National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) Sets New 1-Year Low - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• National Vision shares hit a new 52-week low, falling as low as $14.75 and closing well below the prior day’s $20.94, reflecting heavy selling pressure.
• The company’s first-quarter results were mixed: EPS of $0.45 beat expectations and rose from a year ago, while revenue climbed 6.6% year over year to $543.9 million but slightly missed estimates.
• Management reaffirmed FY 2026 guidance for EPS of $0.85 to $1.09 and revenue of $2.0 billion to $2.1 billion, but the stock also faces added uncertainty from a shareholder-loss investigation.

Shares of National Vision Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:EYE - Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week low on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $14.75 and last traded at $16.92, with a volume of 13323034 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $20.94.

National Vision News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting National Vision this week:

• Positive Sentiment: National Vision reported Q1 EPS of $0.45, topping expectations of $0.43 and improving from $0.34 a year ago, which suggests stronger profitability. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly revenue rose 6.6% year over year to $543.9 million, showing continued sales growth despite a modest miss versus estimates. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: The company reaffirmed FY 2026 guidance of $0.85 to $1.09 EPS and $2.0 billion to $2.1 billion in revenue, which is broadly in line with expectations but leaves limited upside versus consensus. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue of $543.9 million missed analyst estimates of $545.1 million, which may cap enthusiasm after the earnings beat. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: A shareholder-loss investigation announced by Johnson Fistel introduces legal overhang and could add uncertainty for investors. Article Title

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on National Vision from $26.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Wolfe Research set a $35.00 price target on National Vision in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. UBS Group increased their price target on National Vision from $39.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on National Vision from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded National Vision from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $32.08.

National Vision Trading Down 19.2%

The company has a quick ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The company has a fifty day moving average of $25.25 and a two-hundred day moving average of $26.42. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.73, a P/E/G ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 1.18.

National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 13th. The company reported $0.45 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.43 by $0.02. National Vision had a return on equity of 5.15% and a net margin of 1.49%.The firm had revenue of $543.88 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $545.09 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.34 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. National Vision has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.850-1.090 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that National Vision Holdings, Inc. will post 0.66 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at National Vision

In other National Vision news, Chairman L Reade Fahs sold 7,601 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.58, for a total value of $224,837.58. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman owned 694,880 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,554,550.40. This represents a 1.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 2.40% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. ProShare Advisors LLC raised its position in National Vision by 3.0% in the fourth quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 15,145 shares of the company's stock worth $391,000 after acquiring an additional 438 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its position in National Vision by 14.7% in the third quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 3,431 shares of the company's stock worth $100,000 after acquiring an additional 440 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC raised its position in National Vision by 3.4% in the fourth quarter. CWM LLC now owns 15,565 shares of the company's stock worth $402,000 after acquiring an additional 507 shares in the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC raised its position in National Vision by 0.9% in the second quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 68,819 shares of the company's stock worth $1,583,000 after acquiring an additional 637 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amalgamated Bank raised its position in National Vision by 2.9% in the third quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 23,112 shares of the company's stock worth $675,000 after acquiring an additional 650 shares in the last quarter.

National Vision Company Profile

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.

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