Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Given “Buy” Rating at BTIG Research

BTIG Research reiterated their buy rating on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $27.00 price target on the blue-jean maker’s stock.

Several other research analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, January 31st. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $27.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. They set a “buy” rating and a $25.00 price objective on the stock. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $26.77.

Levi Strauss & Co. Stock Up 10.7%

Levi Strauss & Co. stock opened at $21.83 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 12-month low of $12.17 and a 12-month high of $24.82. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $20.09 and its 200 day moving average is $21.09. The company has a market capitalization of $8.52 billion, a PE ratio of 14.95, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 1.34.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 7th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.05. Levi Strauss & Co. had a net margin of 9.20% and a return on equity of 25.08%. The company had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.65 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.38 EPS. Levi Strauss & Co.’s quarterly revenue was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.27 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be issued a dividend of $0.14 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 22nd. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. Levi Strauss & Co.’s dividend payout ratio is presently 38.36%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Levi Strauss & Co.

In other news, EVP Jason Gowans sold 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.83, for a total value of $873,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 92,199 shares in the company, valued at $2,012,704.17. This represents a 30.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP David Jedrzejek sold 7,093 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.38, for a total transaction of $151,648.34. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 98,193 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,099,366.34. This represents a 6.74% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 49,341 shares of company stock worth $1,068,909. Corporate insiders own 1.08% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Levi Strauss & Co.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in LEVI. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 181.6% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 151,645 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $2,364,000 after purchasing an additional 97,800 shares during the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in the first quarter valued at about $224,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 133.5% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 3,286 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 1,879 shares during the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in the first quarter valued at about $241,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its holdings in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 3.4% in the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 1,597,687 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $24,908,000 after purchasing an additional 52,332 shares during 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: Q1 beat and raised full‑year guidance — Levi reported $1.74B revenue (vs. $1.65B est.) and $0.42 adj. EPS (vs. $0.37 est.), and lifted FY revenue and EPS ranges, which directly fueled the rally. Levi Strauss Q1 Results (Business Wire)
• Positive Sentiment: DTC momentum — Direct‑to‑consumer sales now account for ~52% of net revenue, supporting higher margins, better customer economics, and faster top‑line growth as Levi pushes a “DTC‑first” strategy. Levi DTC Sales Surpass Half of Total Revenue (PYMNTS)
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns and capital actions — Company returned $214M in Q1 (including $54M dividends) and launched a $200M accelerated share repurchase, signaling cash generation and buyback support for the stock. MarketBeat coverage of Levi results & capital returns
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support — Firms have reaffirmed buys and some raised targets (example: UBS raised its price target to $34), adding upside to the consensus outlook and boosting investor conviction. Analyst notes (Benzinga)
• Neutral Sentiment: Options and trading activity — Unusually large call‑option volume shows elevated bullish positioning but could amplify intraday volatility rather than change fundamentals.
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand/marketing tailwinds — Pop culture exposure (a hit show boosting demand for a core 517 style) helped sell‑through in the quarter; useful for momentum but not a guaranteed long‑term driver. Levi style boost from TV show (Invezz)
• Neutral Sentiment: CFO transition announced — Longtime CFGO Harmit Singh plans to retire after a transition; company has started a search and Singh will stay through a handover, reducing immediate operational risk but creating leadership change. CFGO retirement announcement (Business Wire)
• Negative Sentiment: Macro and tariff risks — Management’s guidance assumes no significant deterioration from tariffs, inflation, supply‑chain issues or currency moves; rising input or transport costs and geopolitical shocks could pressure margins and growth. Macro/tariff risk discussion (Reuters)
• Negative Sentiment: Portion of growth tied to price increases — Management and some coverage note a meaningful part of recent revenue growth reflects higher prices versus pure volume gains, which could limit sustainability if consumers pull back. Pricing vs. volume discussion (CNBC)

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.