th. The specialty retailer reported $2.10 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 firm had revenue of $1.96 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.93 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.00 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 9.50 EPS for the current year.

Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.76 per share. 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 payout ratio is 31.12%.

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.

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