Stonebridge Capital Management Inc. Takes $3.27 Million Position in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. $WSM

Stonebridge Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 14,040 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $3,273,000. Williams-Sonoma accounts for about 1.6% of Stonebridge Capital Management Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest position.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WSM. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp grew its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 51.5% in the fourth quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp now owns 147 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the period. MidFirst Bank acquired a new stake in Williams-Sonoma in the fourth quarter worth $30,000. Ballast Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Williams-Sonoma in the first quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Millstone Evans Group LLC increased its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 229.4% in the first quarter. Millstone Evans Group LLC now owns 168 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. 99.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting Williams-Sonoma

Here are the key news stories impacting Williams-Sonoma this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Williams-Sonoma exceeded expectations with adjusted EPS of $2.10 versus the approximately $2.05 consensus, while revenue rose 6.7% year over year to $1.96 billion. Comparable brand revenue increased 6.2%, with every brand reportedly posting positive comparable sales. Williams-Sonoma beats Q2 estimates, raises fiscal 2026 outlook
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised fiscal 2026 guidance, calling for revenue of $8.2 billion to $8.4 billion, comparable-brand revenue growth of 4.0% to 6.5%, and a non-GAAP operating margin of 17.8% to 18.2%. The higher outlook was described as operational rather than dependent on a tariff refund, which supports investor confidence in the underlying business. Williams-Sonoma Says Outlook Hike Is Operational
• Positive Sentiment: Strong cash generation and balance-sheet liquidity add support to the investment case: operating cash flow reached $695.9 million through the first half, while cash and equivalents totaled $1.03 billion. Analysts have maintained generally favorable views, with the stock receiving an average “Moderate Buy” rating and some price-target increases.
• Neutral Sentiment: Barclays retained a Hold rating, reflecting caution about the housing market and the sustainability of consumer demand for discretionary home goods despite the earnings beat and raised guidance. Barclays Sticks to Their Hold Rating for Williams-Sonoma
• Negative Sentiment: Tariffs pressured adjusted margins, creating a key offset to the sales and earnings strength. Investors may remain concerned that higher import costs could limit future margin expansion, which helps explain why the stock’s reaction has been more measured than the headline beat might suggest. Williams-Sonoma Grew Comps 6.2% and Raised Full-Year Guidance

Williams-Sonoma Trading Up 1.3%

Shares of NYSE:WSM opened at $237.88 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $28.01 billion, a PE ratio of 26.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.50. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $233.11 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $208.18. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 1-year low of $165.51 and a 1-year high of $254.89.

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, August 26th. The specialty retailer reported $2.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.08 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $1.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.93 billion. Williams-Sonoma had a net margin of 13.81% and a return on equity of 53.29%. The business’s revenue was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.00 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 9.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 17th were paid a $0.76 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 17th. This represents a $3.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 34.04%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently commented on WSM shares. Barclays set a $190.00 target price on Williams-Sonoma and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. KeyCorp raised their price objective on Williams-Sonoma from $230.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Weiss Ratings lowered Williams-Sonoma from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Bank of America reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $261.00 price target (up from $250.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Monday. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $192.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, August 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $236.26.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Karalyn Yearout sold 1,112 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $228.49, for a total value of $254,080.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 21,717 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,962,117.33. This represents a 4.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 3,156 shares of company stock valued at $738,699 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Williams-Sonoma Profile

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.