Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) CEO Laura Alber Sells 20,000 Shares

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) CEO Laura Alber sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $183.04, for a total transaction of $3,660,800.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 786,537 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $143,967,732.48. This trade represents a 2.48% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Laura Alber also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Thursday, January 15th, Laura Alber sold 35,000 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $207.39, for a total transaction of $7,258,650.00.

Williams-Sonoma Price Performance

Shares of WSM opened at $183.90 on Thursday. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 1 year low of $130.07 and a 1 year high of $222.00. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $204.34 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $195.04. The firm has a market cap of $21.95 billion, a PE ratio of 20.23, a PEG ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 1.64.

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 18th. The specialty retailer reported $3.04 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $0.14. Williams-Sonoma had a return on equity of 53.10% and a net margin of 14.30%.The company had revenue of $2.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.41 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.28 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 4.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 8.36 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Williams-Sonoma Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 22nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 17th will be given a dividend of $0.76 per share. This is a boost from Williams-Sonoma’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.66. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 17th. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.04%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

WSM has been the topic of several research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $206.00 price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, November 21st. Zelman & Associates upgraded shares of Williams-Sonoma from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $205.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $188.00 to $208.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Evercore set a $215.00 target price on Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group set a $220.00 price target on Williams-Sonoma in a report on Wednesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $203.78.

Trending Headlines about Williams-Sonoma

Here are the key news stories impacting Williams-Sonoma this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat and strong profitability — Williams‑Sonoma reported $3.04 EPS vs. estimates near $2.90 and delivered industry‑leading margins and operating leverage, which investors rewarded. Business Wire: Results
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend boost — The board raised the quarterly dividend ~15% to $0.76, signaling confidence in cash flow and returning capital to shareholders. Benzinga: Dividend Hike
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support — TD Cowen reiterated/assigned a Buy with a $225 target, providing additional validation for upside expectations. TipRanks: TD Cowen Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Company outlook — Management gave an optimistic FY outlook and forecast comparable‑sales growth of 2%–6%, which reassured investors but includes execution risk if the consumer softens. WSJ: Upbeat Forecast
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue miss and YOY decline — Revenue came in at $2.36B vs. estimates near $2.41B and was down ~4.3% year‑over‑year, a drag on top‑line growth despite margin strength. MarketBeat: Earnings Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling — CEO Laura Alber sold 20,000 shares (~$3.66M), reducing her stake modestly; investors sometimes view insider sales as a cautionary signal. SEC Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Calendar/comp distortions — Fiscal week differences (Q4 had 13 vs prior year 14 weeks) and weaker total sales complicate year‑over‑year comparisons and create some uncertainty around sustaining growth. Business Wire: Quarter Notes

Institutional Trading of Williams-Sonoma

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of WSM. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 2.5% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 6,139,477 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $1,199,961,000 after buying an additional 147,780 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 7.5% during the fourth quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 2,440,452 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $435,840,000 after buying an additional 170,991 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 7.3% during the fourth quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 1,919,466 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $342,797,000 after buying an additional 130,940 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Williams-Sonoma during the fourth quarter worth about $316,920,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 30.6% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,741,639 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $284,532,000 after acquiring an additional 407,929 shares during the last quarter. 99.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Williams-Sonoma

Williams‑Sonoma, Inc is a specialty retailer focused on the home and culinary markets, best known for premium cookware, kitchen tools and home furnishings. The company traces its roots to a single cookware store founded by Chuck Williams in 1956 in Sonoma, California, and has evolved into a multi‑brand home furnishings and housewares business. Its merchandise mix spans cookware and kitchen electrics, tabletop and food prep items, furniture, bedding, lighting and decorative accessories designed for both everyday use and higher‑end interiors.

The company operates a portfolio of consumer brands that target distinct segments of the home market.