Smith Group Asset Management LLC Has $330,000 Holdings in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM)

Smith Group Asset Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) by 66.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,780 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 3,530 shares during the quarter. Smith Group Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $330,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Smithfield Trust Co increased its position in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% during the third quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 160 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 80 shares during the period. Cassady Schiller Wealth Management LLC lifted its position 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 acquiring an additional 83 shares during the period. Brooklyn Investment Group acquired a new stake in Williams-Sonoma in the third quarter worth $28,000. Clean Yield Group bought a new stake in Williams-Sonoma in the third quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, HM Payson & Co. raised its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% during the third quarter. HM Payson & Co. now owns 200 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 99.29% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 3,160 shares of Williams-Sonoma 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. The trade was a 6.38 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Laura Alber sold 45,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction 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 completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 944,666 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $196,263,808.16. This trade represents a 4.55 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 88,160 shares of company stock worth $15,129,352 over the last ninety days. 1.50% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Williams-Sonoma Price Performance

NYSE WSM opened at $216.70 on Thursday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $190.40 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $158.74. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 1 year low of $95.76 and a 1 year high of $217.64. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.68 billion, a PE ratio of 25.63, a P/E/G ratio of 3.21 and a beta of 1.79.

Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 21st. Investors of record on Friday, January 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.05%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 17th. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio is 26.97%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have issued reports on WSM shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $136.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $194.00 to $226.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $162.00 to $189.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $170.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. Finally, 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 report on Thursday, November 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $163.16.

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.