Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) EVP Sells 522 Shares of Stock

Key Points

• Williams-Sonoma EVP Karalyn Yearout sold 522 shares at an average price of $246.39, generating $128,615.58. The transaction occurred under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, leaving her with 20,195 shares.
• Williams-Sonoma shares recently traded near their 52-week high at $251.05, while the company’s latest quarterly results exceeded expectations with earnings of $1.93 per share and revenue of $1.81 billion.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.76 per share, equivalent to an annualized $3.04 payout and a 1.2% yield. Analysts maintain a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating, with an average price target of $217.82.

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM - Get Free Report) EVP Karalyn Yearout sold 522 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.39, for a total value of $128,615.58. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 20,195 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,975,846.05. This trade represents a 2.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Karalyn Yearout also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Tuesday, August 4th, Karalyn Yearout sold 1,000 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $250,000.00.
• On Monday, June 15th, Karalyn Yearout sold 1,112 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $228.49, for a total value of $254,080.88.
• On Monday, June 8th, Karalyn Yearout sold 522 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.07, for a total value of $106,002.54.

Williams-Sonoma Stock Performance

Shares of Williams-Sonoma stock traded down $0.73 on Monday, reaching $251.05. 941,522 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,154,041. The company has a market capitalization of $29.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 1.50. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 52 week low of $165.51 and a 52 week high of $252.99. The firm's 50-day moving average is $225.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is $205.26.

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 21st. The specialty retailer reported $1.93 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.80 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $1.81 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.80 billion. Williams-Sonoma had a net margin of 13.81% and a return on equity of 53.29%. Williams-Sonoma's revenue for the quarter was up 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.85 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 9.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 21st. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 17th will be issued a dividend of $0.76 per share. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 17th. Williams-Sonoma's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 34.04%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WSM has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $225.00 price target (up from $220.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a report on Friday, May 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Williams-Sonoma from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $185.00 to $218.00 in a report on Monday, April 13th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Williams-Sonoma from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Bank of America began coverage on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Friday, June 12th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $250.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $190.00 target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Williams-Sonoma presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $217.82.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Williams-Sonoma

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 22.4% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 6,742 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $1,248,000 after purchasing an additional 1,236 shares during the period. Bison Wealth LLC bought a new position in Williams-Sonoma in the 4th quarter worth approximately $227,000. Woodline Partners LP purchased a new position in Williams-Sonoma in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $1,644,000. Guggenheim Capital LLC raised its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 9.0% during the 2nd quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 4,153 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $678,000 after acquiring an additional 342 shares during the period. Finally, Brown Advisory Inc. raised its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 5.9% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 4,631 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $757,000 after acquiring an additional 260 shares during the period. 99.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Williams-Sonoma

Williams‑Sonoma, Inc is a specialty retailer focused on the home and culinary markets, best known for premium cookware, kitchen tools and home furnishings. The company traces its roots to a single cookware store founded by Chuck Williams in 1956 in Sonoma, California, and has evolved into a multi‑brand home furnishings and housewares business. Its merchandise mix spans cookware and kitchen electrics, tabletop and food prep items, furniture, bedding, lighting and decorative accessories designed for both everyday use and higher‑end interiors.

The company operates a portfolio of consumer brands that target distinct segments of the home market.

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