Levi Strauss & Co. Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NYSE:LEVI)

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) saw some unusual options trading activity on Wednesday. Traders acquired 5,873 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 93% compared to the typical volume of 3,040 call options.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have commented on LEVI. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $27.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. They set a “buy” rating and a $25.00 price objective on the stock. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 31st. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $26.69.

Levi Strauss & Co. Price Performance

Shares of LEVI stock traded up $2.15 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $21.86. The stock had a trading volume of 2,782,425 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,491,848. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $20.06 and its 200 day simple moving average is $21.08. The company has a current ratio of 1.55, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 12 month low of $12.17 and a 12 month high of $24.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.53 billion, a PE ratio of 14.97, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 1.34.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 7th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.65 billion. Levi Strauss & Co. had a net margin of 9.20% and a return on equity of 25.08%. Levi Strauss & Co.’s quarterly revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.38 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.27 EPS for the current year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 6th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 22nd will be paid a $0.14 dividend. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 22nd. Levi Strauss & Co.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 38.36%.

Key Headlines Impacting Levi Strauss & Co.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Levi beat Q1 estimates on both revenue and EPS and raised full-year sales and profit guidance, driven by broad-based growth and strength in direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels — a primary catalyst for the stock rally. Business Wire: Q1 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts are bullish: BTIG reaffirmed a Buy and set a $27 target (~37.5% upside from $19.63) and Needham reaffirmed Buy with a $28 target (~42.6% upside), supporting upside expectations. Benzinga: BTIG & Needham Notes
• Positive Sentiment: Other sell‑side coverage echoed the bullish view (Bank of America, Needham coverage highlighted margin upside, DTC momentum and an undemanding valuation), reinforcing investor confidence. TipRanks: Analyst Notes
• Positive Sentiment: Levi declared a quarterly dividend (0.14 per share; ~2.9% yield annualized), which can attract income-minded investors and support the share price.
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market tailwinds — U.S. futures rose after reports of a temporary de‑escalation in Iran — helped lift retail and cyclical names, providing a favorable backdrop for LEVI. Investopedia: Market Movers
• Neutral Sentiment: Product/innovation narratives (AI try‑on features) and category moves (Dockers sale discussion) are getting coverage — these are strategic positives but longer‑term and may not move near‑term price materially. Yahoo Finance: AI Try‑On
• Negative Sentiment: Levi announced the planned retirement of longtime Chief Financial & Growth Officer Harmit Singh; transition risk exists until a successor is named, which can introduce short-term uncertainty. Business Wire: CFGO Retirement
• Negative Sentiment: Macro and geopolitical risks (tariff impacts, gas prices, and broader consumer caution) remain a headwind; analysts note leverage to discretionary spending despite the strong quarter. Proactive: Preview & Macro Risks

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Jason Gowans sold 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.83, for a total transaction of $873,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 92,199 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,012,704.17. This represents a 30.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP David Jedrzejek sold 7,093 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.38, for a total transaction of $151,648.34. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 98,193 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,099,366.34. This trade represents a 6.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 49,341 shares of company stock valued at $1,068,909. 1.08% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. grew its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 123,970.4% during the second quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 3,163,649 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $58,496,000 after acquiring an additional 3,166,203 shares during the last quarter. GW&K Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Levi Strauss & Co. during the third quarter valued at approximately $39,322,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 44.0% during the fourth quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 4,243,680 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $88,014,000 after acquiring an additional 1,296,474 shares during the last quarter. Oberweis Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Levi Strauss & Co. during the third quarter valued at approximately $21,052,000. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 83.4% during the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 1,958,271 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $36,208,000 after acquiring an additional 890,752 shares during the last quarter. 69.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Levi Strauss & Co.

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.