Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Stock Breaks Above 200-Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Levi Strauss shares rose above their 200-day moving average, reaching $21.92 and last trading at $21.88, compared with a 200-day average of $21.68.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive, with 11 Buy ratings and three Holds; the consensus is “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $26.92, despite several firms recently lowering their targets.
• The company exceeded quarterly EPS expectations ($0.48 versus $0.36) while reporting $1.61 billion in revenue, and announced a quarterly dividend of $0.16, equivalent to a 2.9% annualized yield.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI - Get Free Report) shares passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Monday. The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $21.68 and traded as high as $21.92. Levi Strauss & Co. shares last traded at $21.88, with a volume of 3,453,392 shares traded.

Analyst Ratings Changes

LEVI has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $27.00 to $25.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 1st. Needham & Company LLC restated a "buy" rating and issued a $28.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $25.00 to $22.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, September 30th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $25.00 to $20.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Finally, Bank of America cut their price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $27.00 to $25.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Levi Strauss & Co. has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $26.92.

Levi Strauss & Co. Stock Up 3.5%

The firm has a market cap of $8.39 billion, a PE ratio of 14.59, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.63. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $20.44 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $21.68.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 7th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.36 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $1.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.62 billion. Levi Strauss & Co. had a net margin of 8.83% and a return on equity of 27.40%. The company's revenue was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.34 EPS. Levi Strauss & Co. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.540-1.560 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.56 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 4th. Investors of record on Wednesday, October 21st will be paid a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 21st. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.9%. Levi Strauss & Co.'s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 42.67%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Fund 1 Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $3,318,000. Engineers Gate Manager LP increased its stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 74.3% during the second quarter. Engineers Gate Manager LP now owns 811,600 shares of the blue-jean maker's stock valued at $20,152,000 after buying an additional 345,855 shares during the period. Jones Financial Companies Lllp increased its stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 42.8% during the second quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 180,423 shares of the blue-jean maker's stock valued at $4,428,000 after buying an additional 54,107 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC bought a new position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,887,000. Finally, Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. during the second quarter valued at approximately $2,203,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.14% of the company's stock.

Levi Strauss & Co. Company Profile

Levi Strauss & Co NYSE: LEVI is an apparel company best known for its Levi's brand of denim jeans and casualwear. Founded in 1853 by Levi Strauss, the company has developed a broad portfolio of apparel, accessories and footwear designed for consumers worldwide.

The company's brands include Levi's, Dockers, Beyond Yoga and Signature by Levi Strauss & Co Its products are sold through company-operated and franchised stores, e-commerce platforms, department stores, specialty retailers and other wholesale channels.

Levi Strauss & Co serves customers across the Americas, Europe and Asia, with operations spanning product design, marketing, distribution and retail.

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