Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Major Shareholder Sells $54,718.79 in Stock

Key Points

• Major shareholder Margaret Haas sold 2,279 Levi Strauss shares on May 27 at an average price of $24.01, totaling about $54,719. The transaction was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan.
• Levi Strauss shares were up 1.3% in Thursday trading to $23.69, near the stock’s 52-week high of $24.82. The company currently has a market value of about $9.11 billion.
• The company recently posted better-than-expected quarterly results, with EPS of $0.42 and revenue of $1.74 billion, while revenue rose 14.1% year over year. Levi also paid a quarterly dividend of $0.14 per share, annualizing to a 2.4% yield.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI - Get Free Report) major shareholder Margaret Haas sold 2,279 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.01, for a total value of $54,718.79. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 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 sales and purchases with the SEC.

Levi Strauss & Co. Stock Up 1.3%

Shares of NYSE LEVI traded up $0.31 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $23.69. The company had a trading volume of 1,965,915 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,715,071. The company has a market capitalization of $9.11 billion, a PE ratio of 15.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 0.97. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 1-year low of $16.50 and a 1-year high of $24.82. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $21.09 and its 200 day simple moving average is $21.14.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI - Get Free Report) 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 business 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%.The company's revenue for the quarter was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.38 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced 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 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. Levi Strauss & Co.'s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 35.67%.

Key Levi Strauss & Co. News

Here are the key news stories impacting Levi Strauss & Co. this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Levi Strauss & Co. as a generally favorable name, with the stock carrying a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average target price above recent trading levels. Levi Strauss & Co. NYSE: LEVI Given Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s latest earnings beat expectations, with revenue and EPS both topping estimates and revenue rising 14.1% year over year, reinforcing the view that Levi’s direct-to-consumer growth is helping results. Levi Strauss Gains as DTC Continues to Fuel Revenue Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary focused on valuation after a rally, noting that LEVI has traded above some fair-value estimates, which may limit near-term upside even if the business remains healthy. A Look at Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI) After 4.6% Gain
• Negative Sentiment: Major shareholder Robert D. Haas disclosed several stock sales, including a large block sale, which can weigh on sentiment because insider selling sometimes signals limited conviction near current prices, even though the trades were made under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

LEVI has been the topic of several analyst reports. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $28.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday. UBS Group raised their target price 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. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $25.00 target price on the stock. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $28.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $27.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $26.79.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

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

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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