National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) Cut to Hold at Zacks Research

Zacks Research lowered shares of National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of National Vision from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday. Citigroup raised their price target on National Vision from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. National Bank Financial set a $32.00 price objective on National Vision in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Barclays increased their target price on National Vision from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Finally, Wolfe Research set a $35.00 target price on National Vision in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $31.21.

National Vision Stock Up 1.3%

Shares of NASDAQ:EYE opened at $26.28 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 71.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a current ratio of 0.55. The company’s fifty day moving average is $27.28 and its two-hundred day moving average is $26.69. National Vision has a 1-year low of $10.45 and a 1-year high of $30.02.

National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 4th. The company reported $0.15 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.06 by $0.09. National Vision had a net margin of 1.49% and a return on equity of 5.15%. The company had revenue of $503.41 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $495.26 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted ($0.04) earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 15.1% compared to the same quarter last year. National Vision has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.850-1.090 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that National Vision will post 0.31 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, Chairman L Reade Fahs sold 7,601 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.58, for a total transaction of $224,837.58. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman owned 694,880 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,554,550.40. This represents a 1.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 2.70% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On National Vision

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV lifted its position in shares of National Vision by 16.6% in the 4th quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 8,303 shares of the company’s stock worth $214,000 after acquiring an additional 1,185 shares during the period. Uniplan Investment Counsel Inc. increased its position in shares of National Vision by 274.6% during the fourth quarter. Uniplan Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 73,198 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,890,000 after purchasing an additional 53,660 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its stake in shares of National Vision by 27.6% in the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 5,783,699 shares of the company’s stock valued at $149,335,000 after purchasing an additional 1,251,499 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC bought a new position in National Vision in the fourth quarter worth $16,109,000. Finally, Inspire Investing LLC lifted its position in National Vision by 308.2% in the fourth quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 63,277 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,634,000 after purchasing an additional 47,776 shares during the period.

About National Vision

National Vision Holdings, Inc is an American optical retailer specializing in accessible vision care and eyewear. The company operates under multiple retail banners, offering comprehensive eye health services and a wide range of optical products. Since its founding in the early 1990s, National Vision has focused on providing value-driven solutions, targeting underserved and price‐conscious consumer segments.

Through its primary retail brands—including America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Eyeglass World, Optical America and Vista Optical—National Vision delivers services such as comprehensive eye examinations, prescription eyewear, contact lenses, sunglasses and lens accessories.