Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) Downgraded to Strong Sell Rating by Zacks Research

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) was downgraded by Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report released on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Vera Bradley from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Sunday, October 26th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Vera Bradley in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Vera Bradley presently has a consensus rating of “Sell”.

Vera Bradley Price Performance

Shares of Vera Bradley stock opened at $3.11 on Monday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $2.51 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $2.27. The company has a market cap of $86.92 million, a PE ratio of -0.89 and a beta of 1.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 2.52 and a quick ratio of 0.81. Vera Bradley has a fifty-two week low of $1.39 and a fifty-two week high of $4.00.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The textile maker reported ($0.04) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.11) by $0.07. Vera Bradley had a negative return on equity of 18.30% and a negative net margin of 34.23%.The firm had revenue of $62.25 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $61.69 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted ($0.27) earnings per share. Analysts expect that Vera Bradley will post -0.25 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Vera Bradley news, Director Andrew Meslow acquired 50,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 15th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $1.93 per share, for a total transaction of $96,500.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 600,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,158,000. This trade represents a 9.09% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 10.50% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Catalyst Funds Management Pty Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley in the second quarter worth about $26,000. Jump Financial LLC bought a new stake in Vera Bradley during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley during the first quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Sapient Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter valued at about $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.88% of the company’s stock.

Vera Bradley Company Profile

Vera Bradley, Inc (NASDAQ: VRA) is a lifestyle and accessories designer specializing in colorful, patterned handbags, luggage, travel accessories and coordinated home décor. Founded in 1982 by Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, the company first gained recognition for its quilted cotton bags sold at craft shows before expanding into an established fashion brand. Headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Vera Bradley has built a reputation for distinctive prints and functional design aimed primarily at women’s casual and travel needs.

The company’s product portfolio includes day bags, weekenders, backpacks, wallets, and organizational cases, as well as an expanding range of travel gear such as rolling luggage and travel pouches.