Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL) Stock Rating Lowered by Benchmark

Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL) was downgraded by Benchmark from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, MarketBeat Ratings reports.

Several other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Vital Farms in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Needham & Company LLC restated a “buy” rating and issued a $45.00 target price on shares of Vital Farms in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on Vital Farms from $48.00 to $45.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Mizuho lowered their target price on Vital Farms from $53.00 to $48.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $50.00 price objective on shares of Vital Farms in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $46.64.

Vital Farms Stock Performance

VITL stock opened at $21.09 on Thursday. Vital Farms has a 1-year low of $19.80 and a 1-year high of $53.13. The company has a current ratio of 2.65, a quick ratio of 2.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $28.60 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $36.13. The firm has a market cap of $944.41 million, a PE ratio of 14.65 and a beta of 1.10.

Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $0.35 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.38 by ($0.03). Vital Farms had a return on equity of 21.38% and a net margin of 8.73%.The business had revenue of $213.55 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $212.83 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.23 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 28.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that Vital Farms will post 1.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Russell Diez-Canseco sold 16,734 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.05, for a total transaction of $586,526.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 649,684 shares in the company, valued at $22,771,424.20. This represents a 2.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Matthew Ohayer sold 25,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $30.85, for a total value of $771,250.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 6,361,190 shares in the company, valued at $196,242,711.50. This trade represents a 0.39% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders sold 91,734 shares of company stock worth $2,921,477. 21.30% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vital Farms

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in Vital Farms by 23.1% during the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,377,681 shares of the company’s stock valued at $56,692,000 after purchasing an additional 258,092 shares during the period. Hussman Strategic Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Vital Farms during the third quarter valued at $1,728,000. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Vital Farms by 2.4% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 807,003 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,089,000 after buying an additional 18,682 shares during the period. E. Ohman J or Asset Management AB bought a new position in shares of Vital Farms during the third quarter valued at approximately $1,903,000. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new stake in Vital Farms in the 2nd quarter valued at about $4,571,000. Institutional investors own 98.59% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Vital Farms

Here are the key news stories impacting Vital Farms this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 revenue growth and top‑line clarity — Revenue rose ~28.6% year‑over‑year and Q4 revenue came in essentially inline with expectations, showing continued demand and scale benefits. This supports the company’s growth story even though EPS missed. MarketBeat / Press Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Board leadership transition — Founder Matt O’Hayer stepped down as Executive Chair; CEO Russell Diez‑Canseco was named Executive Chair to maintain continuity. This reduces governance uncertainty short‑term but is unlikely to change fundamentals immediately. Business Wire
• Negative Sentiment: EPS miss and mixed guidance reaction — Q4 EPS of $0.35 missed the $0.38 consensus (revenues roughly inline). Several outlets highlight the profit shortfall and guidance interpretation that disappointed some investors, which directly pressured the stock. Zacks
• Negative Sentiment: Securities‑class investigation announced — The Rosen Law Firm has opened an investigation alleging Vital Farms may have provided materially misleading information to investors. Such filings often increase short‑term selling pressure and can raise legal risk and potential future costs. GlobeNewswire
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst revisions and target cuts — Multiple firms updated coverage: Benchmark downgraded to “hold,” Morgan Stanley trimmed its price target to $24 (from $45), and Telsey cut its target to $35 while keeping an outperform stance. These moves reduce near‑term upside expectations and can amplify selling. Benzinga

About Vital Farms

Vital Farms, traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol VITL, is a U.S.-based food company specializing in pasture-raised egg and dairy products. The company partners with a network of family farms across the United States to produce eggs, butter and related items under a certified humane, pasture-centric farming model. Vital Farms’ supply chain emphasizes animal welfare, environmental stewardship and transparent sourcing, appealing to consumers seeking ethically produced, high-quality ingredients.

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Vital Farms began by marketing pasture-raised eggs to health- and ethically minded shoppers.