Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) Share Price Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average – Here’s Why

Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRA)’s stock price crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $2.29 and traded as high as $2.40. Vera Bradley shares last traded at $2.33, with a volume of 343,195 shares trading hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Vera Bradley from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Vera Bradley from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Sunday, October 26th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Vera Bradley in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Sell”.

Vera Bradley Stock Down 1.3%

The stock has a market capitalization of $65.12 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.67 and a beta of 1.78. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 2.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The business’s 50-day moving average is $2.52 and its two-hundred day moving average is $2.29.

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Andrew Meslow bought 250,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 12th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $1.98 per share, for a total transaction of $495,000.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 550,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,089,000. This represents a 83.33% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 12.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Catalyst Funds Management Pty Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley in the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Jump Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Williams & Novak LLC increased its holdings in shares of Vera Bradley by 48.3% during the 2nd 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. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $49,000. 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.