Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) Stock Crosses Above 200-Day Moving Average – Time to Sell?

Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRA) shares 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 changing hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on VRA shares. Wall Street Zen lowered Vera Bradley from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Sunday, October 26th. Zacks Research lowered Vera Bradley from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Vera Bradley in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Sell”.

Vera Bradley Price Performance

The stock has a fifty day moving average of $2.52 and a 200 day moving average of $2.29. The stock has a market cap of $65.12 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.67 and a beta of 1.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 2.52 and a quick ratio of 0.81.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) last posted its quarterly earnings results 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 company had revenue of $62.25 million during 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 firm posted ($0.27) EPS. On average, analysts expect that Vera Bradley, Inc. will post -0.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Vera Bradley

In other news, Director Andrew Meslow bought 50,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $1.93 per share, with a total value of $96,500.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 600,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,158,000. This trade represents a 9.09% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 12.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Williams & Novak LLC grew its position 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 valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 6,565 shares during the period. Catalyst Funds Management Pty Ltd purchased a new position in Vera Bradley during the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. purchased a new position in Vera Bradley during the second quarter worth approximately $26,000. Empowered Funds LLC grew its holdings in Vera Bradley by 7.9% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 163,636 shares of the textile maker’s stock valued at $368,000 after purchasing an additional 12,021 shares during the period. Finally, Jump Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. 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.