Amalgamated Bank Reduces Stake in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM)

Amalgamated Bank cut its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) by 2.7% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 61,175 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 1,667 shares during the quarter. Amalgamated Bank’s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $11,328,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

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

Insider Transactions at Williams-Sonoma

In other news, CEO Laura Alber sold 45,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $207.76, for a total transaction of $9,349,200.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 944,666 shares in the company, valued at $196,263,808.16. The trade was a 4.55 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 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 value of $560,552.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 46,388 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,228,767.32. This trade represents a 6.38 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.50% of the company’s stock.

Williams-Sonoma Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:WSM opened at $196.37 on Wednesday. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 1 year low of $113.25 and a 1 year high of $219.98. The firm has a market capitalization of $24.17 billion, a PE ratio of 23.23, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 1.79. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $200.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $167.23.

Williams-Sonoma Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 17th were paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 17th. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.16%. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 26.98%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently weighed in on WSM. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $194.00 to $226.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $116.00 to $123.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $165.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $170.00 to $224.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group increased their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $165.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target 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.