Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM – Get Rating) was downgraded by research analysts at Gordon Haskett from an “accumulate” rating to a “reduce” rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday, The Fly reports.
Several other equities analysts have also commented on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $149.00 to $166.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Monday, March 21st. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $202.00 to $220.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, March 17th. Telsey Advisory Group dropped their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $250.00 to $195.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 14th. Bank of America dropped their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $164.00 to $132.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 16th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Williams-Sonoma from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 12th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $177.53.
Shares of Williams-Sonoma stock traded down $8.59 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $123.76. 98,110 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,150,045. Williams-Sonoma has a 1 year low of $127.85 and a 1 year high of $223.32. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $146.28 and its 200 day moving average is $163.96. The firm has a market cap of $8.67 billion, a PE ratio of 8.36, a PEG ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 1.53.
Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM – Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 16th. The specialty retailer reported $5.42 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.82 by $0.60. Williams-Sonoma had a return on equity of 73.38% and a net margin of 13.66%. The business had revenue of $2.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.58 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.95 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Williams-Sonoma will post 15.75 earnings per share for the current year.
In other news, Director Sabrina Simmons sold 2,030 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.85, for a total transaction of $312,315.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Laura Alber sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $152.04, for a total transaction of $3,040,800.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 27,030 shares of company stock valued at $4,173,666 in the last quarter. Insiders own 1.60% of the company’s stock.
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of WSM. Marshall Wace North America L.P. purchased a new position in Williams-Sonoma during the first quarter worth about $56,000. Amundi Pioneer Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 5.1% during the first quarter. Amundi Pioneer Asset Management Inc. now owns 37,903 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $2,133,000 after purchasing an additional 1,839 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 22.9% during the second quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 474,726 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $75,790,000 after purchasing an additional 88,442 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp raised its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 59.2% during the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,598 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $283,000 after purchasing an additional 594 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Advisor Group Holdings Inc. raised its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 12.3% during the third quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 30,284 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $5,371,000 after purchasing an additional 3,328 shares in the last quarter. 99.66% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Williams-Sonoma Company Profile (Get Rating)
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 brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma Home brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand.