Short Interest in Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Decreases By 27.9%

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) was the recipient of a large drop in short interest in the month of January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 7,377,714 shares, a drop of 27.9% from the January 15th total of 10,235,181 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 2,714,680 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.7 days. Approximately 1.9% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Approximately 1.9% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 2,714,680 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.7 days.

Insider Buying and Selling at Levi Strauss & Co.

In related news, EVP Jason Gowans sold 40,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.83, for a total value of $873,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 92,199 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,012,704.17. The trade was a 30.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, SVP David Jedrzejek sold 7,093 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 27th. The stock was 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $2,099,366.34. This represents a 6.74% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 49,341 shares of company stock valued at $1,068,909 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 1.25% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. US Bancorp DE lifted its position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 260.5% in the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 1,121 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 810 shares during the period. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new position in Levi Strauss & Co. in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its holdings in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 140.7% in the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,425 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 833 shares in the last quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. during the fourth quarter valued at $39,000. Finally, Hara Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 8,080.0% during the second quarter. Hara Capital LLC now owns 2,045 shares of the blue-jean maker’s stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 2,020 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.14% of the company’s stock.

Levi Strauss & Co. Price Performance

LEVI stock opened at $21.92 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $8.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.02, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $21.26 and a 200-day moving average price of $21.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 1.55. Levi Strauss & Co. has a 52-week low of $12.17 and a 52-week high of $24.82.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.41 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $1.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.71 billion. Levi Strauss & Co. had a net margin of 9.20% and a return on equity of 25.08%. Levi Strauss & Co.’s revenue for the quarter was up .9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.50 earnings per share. Levi Strauss & Co. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.400-1.460 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.27 EPS for the current year.

Levi Strauss & Co. Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 25th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 10th will be given a dividend of $0.14 per share. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 10th. Levi Strauss & Co.’s payout ratio is presently 38.36%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings cut Levi Strauss & Co. from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Monday. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. 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. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Levi Strauss & Co. has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $26.69.

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.