LRT Capital Management LLC Trims Holdings in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM)

LRT Capital Management LLC decreased its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) by 63.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 8,548 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 14,817 shares during the quarter. Williams-Sonoma comprises 1.6% of LRT Capital Management LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 21st largest position. LRT Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $1,725,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P grew its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 129.3% in the third quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 188 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 106 shares in the last quarter. Denali Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma in the third quarter valued at $32,000. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 863.6% in the fourth quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 212 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 190 shares in the last quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 820.0% in the third quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 230 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 205 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lindbrook Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 30.5% in the fourth quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 231 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 54 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.29% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Williams-Sonoma

In related news, CEO Laura Alber sold 20,000 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock in a transaction on Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $283.74, for a total transaction of $5,674,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 505,509 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $143,433,123.66. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Marta Benson sold 17,816 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $308.19, for a total value of $5,490,713.04. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 68,597 shares in the company, valued at $21,140,909.43. The transaction 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 business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $283.74, for a total value of $5,674,800.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 505,509 shares in the company, valued at $143,433,123.66. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 41,145 shares of company stock valued at $12,182,219. Insiders own 1.60% of the company’s stock.

Williams-Sonoma Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE WSM traded down $0.33 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $279.20. 744,940 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 816,278. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 52-week low of $109.44 and a 52-week high of $319.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $17.94 billion, a PE ratio of 19.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 1.70. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $269.32 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $213.68.

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 13th. The specialty retailer reported $5.44 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.06 by $0.38. Williams-Sonoma had a return on equity of 55.15% and a net margin of 12.25%. The firm had revenue of $2.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.22 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $5.50 earnings per share. Williams-Sonoma’s quarterly revenue was down 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 15.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Williams-Sonoma Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 24th. Investors of record on Friday, April 19th will be given a dividend of $1.13 per share. This is a boost from Williams-Sonoma’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 18th. This represents a $4.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.62%. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.02%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Williams-Sonoma from $261.00 to $295.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 14th. Wedbush reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $330.00 price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research note on Thursday, March 21st. Evercore ISI lowered their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $315.00 to $300.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 16th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research note on Wednesday, April 3rd. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $260.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 14th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $248.06.

Williams-Sonoma 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.