Harmit Singh Sells 121,767 Shares of Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Stock

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) EVP Harmit Singh sold 121,767 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.52, for a total transaction of $2,863,959.84. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 148,757 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,498,764.64. The trade was a 45.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link.

Levi Strauss & Co. Stock Down 1.5%

Shares of NYSE:LEVI opened at $22.49 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $8.65 billion, a PE ratio of 14.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $20.54 and a 200 day simple moving average of $21.04. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 12-month low of $15.32 and a 12-month high of $24.82.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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. The firm had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.65 billion. Levi Strauss & Co. had a net margin of 9.52% and a return on equity of 25.35%. The firm’s revenue was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.38 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be paid a $0.14 dividend. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 22nd. Levi Strauss & Co.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 35.67%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have issued reports on LEVI. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $27.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $27.00 price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. They set a “buy” rating and a $25.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $26.77.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of LEVI. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 181.6% during 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. bought a new position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. during the first quarter valued at approximately $224,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 133.5% during 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 bought a new position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. during the first quarter valued at approximately $241,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its holdings in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 3.4% during 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. 69.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.