Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.02 EPS

Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL – Get Rating) posted its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported ($0.04) earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.06) by $0.02, MarketWatch Earnings reports. Vital Farms had a return on equity of 1.61% and a net margin of 0.93%. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.08 EPS.

Shares of NASDAQ:VITL traded up $0.63 during trading on Friday, reaching $12.55. 340,934 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 219,473. The company’s 50 day moving average is $12.57 and its two-hundred day moving average is $15.51. Vital Farms has a 52 week low of $11.06 and a 52 week high of $24.36.

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. California State Teachers Retirement System lifted its position in shares of Vital Farms by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 26,954 shares of the company’s stock valued at $487,000 after acquiring an additional 729 shares during the period. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its position in shares of Vital Farms by 12.8% during the 2nd quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 7,772 shares of the company’s stock valued at $156,000 after acquiring an additional 883 shares during the period. Citigroup Inc. lifted its position in shares of Vital Farms by 97.4% during the 4th quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 6,505 shares of the company’s stock worth $117,000 after buying an additional 3,209 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Vital Farms by 2.5% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 172,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,107,000 after buying an additional 4,155 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted its position in shares of Vital Farms by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 270,574 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,753,000 after buying an additional 5,253 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.14% of the company’s stock.

A number of research firms recently weighed in on VITL. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on Vital Farms from $20.00 to $16.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 16th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Vital Farms from $20.00 to $15.00 in a report on Friday. Credit Suisse Group decreased their price objective on Vital Farms from $20.00 to $15.50 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 11th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research raised Vital Farms from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, March 10th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $18.58.

About Vital Farms (Get Rating)

Vital Farms, Inc, an ethical food company, provides pasture-raised products in the United States. It offers shell eggs, butter, hard-boiled eggs, ghee, liquid whole eggs, and egg bite products. Vital Farms, Inc was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

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