Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) Receives $154.41 Average PT from Analysts

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) has earned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the eighteen ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, eleven have assigned a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $154.41.

WSM has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $140.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Loop Capital upped their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $145.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Williams-Sonoma from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $148.00 to $156.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 11th. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $140.00 to $134.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $136.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 19th.

Insider Buying and Selling at Williams-Sonoma

In related news, CEO Laura Alber sold 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.27, for a total transaction of $5,810,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,030,956 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $149,766,978.12. This represents a 3.73 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 3,160 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $177.39, for a total transaction of $560,552.40. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 46,388 shares in the company, valued at $8,228,767.32. This trade represents a 6.38 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 83,160 shares of company stock valued at $11,590,952. Corporate insiders own 1.50% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Williams-Sonoma

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 186.0% in the third quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 7,536 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $1,167,000 after purchasing an additional 4,901 shares in the last quarter. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in Williams-Sonoma by 97.1% in the 3rd quarter. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 6,167 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $955,000 after buying an additional 3,038 shares during the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 27.2% in the 3rd quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 38,512 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $5,966,000 after acquiring an additional 8,237 shares in the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. boosted its position in Williams-Sonoma by 118.7% during the 3rd quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 2,110,320 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $326,931,000 after acquiring an additional 1,145,410 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cerity Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 67.4% during the 3rd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 29,959 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $4,641,000 after acquiring an additional 12,061 shares in the last quarter. 99.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Williams-Sonoma Price Performance

Williams-Sonoma stock opened at $188.82 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $23.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.33, a P/E/G ratio of 2.85 and a beta of 1.81. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $149.33 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $146.38. Williams-Sonoma has a 52-week low of $94.63 and a 52-week high of $190.08.

Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 22nd. Investors of record on Friday, October 18th were issued a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.21%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 18th. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio is currently 26.97%.

About Williams-Sonoma

Williams-Sonoma, Inc operates as an omni-channel specialty retailer of various products for home. It offers cooking, dining, and entertaining products, such as cookware, tools, electrics, cutlery, tabletop and bar, outdoor, furniture, and a library of cookbooks under the Williams Sonoma Home brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma lifestyle brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand.