Impax Asset Management Group plc Trims Stake in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM)

Impax Asset Management Group plc lowered its stake in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) by 1.2% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 6,449 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 80 shares during the period. Impax Asset Management Group plc’s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $1,194,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Dividend Assets Capital LLC lifted its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. Dividend Assets Capital LLC now owns 50,990 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $9,442,000 after buying an additional 2,209 shares in the last quarter. Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC acquired a new position in Williams-Sonoma in the 4th quarter valued at $537,000. First Bank & Trust acquired a new position in Williams-Sonoma in the 4th quarter valued at $258,000. Ieq Capital LLC acquired a new position in Williams-Sonoma in the 4th quarter valued at $1,549,000. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC raised its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 47.2% in the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 443 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $82,000 after acquiring an additional 142 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.29% of the company’s stock.

Williams-Sonoma Trading Up 0.9 %

Shares of Williams-Sonoma stock opened at $196.37 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $200.75 and a 200 day moving average price of $167.23. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a twelve month low of $113.25 and a twelve month high of $219.98. The stock has a market cap of $24.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 1.79.

Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared 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 of this dividend was Friday, January 17th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.16%. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 26.98%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have weighed in on WSM shares. Loop Capital boosted their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $145.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Citigroup cut their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $140.00 to $134.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $170.00 to $224.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $165.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Wedbush boosted their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $135.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $172.34.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 3,160 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.39, for a total transaction of $560,552.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 46,388 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,228,767.32. This represents a 6.38 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Laura Alber sold 45,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $207.76, for a total transaction of $9,349,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 944,666 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $196,263,808.16. The trade was a 4.55 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.50% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About Williams-Sonoma

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.