Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) Stock Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average – Here’s What Happened

Shares of Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRA) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $2.22 and traded as high as $2.22. Vera Bradley shares last traded at $2.20, with a volume of 282,022 shares traded.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

VRA has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Vera Bradley in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Vera Bradley from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Sunday, October 26th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Reduce”.

Vera Bradley Trading Up 10.0%

The firm has a market cap of $67.64 million, a P/E ratio of -0.69 and a beta of 1.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 2.52. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $2.40 and a 200-day moving average of $2.23.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The textile maker reported ($0.04) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.11) by $0.07. The business had revenue of $62.25 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $61.69 million. Vera Bradley had a negative return on equity of 18.30% and a negative net margin of 34.23%.During the same period in the prior year, the company posted ($0.27) EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Vera Bradley, Inc. will post -0.25 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vera Bradley

In related news, Director Andrew Meslow acquired 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $1.93 per share, for a total transaction of $96,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 600,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,158,000. The trade was a 9.09% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 12.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Vera Bradley

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Williams & Novak LLC grew its position in Vera Bradley by 48.3% in the second quarter. Williams & Novak LLC now owns 20,170 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 6,565 shares during the last quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vera Bradley by 5.7% during the 2nd quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 138,083 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $305,000 after acquiring an additional 7,478 shares in the last quarter. Catalyst Funds Management Pty Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter worth $25,000. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley during the second quarter worth $26,000. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC raised its position in shares of Vera Bradley by 7.9% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 163,636 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $368,000 after purchasing an additional 12,021 shares during the period. 59.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Vera Bradley

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.