Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. Has $543,000 Stock Position in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM)

Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. lessened its stake in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) by 38.0% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,913 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 1,789 shares during the quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $543,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Smithfield Trust Co raised its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% in the third quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 160 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. Cassady Schiller Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% in the third quarter. Cassady Schiller Wealth Management LLC now owns 166 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group acquired a new position in Williams-Sonoma in the third quarter valued at about $28,000. HM Payson & Co. raised its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% in 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Sittner & Nelson LLC raised its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 100.0% in the third quarter. Sittner & Nelson LLC now owns 200 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.29% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 3,160 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $177.39, for a total value of $560,552.40. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 46,388 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,228,767.32. The trade was a 6.38 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Laura Alber sold 45,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $207.76, for a total value of $9,349,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 944,666 shares in the company, valued at approximately $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 have sold a total of 88,160 shares of company stock valued at $15,129,352 over the last ninety days. 1.50% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Williams-Sonoma Trading Down 1.3 %

NYSE:WSM opened at $203.82 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $25.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 1.79. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $197.52 and its 200-day moving average is $162.78. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 1-year low of $108.19 and a 1-year high of $219.98.

Williams-Sonoma Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 21st. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 17th will be issued a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.12%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 17th. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 26.97%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently commented on WSM shares. TD Cowen boosted their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $165.00 to $195.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Wedbush boosted their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $135.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Barclays lifted their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $116.00 to $123.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $194.00 to $226.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $162.00 to $189.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $172.34.

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.