Louisiana State Employees Retirement System Sells 500 Shares of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM)

Louisiana State Employees Retirement System decreased its stake in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) by 1.4% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 35,100 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 500 shares during the period. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System’s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $6,500,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Smithfield Trust Co boosted its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 160 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. Cassady Schiller Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. Cassady Schiller Wealth Management LLC now owns 166 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group acquired a new position in Williams-Sonoma in the third quarter valued at about $28,000. HM Payson & Co. boosted its position in Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% in the third quarter. HM Payson & Co. now owns 200 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sittner & Nelson LLC grew its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% during the third quarter. Sittner & Nelson LLC now owns 200 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. 99.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Williams-Sonoma Stock Performance

WSM opened at $206.55 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $197.03 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $162.42. The firm has a market capitalization of $25.43 billion, a PE ratio of 24.43, a P/E/G ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 1.79. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 52 week low of $108.19 and a 52 week high of $219.98.

Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 21st. Investors of record on Friday, January 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 17th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.10%. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 26.97%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on WSM. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $136.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 19th. Wedbush lifted their price objective on Williams-Sonoma from $135.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. TD Cowen increased their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $165.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $194.00 to $226.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $170.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $172.34.

Insider Activity at Williams-Sonoma

In related news, CEO Laura Alber sold 45,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $207.76, for a total transaction of $9,349,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 944,666 shares in the company, valued at approximately $196,263,808.16. The trade was a 4.55 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale 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 company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.39, for a total transaction of $560,552.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 46,388 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,228,767.32. The trade was a 6.38 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 88,160 shares of company stock worth $15,129,352. 1.50% of the stock is owned by 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.