Wells Fargo & Company Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) Stock

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) had its price target lifted by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $190.00 to $240.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an “equal weight” rating on the specialty retailer’s stock. Wells Fargo & Company‘s target price would suggest a potential downside of 4.40% from the company’s previous close.

WSM has been the subject of several other research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $192.00 price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, May 22nd. Evercore set a $240.00 price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Bank of America initiated coverage on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research note on Friday, June 12th. They set a “buy” rating and a $250.00 target price for the company. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $225.00 price target (up from $220.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Finally, Citigroup decreased their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $208.00 to $200.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Williams-Sonoma currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $220.76.

Williams-Sonoma Price Performance

WSM stock opened at $251.05 on Tuesday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $226.60 and its two-hundred day moving average is $205.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $29.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.11, a P/E/G ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 1.50. Williams-Sonoma has a 1 year low of $165.51 and a 1 year high of $252.99.

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 21st. The specialty retailer reported $1.93 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.80 by $0.13. Williams-Sonoma had a return on equity of 53.29% and a net margin of 13.81%.The business had revenue of $1.81 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.80 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.85 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Williams-Sonoma will post 9.38 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other Williams-Sonoma news, CEO Laura Alber sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $172.61, for a total transaction of $3,452,200.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 938,524 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $161,998,627.64. This trade represents a 2.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Karalyn Yearout sold 1,112 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $228.49, for a total value of $254,080.88. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 21,717 shares in the company, valued at $4,962,117.33. This trade represents a 4.87% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 38,156 shares of company stock worth $7,190,899. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Williams-Sonoma

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new stake in Williams-Sonoma in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp grew its position in Williams-Sonoma by 51.5% during the 4th quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp now owns 147 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. MidFirst Bank purchased a new position in Williams-Sonoma during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Ballast Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Williams-Sonoma in the first quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Millstone Evans Group LLC increased its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 229.4% in the first quarter. Millstone Evans Group LLC now owns 168 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 117 shares during the period. 99.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Williams-Sonoma Company Profile

Williams‑Sonoma, Inc is a specialty retailer focused on the home and culinary markets, best known for premium cookware, kitchen tools and home furnishings. The company traces its roots to a single cookware store founded by Chuck Williams in 1956 in Sonoma, California, and has evolved into a multi‑brand home furnishings and housewares business. Its merchandise mix spans cookware and kitchen electrics, tabletop and food prep items, furniture, bedding, lighting and decorative accessories designed for both everyday use and higher‑end interiors.

The company operates a portfolio of consumer brands that target distinct segments of the home market.