Dividend Assets Capital LLC Has $9.44 Million Stake in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM)

Dividend Assets Capital LLC grew its stake in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) by 4.5% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 50,990 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after buying an additional 2,209 shares during the quarter. Williams-Sonoma accounts for about 1.8% of Dividend Assets Capital LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest holding. Dividend Assets Capital LLC’s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $9,442,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. FMR LLC boosted its position in Williams-Sonoma by 72.7% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 8,781,201 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $1,360,384,000 after buying an additional 3,695,837 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 108.8% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 5,329,125 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $825,588,000 after acquiring an additional 2,777,339 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in Williams-Sonoma by 107.5% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,689,451 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $418,223,000 after acquiring an additional 1,393,436 shares during the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 118.7% in the 3rd quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 2,110,320 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $326,931,000 after purchasing an additional 1,145,410 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 104.8% in the 3rd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 1,105,336 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $171,239,000 after purchasing an additional 565,745 shares in the last quarter. 99.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Williams-Sonoma Stock Performance

Shares of WSM opened at $195.03 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $24.01 billion, a PE ratio of 23.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 1.79. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 52-week low of $110.93 and a 52-week high of $219.98. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $200.79 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $165.64.

Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 21st. Investors of record on Friday, January 17th were given a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 17th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.17%. Williams-Sonoma’s payout ratio is presently 26.97%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Laura Alber sold 45,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $207.76, for a total value of $9,349,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 944,666 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $196,263,808.16. The trade was a 4.55 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 3,160 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 46,388 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,228,767.32. The trade was a 6.38 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently weighed in on WSM. Citigroup reduced their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $140.00 to $134.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 8th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $194.00 to $226.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 18th. Telsey Advisory Group raised their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $165.00 to $190.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $170.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 21st. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their price objective on Williams-Sonoma from $140.00 to $180.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $172.34.

Williams-Sonoma Company Profile

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.