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Ever since I was a little girl, my lifelong dream was to have a dog with big, floppy ears. Maybe it was my love for a specific blue floppy-eared stuffed animal, or that I always watched Peanuts cartoons, but I thought those dogs were the cutest things in the world. Fast forward to now, and I have Jax, a floppy-eared beagle mix whom I absolutely adore!
After all of those years watching Peanuts, I can now confidently say that Snoopy’s shenanigans are pretty close to what it’s like owning a real beagle. And whenever I find a piece of cute Snoopy decor, I have to get it because of the sweet childhood nostalgia and how much it reminds me of my boy Jax.
So I was so excited when I saw that Williams Sonoma just released a Peanuts collab. From dinnerware to kitchen linens, there’s plenty of adorable Snoopy kitchen gear for fall through the holidays. It’s hard to choose, but I think my favorite gem from the collection is this $18.95 mug shaped like Snoopy in his iconic pilot outfit.
The sculptural mug features America’s favorite beagle ready for aviation — complete with the iconic red scarf and goggles. The mug is hand-painted in classic fall colors, which gives it cozy vibes that are perfect for cool weather. It’s also a little bigger than your average mug, as it holds up to 18 ounces. You could use it for a big morning coffee, or I could totally see this mug sitting on a kitchen counter holding leftover Halloween candy or even knickknacks like pens or magnets.
The Snoopy mug is also microwave- and dishwasher-safe, which it super easy to use and clean. And if Snoopy isn’t your thing (weird, but OK!) the mug also comes in a Charlie Brown version. The Charlie Brown cup features the Peanuts main character in his classic black mask. Love them both? You can get the duo in one purchase!
Additionally, the exclusive collection has cups, bowls, glasses, placemats, aprons, and more. This isn’t the first time Williams Sonoma has done a collaboration with the classic Charles M. Schulz cartoon, and I can only hope it won’t be the last. Stay tuned for the rest of the adorable Snoopy products coming this holiday season!
Alliancebernstein L.P. trimmed its holdings in shares of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM – Free Report) by 27.5% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 127,370 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 48,430 shares during the period. Alliancebernstein L.P. owned about 0.10% of Williams-Sonoma worth $20,137,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of WSM. Brighton Jones LLC increased its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 22.4% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 6,742 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $1,248,000 after purchasing an additional 1,236 shares in the last quarter. Bison Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the 4th quarter worth approximately $227,000. Algert Global LLC purchased a new position in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the 4th quarter worth approximately $215,000. Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 13.8% during the 4th quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 6,496 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $1,203,000 after purchasing an additional 788 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Balyasny Asset Management L.P. purchased a new position in shares of Williams-Sonoma during the 4th quarter worth approximately $588,000. 99.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Williams-Sonoma Stock Down 0.0%
Shares of NYSE WSM opened at $202.60 on Thursday. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 52-week low of $125.33 and a 52-week high of $219.98. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $189.46 and a 200-day moving average of $171.76. The stock has a market capitalization of $24.67 billion, a PE ratio of 22.29, a P/E/G ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 1.52.
Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 27th. The specialty retailer reported $2.00 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.79 by $0.21. Williams-Sonoma had a net margin of 14.54% and a return on equity of 54.47%. The company had revenue of $1.84 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.82 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.74 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Williams-Sonoma has set its FY 2025 guidance at EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 8.36 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Williams-Sonoma Dividend Announcement
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 22nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 18th were paid a dividend of $0.66 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 18th. This represents a $2.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.3%. Williams-Sonoma’s payout ratio is currently 29.04%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several research firms have commented on WSM. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $168.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 28th. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $162.00 to $202.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, August 22nd. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $212.00 to $213.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 28th. KeyCorp lifted their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $181.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, August 25th. Finally, Barclays set a $166.00 target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, May 19th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Williams-Sonoma has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $199.11.
In related news, CFO Jeffrey Howie sold 4,000 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $168.96, for a total transaction of $675,840.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 34,388 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,810,196.48. The trade was a 10.42% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP David Randolph King sold 17,500 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock in a transaction on Monday, September 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.60, for a total transaction of $3,563,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 98,560 shares in the company, valued at $20,066,816. The trade was a 15.08% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 51,500 shares of company stock worth $9,284,240. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Williams-Sonoma, Inc operates as an omni-channel specialty retailer of various products for home. It offers cooking, dining, and entertaining products, such as cookware, tools, electrics, cutlery, tabletop and bar, outdoor, furniture, and a library of cookbooks under the Williams Sonoma Home brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma lifestyle brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand.
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Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) is a home furnishing and associated products retailer. Its shares are flat year-to-date, primarily due to a 5.2% dip in August. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM)’s shares fell after the firm’s second-quarter earnings report and an announcement by President Trump that he would start a major tariff investigation into furniture items entering the US. Here is what Cramer said about Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM):
“If you want to know who was best yesterday, and I know she’s not gonna get any credit for it, but, Laura Alber had the most largest increase in tariffs, of any one company, and she still did the number. That is impressive. Williams-Sonoma.
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (WSM) Has A Great CEO, Says Jim Cramer
Previously, Cramer discussed Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) in the context of tariffs and the American furniture industry:
“Let’s talk about Wayfair, Williams-Sonoma, and RH, the old Restoration Hardware… I know both Williams-Sonoma and RH are a different story. They make some fine furniture here, and they’d like to make more furniture, but it’s difficult to find skilled workers to make high-quality merchandise. I’m not slagging our workers. The people who used to make furniture simply moved on to other things, or they retired. … Tariff wouldn’t go far enough to make them come back. At the end of the day, I’m skeptical that we can bring back the American furniture industry as we remember it, and even if we could… would it be worth the cost? I don’t know… Unless the federal government wants to get into the business of making furniture, forcing the hand of RH and Williams-Sonoma, it won’t make a difference to the industry as a whole. There will most likely not be a revival of those great furniture cities.”
While we acknowledge the potential of WSM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.
President Donald Trump said on Friday that new tariffs on foreign-made furniture are coming later this year following an investigation.”Within the next 50 days, that Investigation will be completed, and Furniture coming from other Countries into the United States will be Tariffed at a Rate yet to be determined,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “This will bring the Furniture Business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and States all across the Union.”A White House official clarified that the president is referencing a previously announced investigation that “will assess the national security risks arising from the United States’ increasing dependence on imported timber, lumber, and derivative products like paper, furniture, and cabinetry.”Nevertheless, the president’s comments on Friday sank some furniture stocks, from Wayfair to Williams-Sonoma. An industry coalition, called “Furniture for America,” expressed concerns about steeper tariffs earlier this year in written comments to the Commerce Department.”There is no rational relationship between imports of wood products or furniture and the national security of the United States,” the coalition wrote. “Second, no amount of tariffs will bring back American furniture manufacturing back to its prior levels. Tariffs will harm manufacturing still being done in the United States.” The White House said new tariffs on this sector would not stack on top of so-called “reciprocal” tariffs that are already targeting a wide range of countries, including major furniture suppliers like China and Vietnam. Federal data suggests those tariffs may be starting to show up in some furniture prices for consumers. The latest Consumer Price Index shows that, while overall inflation held steady between June and July 2025, furniture and bedding prices increased by 0.9 percent month-to-month. Some experts have identified this as an early warning sign, while conceding that the impact of tariffs on prices has generally been less severe than anticipated, perhaps because many businesses are absorbing added costs instead of passing them on to consumers. It remains to be seen how Trump’s latest batch of tariffs on most trading partners that took effect earlier this month will impact these trends.
WASHINGTON —
President Donald Trump said on Friday that new tariffs on foreign-made furniture are coming later this year following an investigation.
“Within the next 50 days, that Investigation will be completed, and Furniture coming from other Countries into the United States will be Tariffed at a Rate yet to be determined,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “This will bring the Furniture Business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and States all across the Union.”
A White House official clarified that the president is referencing a previously announced investigation that “will assess the national security risks arising from the United States’ increasing dependence on imported timber, lumber, and derivative products like paper, furniture, and cabinetry.”
Nevertheless, the president’s comments on Friday sank some furniture stocks, from Wayfair to Williams-Sonoma.
An industry coalition, called “Furniture for America,” expressed concerns about steeper tariffs earlier this year in written comments to the Commerce Department.
“There is no rational relationship between imports of wood products or furniture and the national security of the United States,” the coalition wrote. “Second, no amount of tariffs will bring back American furniture manufacturing back to its prior levels. Tariffs will harm manufacturing still being done in the United States.”
The White House said new tariffs on this sector would not stack on top of so-called “reciprocal” tariffs that are already targeting a wide range of countries, including major furniture suppliers like China and Vietnam.
Federal data suggests those tariffs may be starting to show up in some furniture prices for consumers.
The latest Consumer Price Index shows that, while overall inflation held steady between June and July 2025, furniture and bedding prices increased by 0.9 percent month-to-month. Some experts have identified this as an early warning sign, while conceding that the impact of tariffs on prices has generally been less severe than anticipated, perhaps because many businesses are absorbing added costs instead of passing them on to consumers.
It remains to be seen how Trump’s latest batch of tariffs on most trading partners that took effect earlier this month will impact these trends.
President Donald Trump said on Friday that new tariffs on foreign-made furniture are coming later this year following an investigation.”Within the next 50 days, that Investigation will be completed, and Furniture coming from other Countries into the United States will be Tariffed at a Rate yet to be determined,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “This will bring the Furniture Business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and States all across the Union.”A White House official clarified that the president is referencing a previously announced investigation that “will assess the national security risks arising from the United States’ increasing dependence on imported timber, lumber, and derivative products like paper, furniture, and cabinetry.”Nevertheless, the president’s comments on Friday sank some furniture stocks, from Wayfair to Williams-Sonoma. An industry coalition, called “Furniture for America,” expressed concerns about steeper tariffs earlier this year in written comments to the Commerce Department.”There is no rational relationship between imports of wood products or furniture and the national security of the United States,” the coalition wrote. “Second, no amount of tariffs will bring back American furniture manufacturing back to its prior levels. Tariffs will harm manufacturing still being done in the United States.” The White House said new tariffs on this sector would not stack on top of so-called “reciprocal” tariffs that are already targeting a wide range of countries, including major furniture suppliers like China and Vietnam. Federal data suggests those tariffs may be starting to show up in some furniture prices for consumers. The latest Consumer Price Index shows that, while overall inflation held steady between June and July 2025, furniture and bedding prices increased by 0.9 percent month-to-month. Some experts have identified this as an early warning sign, while conceding that the impact of tariffs on prices has generally been less severe than anticipated, perhaps because many businesses are absorbing added costs instead of passing them on to consumers. It remains to be seen how Trump’s latest batch of tariffs on most trading partners that took effect earlier this month will impact these trends.
WASHINGTON —
President Donald Trump said on Friday that new tariffs on foreign-made furniture are coming later this year following an investigation.
“Within the next 50 days, that Investigation will be completed, and Furniture coming from other Countries into the United States will be Tariffed at a Rate yet to be determined,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “This will bring the Furniture Business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and States all across the Union.”
A White House official clarified that the president is referencing a previously announced investigation that “will assess the national security risks arising from the United States’ increasing dependence on imported timber, lumber, and derivative products like paper, furniture, and cabinetry.”
Nevertheless, the president’s comments on Friday sank some furniture stocks, from Wayfair to Williams-Sonoma.
An industry coalition, called “Furniture for America,” expressed concerns about steeper tariffs earlier this year in written comments to the Commerce Department.
“There is no rational relationship between imports of wood products or furniture and the national security of the United States,” the coalition wrote. “Second, no amount of tariffs will bring back American furniture manufacturing back to its prior levels. Tariffs will harm manufacturing still being done in the United States.”
The White House said new tariffs on this sector would not stack on top of so-called “reciprocal” tariffs that are already targeting a wide range of countries, including major furniture suppliers like China and Vietnam.
Federal data suggests those tariffs may be starting to show up in some furniture prices for consumers.
The latest Consumer Price Index shows that, while overall inflation held steady between June and July 2025, furniture and bedding prices increased by 0.9 percent month-to-month. Some experts have identified this as an early warning sign, while conceding that the impact of tariffs on prices has generally been less severe than anticipated, perhaps because many businesses are absorbing added costs instead of passing them on to consumers.
It remains to be seen how Trump’s latest batch of tariffs on most trading partners that took effect earlier this month will impact these trends.
NEW YORK (AP) — The typical compensation package for chief executives who run companies in the S&P 500 jumped nearly 10% in 2024 as the stock market enjoyed another banner year and corporate profits rose sharply.
Many companies have heeded calls from shareholders to tie CEO compensation more closely to performance. As a result, a large proportion of pay packages consist of stock awards, which the CEO often can’t cash in for years, if at all, unless the company meets certain targets, typically a higher stock price or market value or improved operating profits.
The Associated Press’ CEO compensation survey, which uses data analyzed for The AP by Equilar, included pay data for 344 executives at S&P 500 companies who have served at least two full consecutive fiscal years at their companies, which filed proxy statements between Jan. 1 and April 30.
Here are the key takeaways from the survey:
A good year at the top
The median pay package for CEOs rose to $17.1 million, up 9.7%. Meanwhile, the median employee at companies in the survey earned $85,419, reflecting a 1.7% increase year over year.
CEOs had to navigate sticky inflation and relatively high interest rates last year, as well as declining consumer confidence. But the economy also provided some tail winds: Consumers kept spending despite their misgivings about the economy; inflation did subside somewhat; the Fed lowered interest rates; and the job market stayed strong.
The stock market’s main benchmark, the S&P 500, rose more than 23% last year. Profits for companies in the index rose more than 9%.
“2024 was expected to be a strong year, so the (nearly) 10% increases are commensurate with the timing of the pay decisions,” said Dan Laddin, a partner at Compensation Advisory Partners.
Sarah Anderson, who directs the Global Economy Project at the progressive Institute for Policy Studies, said there have been some recent “long-overdue” increases in worker pay, especially for those at the bottom of the wage scale. But she said too many workers in the world’s richest countries still struggle to pay their bills.
The top earners
Rick Smith, the founder and CEO of Axon Enterprises, topped the survey with a pay package valued at $164.5 million. Axon, which makes Taser stun guns and body cameras, saw revenue grow more than 30% for three straight years and posted record annual net income of $377 million in 2024. Axon’s shares more than doubled last year after rising more than 50% in 2023.
General Electric Co. CEO Lawrence Culp Jr. signs a $52 billion deal by Emirates to purchase Boeing aircraft with GE engines, at the Dubai Air Show, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Lujain Jo)
General Electric Co. CEO Lawrence Culp Jr. signs a $52 billion deal by Emirates to purchase Boeing aircraft with GE engines, at the Dubai Air Show, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Lujain Jo)
Almost all of Smith’s pay package consists of stock awards, which he can only receive if the company meets targets tied to its stock price and operations for the period from 2024 to 2030. Companies are required to assign a value to the stock awards when they are granted.
Other top earners in the survey include Lawrence Culp, CEO of what is now GE Aerospace ($87.4 million), Tim Cook at Apple ($74.6 million), David Gitlin at Carrier Global ($65.6 million) and Ted Sarandos at Netflix ($61.9 million). The bulk of those pay packages consisted of stock or options awards.
The median stock award rose almost 15% last year compared to a 4% increase in base salaries, according to Equilar.
Tim Cook attends the WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards at the Museum of Modern Art on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Tim Cook attends the WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards at the Museum of Modern Art on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
“For CEOs, target long-term incentives consistently increase more each year than salaries or bonuses,” said Melissa Burek, also a partner at Compensation Advisory Partners. “Given the significant role that long-term incentives play in executive pay, this trend makes sense.”
Jackie Cook at Morningstar Sustainalytics said the benefit of tying CEO pay to performance is “that share-based pay appears to provide a clear market signal that most shareholders care about.” But she notes that the greater use of share-based pay has led to a “phenomenal rise” in CEO compensation “tracking recent years’ market performance,” which has “widened the pay gap within workplaces.”
Some well-known billionaire CEOs are low in the AP survey. Warren Buffett’s compensation was valued at $405,000, about five times what a worker at Berkshire Hathaway makes. According to Tesla’s proxy, Elon Musk received no compensation for 2024, but in 2018 he was awarded a multiyear package that has been valued at $56 billion and is the subject of a court battle.
Other notable CEOs didn’t meet the criteria for inclusion the survey. Starbucks’ Brian Niccol received a pay package valued at $95.8 million, but he only took over as CEO on Sept. 9. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang saw his compensation grow to $49.9 million, but the company filed its proxy after April 30.
The pay gap
At half the companies in AP’s annual pay survey, it would take the worker at the middle of the company’s pay scale 192 years to make what the CEO did in one. Companies have been required to disclose this so-called pay ratio since 2018.
The pay ratio tends to be highest at companies in industries where wages are typically low. For instance, at cruise line company Carnival Corp., its CEO earned nearly 1,300 times the median pay of $16,900 for its workers. McDonald’s CEO makes about 1,000 times what a worker making the company’s median pay does. Both companies have operations that span numerous countries.
Overall, wages and benefits netted by private-sector workers in the U.S. rose 3.6% through 2024, according to the Labor Department. The average worker in the U.S. makes $65,460 a year. That figure rises to $92,000 when benefits such as health care and other insurance are included.
“With CEO pay continuing to climb, we still have an enormous problem with excessive pay gaps,” Anderson said. “These huge disparities are not only unfair to lower-level workers who are making significant contributions to company value – they also undercut enterprise effectiveness by lowering employee morale and boosting turnover rates.”
Some gains for female CEOs
This photo provided by Otis Elevator Co. shows CEO Judy Marks. (via AP)
This photo provided by Otis Elevator Co. shows CEO Judy Marks. (via AP)
For the 27 women who made the AP survey — the highest number dating back to 2014 — median pay rose 10.7% to $20 million. That compares to a 9.7% increase to $16.8 million for their male counterparts.
The highest earner among female CEOs was Judith Marks of Otis Worldwide, with a pay package valued at $42.1 million. The company, known for its elevators and escalators, has had operating profit above $2 billion for four straight years. About $35 million of Marks’ compensations was in the form of stock awards.
Other top earners among female CEOs were Jane Fraser of Citigroup ($31.1 million), Lisa Su of Advanced Micro Devices ($31 million), Mary Barra at General Motors ($29.5 million) and Laura Alber at Williams-Sonoma ($27.7 million).
FILEw – Jane Fraser, CEO, Citigroup, speaks during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee oversight hearing to examine Wall Street firms on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
FILEw – Jane Fraser, CEO, Citigroup, speaks during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee oversight hearing to examine Wall Street firms on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
Lisa Su, CEO of Advanced Micro Devices, arrives for a dinner at the Elysee Palace, during an event on the sidelines of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File)
Lisa Su, CEO of Advanced Micro Devices, arrives for a dinner at the Elysee Palace, during an event on the sidelines of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File)
Christy Glass, a professor of sociology at Utah State University who studies equity, inclusion and leadership, said while there may be a few more women on the top paid CEO list, overall equity trends are stagnating, particularly as companies cut back on DEI programs.
“There are maybe a couple more names on the list, but we’re really not moving the needle significantly,” she said.
FILE- Mary Barra, chair and CEO of General Motors, talks to David Rubenstein during an interview hosted by the Economic Club of Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)
FILE- Mary Barra, chair and CEO of General Motors, talks to David Rubenstein during an interview hosted by the Economic Club of Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)
Prioritizing security
Equilar found that a larger number of companies are offering security perquisites as part of executive compensation packages, possibly in reaction to the December shooting of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson.
Equilar said an analysis of 208 companies in the S&P 500 that filed proxy statements by April 2 showed that the median spending on security rose to $94,276 last year from $69,180 in 2023.
Among the companies that increased their security perks were Centene, which provides health care services to Medicare and Medicaid, and the chipmaker Intel.
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Reporters Matt Ott and Chris Rugaber in Washington contributed.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Even during a slower sale month like April, we can always count on Williams Sonoma to have great deals on everything you need for your kitchen. Just head to the sale section of the brand’s website, and you’ll find dozens of discounts on all the items you’re looking for. And we’re not talking basic cooking utensils or run-of-the-mill dishware. Now for a limited time, you can save hundreds on many of the top kitchen brands on the market, including Le Creuset, Vitamix, Nespresso, and All-Clad. In other words, once you’re done shopping, your workstation will feel like a brand-new kitchen, equipped with all of the essentials for efficient meal prep. If you’re not sure where to start, consider our top picks below a comprehensive list of all the basics to snag first. Or maybe you’ll just opt for a single Dutch oven or coffee maker. In any case, your culinary arsenal will be all the better for it.
Sapient Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM – Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 1,091 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $220,000.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Cerity Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 53.9% during the fourth quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 11,393 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $2,299,000 after purchasing an additional 3,988 shares during the period. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. raised its position in Williams-Sonoma by 16.0% during the fourth quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 9,223 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $1,861,000 after buying an additional 1,269 shares during the period. Stiles Financial Services Inc raised its position in Williams-Sonoma by 60.8% during the fourth quarter. Stiles Financial Services Inc now owns 6,650 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $1,342,000 after buying an additional 2,514 shares during the period. WESPAC Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Williams-Sonoma during the fourth quarter valued at $552,000. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Williams-Sonoma during the fourth quarter valued at $2,307,000. 99.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Insider Buying and Selling at Williams-Sonoma
In other Williams-Sonoma news, CEO Marta Benson sold 17,816 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $308.19, for a total value of $5,490,713.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 68,597 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,140,909.43. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Williams-Sonoma news, CEO Laura Alber sold 20,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $283.74, for a total value of $5,674,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 505,509 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $143,433,123.66. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Marta Benson sold 17,816 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $308.19, for a total value of $5,490,713.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 68,597 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,140,909.43. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 41,145 shares of company stock valued at $12,182,219 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 1.70% of the company’s stock.
Williams-Sonoma Stock Down 0.1 %
Shares of NYSE:WSM opened at $288.60 on Tuesday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $263.77 and a 200 day moving average price of $210.51. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a twelve month low of $109.44 and a twelve month high of $319.78. The company has a market cap of $18.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.81, a PEG ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 1.69.
Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 13th. The specialty retailer reported $5.44 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.06 by $0.38. Williams-Sonoma had a return on equity of 55.15% and a net margin of 12.25%. The firm had revenue of $2.28 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.22 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $5.50 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 15.37 EPS for the current year.
Williams-Sonoma Increases Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 24th. Investors of record on Friday, April 19th will be paid a dividend of $1.13 per share. This is an increase from Williams-Sonoma’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 18th. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.57%. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio is presently 24.71%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $200.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 14th. Loop Capital upped their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $220.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 15th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $261.00 to $295.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 14th. Barclays boosted their target price on Williams-Sonoma from $146.00 to $232.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Friday, March 15th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upgraded Williams-Sonoma from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $155.00 to $270.00 in a research note on Thursday, March 14th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Williams-Sonoma presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $249.31.
Williams-Sonoma, Inc operates as an omni-channel specialty retailer of various products for home. It offers cooking, dining, and entertaining products, such as cookware, tools, electrics, cutlery, tabletop and bar, outdoor, furniture, and a library of cookbooks under the Williams Sonoma Home brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma lifestyle brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand.
See Also
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Hudson Bay Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM – Free Report) in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund bought 26,398 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $4,102,000.
A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in WSM. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P boosted its position in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 129.3% in the 3rd quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 188 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares during the period. Denali Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Williams-Sonoma in the third quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Bessemer Group Inc. increased its position in Williams-Sonoma by 863.6% during the fourth quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 212 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 190 shares during the last quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 820.0% during the third quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 230 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 205 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP lifted its position in Williams-Sonoma by 229.8% during the 1st quarter. Quarry LP now owns 277 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.76% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several research firms recently weighed in on WSM. Bank of America increased their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $222.00 to $250.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 5th. Wedbush boosted their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $230.00 to $280.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 7th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 17th. Loop Capital restated a “hold” rating and set a $220.00 target price (up previously from $200.00) on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a report on Tuesday, March 5th. Finally, Evercore ISI lifted their price target on Williams-Sonoma from $160.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a report on Friday, November 17th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $188.81.
WSM opened at $285.90 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.62, a P/E/G ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 1.66. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $219.31 and a 200 day simple moving average of $185.31. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a twelve month low of $109.44 and a twelve month high of $292.40.
Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 13th. The specialty retailer reported $5.44 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.06 by $0.38. Williams-Sonoma had a return on equity of 55.15% and a net margin of 12.25%. The company had revenue of $2.28 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.22 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $5.50 EPS. Williams-Sonoma’s revenue for the quarter was down 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 14.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Williams-Sonoma Increases Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 24th. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 19th will be given a dividend of $1.13 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 18th. This is a boost from Williams-Sonoma’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.58%. Williams-Sonoma’s dividend payout ratio is 24.71%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other Williams-Sonoma news, CEO Laura Alber sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $201.92, for a total transaction of $4,038,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 525,509 shares in the company, valued at approximately $106,110,777.28. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 1.60% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Williams-Sonoma, Inc operates as an omni-channel specialty retailer of various products for home. It offers cooking, dining, and entertaining products, such as cookware, tools, electrics, cutlery, tabletop and bar, outdoor, furniture, and a library of cookbooks under the Williams Sonoma Home brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma lifestyle brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand.
Read More
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Each morning, professional kitchens are bustling with the sounds of knives chopping, sauces reducing, and food service film (a far-superior plastic wrap and secret weapon of restaurants everywhere) sealing containers as prep cooks work ahead on the night’s dinner service. Without them, no dish would make it from pan to plate to table. For many of us, the holiday season and the mornings before big family gatherings are the closest we’ll get to being on a prep cook’s schedule. But, if you’re a proud member of the “hosting family,” like myself, you might also be the line cook, executive chef, host, server — perhaps even bartender and sommelier! In other words, someone who could always use a second set of hands in the kitchen.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a sous chef who’s ready to lend a hand when it comes to prepping ingredients. Thankfully, there are plenty of options for the solo home chef. In my opinion, the food processor is the at-home equivalent to a restaurant’s prep team. It chops vegetables, purees soups, and even mixes dough with just the touch of a button. That’s why this Black Friday, I’m splurging on Cuisinart’s Core Custom 10-Cup Food Processor. Marked down to just $130 at Williams Sonoma — which is have a great Black Friday sale right now — it hits the sweet spot between price and utility that I think is unmatched in its field.
A food processor isn’t something you want to skimp on: Bad ones are a pain to clean and break down easily, and if it’s too small, it’ll be ineffective at most of the tasks you throw at it. Luckily, all of the accessories on Cuisinart’s machine can be removed easily, are dishwasher-safe, nest together for easy storage, and are constructed out of BPA-free, high-quality materials. You can even buy replacement parts for every last nut and bolt directly from Cuisinart if anything were to happen.
And, at 10 cups, this model is the ideal size for most households. If you’re cooking for a ton of people, you might have to pass vegetables through in batches when preparing the holiday feast, but you’ll get way more use out of this size than with a truly massive food processor you’d only be breaking out once or twice a year.
You could even use the money to buy one of Cuisinart’s many add-on accessories to turn this food processor into a one-of-a-kind kitchen workhorse — my favorite being Cuisinart’s Core Elements Juicing Center. High-powered juicers often run well over $100, but this accessory costs just a fraction of that. Now you can make the same quality of fluffy, fresh-squeezed juice served at the ritzy cafes of New York City. You could even grab some oranges, a bottle of Campari, and use it at the family gathering to make a two-ingredient crowd-pleaser: the Garibaldi. Or, better yet, make a few for you and yours as you put the house back together the next day as you congratulate yourself on a meal well-made and a job well-done.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
From a truckload of house plants to a DIY knit-your-own-blanket kit to a sunlounger (even though I don’t have an inch of outdoor space), I have made more than a few questionable shopping decisions over the past few years. But the heftiest of all? A $750 Breville espresso machine that I impulsively bought way back during a midnight shopping spree amid quarantine. First, let me say that I realize I am lucky that I have a job and a steady paycheck. And that this is the most expensive kitchen gadget I have ever owned. But despite my rushed decision, I don’t regret this indulgence at all. On the contrary, it might be the best thing I have done for myself in a very long time.
You see, I, like many, used to start my day with a quick latte stop at my local coffee shop and followed that up with several cups of coffee throughout the day once I got to the office. All this is to simply say that I love my coffee and can’t function without it. So back when WFH orders were issued and coffee shops temporarily shut down, I was left to my own devices to supply my daily coffee needs, and let me tell you, copious cups of black coffee made in a French press can get old rather quickly. But ever since I picked up the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine, I have been able to enjoy a huge variety of cafe-style brews right at home — and I couldn’t be happier.
What is the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine?
The Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine is a workhorse; it pulls espresso shots like a total pro, while the steam wand (it does a 360-degree swivel!) heats and froths milk for delicious cappuccinos, lattes, and more. I also really love that it has a built-in water heater so I can simply top my espresso shot with piping hot water for a cup of black coffee or make a cup of tea without using a kettle. During hot days, I swap hot water for tap and ice cubes for a refreshing cold brew. It truly does it all.
While the machine does look intimidating, it’s actually incredibly easy to use. Once I set it up to suit my grind size (thank you, YouTube tutorials), I was able to whip up a cup of coffee within minutes: Turn on the power, use the puck to get the right amount of freshly ground beans, pull an espresso shot, and then use the milk wand to create just the desired amount of froth and heat. Easy!
Why I Love the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine
This machine comes with everything you need, including a bean hopper and grinder, a tamper, four filter baskets, a steel milk jug, a coffee scoop, a razor dose trimming tool, and even cleaning supplies for when it’s time to descale the machine. Although I was worried the coffee maker would take up too much counter space in my tiny kitchen, it has a very compact footprint. And my favorite feature? The top portion works like a mug warmer. Let me tell you, nothing beats the joy of wrapping my fingers around a warm mug before the start of a hectic workday.
This coffee maker has also given me the flexibility to choose my own beans, milk, sugar, and toppings rather than rely on whatever is available at the coffee shop. For instance, I used to stick to regular milk and brown sugar, but now I use oat milk and coconut sugar, which feels like such an upgrade. I have also experimented with tons of coffee beans and discovered so many new flavors and favorites.
And It’s Not Just Me Who Loves It
Our Managing Editor, Lauren, also bought this espresso maker during quarantine and is still equally smitten. “My husband and I are new parents, so our espresso machine is our most beloved appliance right now,” she says. “When we’re groggy-eyed and sleep-deprived, we know we can have a perfect shot of espresso with basically a push of a button. Also, being able to have an oat milk latte without leaving our house now is such a treat!” Agreed!
At $699.95, the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine is definitely a significant investment, but think of all the money you’ll save creating all your favorite café-style drinks at home! Plus, if you’re looking for the perfect way to spoil the coffee lover in your life this holiday season, I can guarantee this pick will put a smile on their face — it’s still putting one on mine!
