Stifel Nicolaus Has Lowered Expectations for Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) Stock Price

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI - Get Free Report) had its price target cut by research analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from $25.00 to $20.00 in a research report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a "buy" rating on the blue-jean maker's stock. Stifel Nicolaus' price target suggests a potential upside of 33.11% from the stock's current price.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Levi Strauss & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $19.00 to $17.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $26.00 to $25.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $24.00 to $22.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Telsey Advisory Group decreased their target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $23.00 to $19.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 8th. Finally, Citigroup dropped their price target on Levi Strauss & Co. from $19.00 to $14.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 7th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $19.18.

Levi Strauss & Co. Stock Up 3.5 %

NYSE:LEVI traded up $0.51 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $15.03. 3,760,142 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,166,498. Levi Strauss & Co. has a fifty-two week low of $12.17 and a fifty-two week high of $24.34. The company has a market capitalization of $5.95 billion, a PE ratio of 28.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a current ratio of 1.42, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $16.55 and a 200 day simple moving average of $17.41.

Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, April 7th. The blue-jean maker reported $0.38 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.28 by $0.10. Levi Strauss & Co. had a return on equity of 25.88% and a net margin of 3.32%. The business had revenue of $1.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.54 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.26 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 3.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Levi Strauss & Co. will post 1.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director David A. Friedman sold 4,166 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $18.44, for a total value of $76,821.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 100,012 shares in the company, valued at $1,844,221.28. This trade represents a 4.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.25% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in the fourth quarter valued at $39,000. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. during the 4th quarter worth approximately $57,000. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Levi Strauss & Co. in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $82,000. Matrix Trust Co grew its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 678.9% during the 4th quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 5,507 shares of the blue-jean maker's stock valued at $95,000 after buying an additional 4,800 shares during the last quarter. Finally, R Squared Ltd purchased a new position in Levi Strauss & Co. during the fourth quarter worth $105,000. 69.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Levi Strauss & Co.

Levi Strauss & Co engages in the design, marketing, and sale of apparel products. The company offers jeans, casual and dress pants, tops, shorts, skirts, jackets, footwear, and related accessories. It operates through the following geographical segments: Americas, Europe, and Asia. The company was founded by Levi Strauss in 1853 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.