Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Shares Gap Down – Time to Sell?

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI)’s share price gapped down before the market opened on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $20.47, but opened at $19.16. Levi Strauss & Co. shares last traded at $19.68, with a volume of 1,574,800 shares.

Key Levi Strauss & Co. News

Here are the key news stories impacting Levi Strauss & Co. this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat — LEVI reported adjusted EPS of $0.41 and revenue of $1.77B, topping Street estimates, driven by strong denim demand that helped offset headwinds. Levi Strauss beats quarterly results estimates on strong denim demand
• Positive Sentiment: Direct‑to‑consumer strength — management highlighted DTC growth and brand elevation as drivers of sales resilience, helping offset weaker wholesale performance. Levi Strauss tops quarterly estimates as direct-to-consumer growth offsets wholesale weakness
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend announced — company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.14/share (ex‑div Feb 10), providing yield and income support for investors. Levi Strauss & Co. dividend announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst buy ratings — Needham and BTIG reaffirmed “buy” with $28 and $27 targets, implying substantial upside from current levels and offering third‑party support for the turnaround story. Benzinga analyst notes
• Neutral Sentiment: Management tone — CFO called 2025 a “turning point” for the company, signaling confidence in the strategic shift but execution still under way. Levi’s CFO: 2025 was a ‘turning point’ for the company
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand and marketing push — CEO said Levi’s will run a Super Bowl ad (first time in ~20 years), which could boost awareness but will increase marketing spend. Levi Strauss CEO Super Bowl ad comment
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance below consensus — LEVI set FY‑2026 EPS guidance of $1.40–$1.46 vs. consensus around $1.48, which pressured the stock despite the quarter’s upside. Guidance and earnings summary
• Negative Sentiment: Margin headwinds — management cited higher U.S. import tariffs and softer wholesale demand that weighed on margins and investor sentiment, increasing near‑term execution risk. Levi beats Q4 but shares dip on weak outlook

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on LEVI. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $27.00 price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Thursday. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Levi Strauss & Co. from $23.00 to $33.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Levi Strauss & Co. from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on Levi Strauss & Co. from $24.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 2nd. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Levi Strauss & Co. presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $26.46.

Levi Strauss & Co. Stock Performance

The firm’s 50 day moving average is $21.48 and its 200-day moving average is $21.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.27, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 1.52.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.41 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.39 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $1.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.71 billion. Levi Strauss & Co. had a net margin of 9.48% and a return on equity of 27.92%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.50 earnings per share. Levi Strauss & Co. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.400-1.460 EPS. Analysts forecast that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 25th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 10th will be issued a $0.14 dividend. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 10th. Levi Strauss & Co.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.84%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in LEVI. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 181.6% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 151,645 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $2,364,000 after purchasing an additional 97,800 shares in the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Levi Strauss & Co. in the 1st quarter worth about $224,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its stake in Levi Strauss & Co. by 133.5% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 3,286 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $51,000 after buying an additional 1,879 shares in the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP purchased a new stake in Levi Strauss & Co. during the 1st quarter worth approximately $241,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its holdings in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 3.4% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 1,597,687 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $24,908,000 after acquiring an additional 52,332 shares during the last quarter. 69.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Levi Strauss & Co. Company Profile

Levi Strauss & Co is a global apparel company best known for its denim jeans and casual wear. Founded in 1853 in San Francisco by Bavarian immigrant Levi Strauss, the company pioneered the modern blue jean with the introduction of rivet-reinforced work pants. Over its more than 160-year history, Levi Strauss has evolved into a lifestyle brand, offering a broad portfolio that includes denim for men, women and children, as well as tops, outerwear, footwear and accessories.

The company’s flagship label, Levi’s®, is recognized worldwide for its iconic styles such as the 501® Original Fit Jeans, while additional brands, including Dockers®, Target core metric, and Denizen® by Levi’s, cater to diverse price points and consumer segments.