Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Major Shareholder Robert Haas Sells 192,451 Shares

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) major shareholder Robert Haas sold 192,451 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.68, for a total value of $4,364,788.68. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 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 Levi Strauss & Co. stock opened at $23.69 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $21.19 and a 200 day moving average of $21.16. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 12 month low of $16.50 and a 12 month high of $24.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.77 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. (NYSE:LEVI) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 7th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.42 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.05. Levi Strauss & Co. had a return on equity of 25.35% and a net margin of 9.52%.The company had revenue of $1.74 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.65 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.38 EPS. Levi Strauss & Co.’s revenue for the quarter was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast 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 dividend of $0.14 per share. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, April 22nd. Levi Strauss & Co.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 35.67%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently commented on LEVI shares. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Raymond James Financial reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $25.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Monday, May 4th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Levi Strauss & Co. from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, April 11th. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $26.79.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of LEVI. Wells Fargo & Company MN increased its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 132,304 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $2,744,000 after purchasing an additional 465 shares in the last quarter. Figure 8 Investment Strategies LLC increased its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. Figure 8 Investment Strategies LLC now owns 50,939 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $1,056,000 after purchasing an additional 583 shares in the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp increased its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 10.3% during the 3rd quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 6,553 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $151,000 after purchasing an additional 614 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 2.4% during the 4th quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 26,732 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $575,000 after purchasing an additional 638 shares in the last quarter. Finally, US Bancorp DE increased its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 260.5% during the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 1,121 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 810 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.14% of the company’s stock.

Levi Strauss & Co. News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Levi Strauss as a “Moderate Buy”, which suggests Wall Street still sees upside in the company despite the recent insider selling. Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: An article highlighted analyst commentary on Levi Strauss alongside other consumer cyclical stocks, but it did not appear to include any major new company-specific operational update. Analysts Offer Insights on Consumer Cyclical Companies: Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI), Toll Brothers (TOL) and Five Below (FIVE)
• Negative Sentiment: Major shareholder Robert D. Haas sold 192,451 shares in a pre-arranged transaction, a large insider disposition that can pressure sentiment even if it was planned. SEC filing for Robert D. Haas sale
• Negative Sentiment: Robert D. Haas also sold an additional 5,832 shares at $24.00, reinforcing the impression of insider selling near recent highs. SEC filing for Robert D. Haas sale
• Negative Sentiment: Peter Haas Jr. Family Fund sold 4,338 shares in another 10b5-1 transaction, while Margaret E. Haas sold 2,279 shares, adding to the cluster of insider sales. SEC filing for Peter Haas Jr. Family Fund sale SEC filing for Margaret E. Haas sale

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.