MML Investors Services LLC Buys 2,018 Shares of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM)

MML Investors Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) by 48.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,189 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,018 shares during the quarter. MML Investors Services LLC’s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $959,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Quest Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the 2nd quarter worth $26,000. Crewe Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Williams-Sonoma during the second quarter worth about $29,000. Smithfield Trust Co lifted its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% during the third quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 160 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Cassady Schiller Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Cassady Schiller Wealth Management LLC now owns 166 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new position in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.29% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WSM has been the subject of several research reports. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $140.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Wedbush upped their price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $135.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. TD Cowen lifted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $165.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $116.00 to $123.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on Williams-Sonoma from $194.00 to $226.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $158.78.

Williams-Sonoma Trading Down 3.5 %

Shares of NYSE WSM opened at $179.59 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $156.63 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $149.24. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 12 month low of $95.76 and a 12 month high of $199.41. The firm has a market capitalization of $22.11 billion, a PE ratio of 21.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 1.81.

Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 21st. Investors of record on Friday, January 17th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.27%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 17th. Williams-Sonoma’s payout ratio is currently 26.98%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 3,160 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $177.39, for a total value of $560,552.40. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 46,388 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,228,767.32. This represents a 6.38 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Laura Alber sold 40,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.49, for a total value of $5,219,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 990,956 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $129,309,848.44. This represents a 3.88 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.50% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.