Wall Street Zen Downgrades Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) to Hold

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) was downgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued on Saturday.

Vera Bradley Trading Up 9.5%

NASDAQ:VRA opened at $3.79 on Friday. Vera Bradley has a twelve month low of $1.39 and a twelve month high of $4.39. The company has a 50-day moving average of $3.64 and a 200-day moving average of $3.03. The firm has a market cap of $107.79 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -5.49 and a beta of 1.62.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, June 11th. The textile maker reported ($0.09) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.33) by $0.24. Vera Bradley had a negative net margin of 7.02% and a negative return on equity of 6.66%. The company had revenue of $55.70 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $49.12 million. On average, research analysts forecast that Vera Bradley will post -0.34 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vera Bradley by 7.9% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 163,636 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $368,000 after buying an additional 12,021 shares during the period. Simplex Trading LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vera Bradley by 55.0% in the fourth quarter. Simplex Trading LLC now owns 35,083 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $85,000 after buying an additional 12,442 shares during the period. Jump Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vera Bradley in the second quarter worth about $28,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vera Bradley by 7.0% in the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 221,716 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $701,000 after buying an additional 14,500 shares during the period. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Vera Bradley by 17.2% in the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 103,586 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $251,000 after buying an additional 15,200 shares during the period. 59.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Vera Bradley

Here are the key news stories impacting Vera Bradley this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 adjusted results topped expectations, with EPS of -$0.09 versus the expected -$0.33, and revenue of $55.7 million versus estimates of $49.1 million. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly net revenue rose 7.8%, marking the company’s first quarter of growth since fiscal 2022 and reinforcing the view that the turnaround is gaining traction. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Management signaled at least a 50% improvement in non-GAAP operating loss for FY2027 and guided revenue to $255 million-$270 million, suggesting meaningful margin and profitability improvement ahead. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Li & Fung expanded Vera Bradley into apparel, adding a new licensing avenue and building on strength in the home category. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Conference-call coverage highlights a cautious turnaround narrative, with investors watching whether recent improvement can translate into sustained profitability. Article Title

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.