Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) Upgraded by Wall Street Zen to Strong-Buy Rating

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Vera Bradley to “strong-buy” from “hold,” but Weiss Ratings maintained a “sell (D-)” rating; MarketBeat’s overall analyst consensus remains “Reduce.”
• Vera Bradley reported quarterly EPS of $0.11, exceeding the consensus estimate of a $0.08 loss, while revenue of $71.65 million also topped expectations of $65.95 million.
• The stock opened at $4.25, near its 52-week high of $4.54, with a market capitalization of approximately $121.9 million; institutional investors own 59.88% of outstanding shares.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA - Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report released on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

Separately, Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Vera Bradley in a research note on Friday, September 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Vera Bradley currently has a consensus rating of "Reduce".

Vera Bradley Stock Performance

NASDAQ:VRA opened at $4.25 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $121.93 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -11.49 and a beta of 1.59. Vera Bradley has a one year low of $1.39 and a one year high of $4.54. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $3.48 and its 200 day simple moving average is $3.52.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, September 15th. The textile maker reported $0.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.08) by $0.19. Vera Bradley had a negative return on equity of 3.80% and a negative net margin of 3.66%.The company had revenue of $71.65 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $65.95 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned ($0.17) EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Vera Bradley will post -0.28 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Engineers Gate Manager LP acquired a new position in shares of Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $39,000. Squarepoint Ops LLC acquired a new position in Vera Bradley in the second quarter worth $327,000. Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new position in Vera Bradley in the second quarter worth $335,000. Impala Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Vera Bradley during the second quarter valued at $486,000. Finally, Algert Global LLC bought a new stake in Vera Bradley during the second quarter valued at $51,000. Institutional investors own 59.88% of the company's stock.

Vera Bradley Company Profile

Vera Bradley, Inc is a lifestyle and accessories company best known for its colorful, patterned handbags and travel products. Its merchandise includes totes, crossbody bags, backpacks, wallets, accessories, luggage, apparel, home goods and gifts, with collections designed for everyday use, travel and personal style.

The company operates primarily through the Vera Bradley brand and Pura Vida, a lifestyle brand offering bracelets, jewelry, accessories and related products. Vera Bradley sells its products through company-operated stores, outlet locations, e-commerce websites and wholesale partners, including specialty retailers and department stores.

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