UBS Group Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Stock

Key Points

• UBS raised its price target on Levi Strauss from $33 to $34 and kept a buy rating, implying roughly a 55.8% upside from the current share price, while the consensus across analysts is a "Moderate Buy" with an average target of $26.77.
• Levi beat Q1 expectations—$0.42 EPS vs. $0.37 and $1.74B revenue vs. $1.65B—then raised guidance and announced dividends plus a $200M accelerated share repurchase, driving a ~10.7% stock jump and several analyst upgrades.
• Management cautioned the outlook assumes no major worsening from inflation, tariffs or currency moves, and noted about half of recent sales gains were price-driven, which could threaten the durability of growth.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI - Get Free Report) had its price objective hoisted by equities research analysts at UBS Group from $33.00 to $34.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "buy" rating on the blue-jean maker's stock. UBS Group's price target would indicate a potential upside of 55.78% from the stock's current price.

A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on LEVI. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, January 31st. Weiss Ratings raised Levi Strauss & Co. from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. They set a "buy" rating and a $25.00 price target for the company. BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $27.00 price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $27.00 price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Twelve 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, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $26.77.

Levi Strauss & Co. Stock Up 10.7%

NYSE LEVI traded up $2.12 on Wednesday, reaching $21.83. The company had a trading volume of 11,524,966 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,618,060. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 1.55. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 1-year low of $12.17 and a 1-year high of $24.82. The company's fifty day moving average is $20.06 and its 200-day moving average is $21.08.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 7th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $1.74 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.65 billion. Levi Strauss & Co. had a net margin of 9.20% and a return on equity of 25.08%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.38 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Levi Strauss & Co.

In other news, EVP Jason Gowans sold 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.83, for a total transaction of $873,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 92,199 shares in the company, valued at $2,012,704.17. This represents a 30.26% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, SVP David Jedrzejek sold 7,093 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.38, for a total transaction of $151,648.34. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 98,193 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,099,366.34. This represents a 6.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 49,341 shares of company stock valued at $1,068,909. Company insiders own 1.08% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. US Bancorp DE boosted its holdings in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 260.5% in the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 1,121 shares of the blue-jean maker's stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 810 shares during the last quarter. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in Levi Strauss & Co. by 140.7% in the 2nd 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 during the last quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in Levi Strauss & Co. in the 4th quarter valued at about $39,000. Finally, Hara Capital LLC lifted its stake in Levi Strauss & Co. by 8,080.0% in the 2nd quarter. Hara Capital LLC now owns 2,045 shares of the blue-jean maker's stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 2,020 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.14% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Levi Strauss & Co.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and raised guidance — Levi posted $1.74B in revenue and $0.42 EPS (above estimates) and lifted FY revenue and EPS targets, a primary driver of the rally. Business Wire: Q1 Results
• Positive Sentiment: DTC and category expansion fueling growth — DTC (including e‑commerce) gained share and non‑denim lines (e.g., Beyond Yoga) grew strongly, supporting margin upside and the company’s “DTC‑first” thesis. MarketBeat: DTC Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns accelerated — Q1 included dividends and a $200M accelerated share repurchase program, signaling capital‑return discipline that supports EPS per share. MarketBeat: Buybacks & Dividends
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and higher price targets — Multiple brokers reiterated Buy ratings and raised targets after the print, adding buying momentum. TipRanks: Analyst Coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Pop‑culture tailwind — A featured appearance of Levi 517s in a recent TV series boosted demand for a core style, a positive but potentially short‑lived demand tail. Invezz: Carolyn Bessette Boost
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusual options activity — Elevated call buying suggests speculative bullish interest; this can amplify moves but increases short‑term volatility. (Market options data)
• Neutral Sentiment: Executive transition announced — Longtime CFGO Harmit Singh will retire after a planned transition; management says a search is underway and he’ll remain through a handoff. Business Wire: CFO Retirement
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff and macro risks remain — Management raised guidance but cautioned it assumes no material worsening from inflation, tariffs or currency swings; roughly half of recent sales gains reflected price increases, a durability risk. CNBC: Tariffs and Price Impact

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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