Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Major Shareholder Sells $139,968.00 in Stock

Key Points

• Major shareholder Robert Haas sold 5,832 shares of Levi Strauss stock at an average price of $24.00, for a total of $139,968. The transaction was disclosed in an SEC filing and was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan.
• Levi Strauss reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results, posting EPS of $0.42 versus the $0.37 consensus estimate and revenue of $1.74 billion versus $1.65 billion expected. Revenue rose 14.1% year over year.
• The company also paid a quarterly dividend of $0.14 per share, equal to an annualized yield of about 2.3%. Wall Street remains generally positive, with an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a price target of $26.79.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI - Get Free Report) major shareholder Robert Haas sold 5,832 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.00, for a total transaction of $139,968.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Major shareholders that own at least 10% of a company's shares are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.

Levi Strauss & Co. Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE LEVI traded up $0.52 during trading on Thursday, reaching $23.90. 772,810 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,702,766. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.19 billion, a PE ratio of 15.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 1.35. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $21.09 and a 200-day simple moving average of $21.14. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 52-week low of $16.50 and a 52-week high of $24.82.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 7th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.65 billion. Levi Strauss & Co. had a net margin of 9.52% and a return on equity of 25.35%. The firm's revenue was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.38 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 22nd were issued a $0.14 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, April 22nd. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Levi Strauss & Co.'s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.67%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently issued reports on LEVI. Raymond James Financial reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $25.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Monday, May 4th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $27.00 price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $27.00 price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $28.00 price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, 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. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Levi Strauss & Co. currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $26.79.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. US Bancorp DE lifted its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 260.5% during the third quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 1,121 shares of the blue-jean maker's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 810 shares in the last quarter. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new position in Levi Strauss & Co. during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 140.7% during the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,425 shares of the blue-jean maker's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 833 shares in the last quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 133.5% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 3,286 shares of the blue-jean maker's stock valued at $51,000 after buying an additional 1,879 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.14% of the company's stock.

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.

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