Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL) Downgraded by Benchmark to “Hold”

Benchmark downgraded shares of Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report issued on Thursday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports.

A number of other analysts also recently commented on VITL. DA Davidson set a $47.00 price objective on Vital Farms and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $52.00 target price on shares of Vital Farms in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Vital Farms in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Mizuho lowered their price target on shares of Vital Farms from $53.00 to $48.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Vital Farms in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Vital Farms has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $49.91.

Vital Farms Stock Performance

NASDAQ:VITL opened at $22.11 on Thursday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $28.84 and its 200-day moving average is $36.30. The company has a market cap of $990.09 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.75 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 2.15 and a current ratio of 2.65. Vital Farms has a 52-week low of $19.80 and a 52-week high of $53.13.

Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $0.35 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.38 by ($0.03). Vital Farms had a net margin of 8.50% and a return on equity of 20.19%. The company had revenue of $213.55 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $212.83 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.23 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 28.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Vital Farms will post 1.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other Vital Farms news, insider Matthew Ohayer sold 25,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.85, for a total value of $771,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 6,361,190 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $196,242,711.50. The trade was a 0.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Russell Diez-Canseco sold 16,734 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.05, for a total transaction of $586,526.70. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 649,684 shares in the company, valued at $22,771,424.20. The trade was a 2.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 91,734 shares of company stock worth $2,921,477. 21.30% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Triumph Capital Management bought a new position in Vital Farms in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Quarry LP acquired a new position in shares of Vital Farms during the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vital Farms during the third quarter valued at $28,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Vital Farms by 4,382.6% in the fourth quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,031 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 1,008 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its position in Vital Farms by 225.6% in the fourth quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,452 shares of the company’s stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 1,006 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 98.59% of the company’s stock.

Vital Farms News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Vital Farms this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 revenue growth and company FY26 revenue range: Vital Farms reported Q4 revenue of $213.6M (up ~28.6% YoY) and issued FY26 revenue guidance of $900–$920M, signaling continued top-line expansion that some view as constructive. Q4 Highlights
• Neutral Sentiment: Board leadership update for continuity: Founder Matt O’Hayer stepped down from the board; CEO Russell Diez-Canseco was named Executive Chairperson and Denny Marie Post remains Lead Independent Director — a planned transition the company says preserves strategy execution. Board Transition
• Negative Sentiment: EPS missed estimates: Reported EPS of $0.35 missed consensus ~$0.38, which disappointed investors despite the revenue beat/inline result and may pressure near-term multiple expansion. Earnings Miss
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance interpreted as mixed/weak by some: While the company released a revenue range, some analysts and coverage (including Seeking Alpha summaries) characterized FY26 sales guidance as below expectations, contributing to selling pressure. Guidance Reaction
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrade: Benchmark cut VITL from Buy to Hold, adding downward pressure on sentiment following the print. Analyst Downgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Investor legal risk: Rosen Law Firm is soliciting inquiries about a securities class-action investigation related to Vital Farms, which increases legal overhang and can amplify volatility. Class Action Notice

About Vital Farms

Vital Farms, traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol VITL, is a U.S.-based food company specializing in pasture-raised egg and dairy products. The company partners with a network of family farms across the United States to produce eggs, butter and related items under a certified humane, pasture-centric farming model. Vital Farms’ supply chain emphasizes animal welfare, environmental stewardship and transparent sourcing, appealing to consumers seeking ethically produced, high-quality ingredients.

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Vital Farms began by marketing pasture-raised eggs to health- and ethically minded shoppers.