Medifast (NYSE:MED) Upgraded by Zacks Research to Strong-Buy Rating

Key Points

• Zacks Research upgraded Medifast from “hold” to “strong-buy,” making it the most bullish recent analyst call on the stock. However, the broader consensus still sits at Hold with an average target price of $12.00.
• Medifast shares fell 3.8% and opened at $10.62, below both its 50-day moving average of $11.77 and 200-day moving average of $11.13. The company now has a market cap of about $118 million.
• The company recently beat earnings and revenue estimates, reporting EPS of -$0.19 versus expectations of -$0.55 on revenue of $76.04 million. Medifast also guided for continued losses in FY2026 and Q2 2026.

Medifast (NYSE:MED - Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report released on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Medifast from a "sell (d-)" rating to a "sell (e+)" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Medifast from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, March 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Medifast currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $12.00.

Medifast Stock Down 3.8%

Medifast stock opened at $10.62 on Monday. The business's 50-day moving average price is $11.77 and its 200 day moving average price is $11.13. The firm has a market cap of $118.04 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -5.80 and a beta of 0.65. Medifast has a 52 week low of $9.22 and a 52 week high of $15.37.

Medifast (NYSE:MED - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 4th. The specialty retailer reported ($0.19) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.55) by $0.36. Medifast had a negative return on equity of 4.80% and a negative net margin of 5.78%.The company had revenue of $76.04 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $69.20 million. Medifast has set its FY 2026 guidance at -2.750--1.550 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at -1.000--0.500 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Medifast will post -1.97 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at Medifast

In other Medifast news, Director Scott Schlackman bought 2,500 shares of Medifast stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 11th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $12.53 per share, with a total value of $31,325.00. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 30,549 shares in the company, valued at $382,778.97. This represents a 8.91% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 3.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Medifast

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its position in Medifast by 103.1% during the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 2,338 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 1,187 shares during the period. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new stake in shares of Medifast in the third quarter valued at about $37,000. Intesa Sanpaolo Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Medifast during the fourth quarter worth about $47,000. State of Wyoming purchased a new stake in shares of Medifast during the fourth quarter worth about $59,000. Finally, Strs Ohio acquired a new position in shares of Medifast during the 1st quarter worth about $78,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.51% of the company's stock.

Medifast Company Profile

Medifast, Inc NYSE: MED is a health and wellness company specializing in clinically supported weight-loss, weight-management and healthy living products and services. Through its OPTAVIA brand, the company offers a range of meal replacement products, snacks, supplements and coaching programs designed to support metabolic health and sustainable lifestyle changes. Medifast markets its products directly to consumers via a network of independent distributors—known as OPTAVIA Coaches—who provide personalized guidance and support throughout the client's weight‐loss journey.

Founded in 1980 by William Vitale and headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, Medifast has grown into a nationally recognized provider of nutrition and weight‐management solutions.

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