MetLife Investment Management LLC Acquires 34,311 Shares of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM)

MetLife Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) by 96.5% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 69,881 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 34,311 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $10,826,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. FMR LLC lifted its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 72.7% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 8,781,201 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $1,360,384,000 after acquiring an additional 3,695,837 shares during the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 118.7% in the 3rd quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 2,110,320 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $326,931,000 after purchasing an additional 1,145,410 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in Williams-Sonoma by 84.5% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,020,489 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $158,085,000 after purchasing an additional 467,407 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 98.4% during the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 833,355 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $129,103,000 after purchasing an additional 413,226 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 5.6% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 823,692 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $232,613,000 after purchasing an additional 43,607 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.29% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Laura Alber sold 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.49, for a total transaction of $5,219,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 990,956 shares in the company, valued at approximately $129,309,848.44. This trade represents a 3.88 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.50% of the company’s stock.

Williams-Sonoma Stock Down 1.5 %

Shares of WSM opened at $171.39 on Friday. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 52 week low of $90.87 and a 52 week high of $181.42. The stock has a market cap of $21.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.27, a PEG ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 1.76. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $145.73 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $145.38.

Williams-Sonoma Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 22nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 18th were issued a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.33%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 18th. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio is currently 26.97%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently commented on WSM. Loop Capital upped their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $145.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Wedbush upped their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $135.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. TD Cowen boosted their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $165.00 to $195.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $140.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $150.00 to $140.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 23rd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $154.41.

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.