Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) Stock Price Crosses Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Vera Bradley shares rose above their 200-day moving average, reaching $5.80 and last trading at $5.63, compared with a 200-day average of $3.74.
• The company exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $0.11 in EPS versus the consensus estimate of a $0.08 loss and revenue of $71.65 million versus $65.95 million expected. However, analysts project a full-year loss of $0.22 per share.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but leans positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating; meanwhile, director Ivan Brockman purchased 10,000 shares, increasing his position by 400%.

Shares of Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRA - Get Free Report) passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Wednesday. The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $3.74 and traded as high as $5.80. Vera Bradley shares last traded at $5.63, with a volume of 486,319 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have commented on VRA shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Vera Bradley in a research report on Friday, September 11th. Zacks Research upgraded Vera Bradley from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Vera Bradley from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, September 19th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Vera Bradley has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy".

Vera Bradley Price Performance

The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $3.87 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $3.74. The firm has a market capitalization of $161.52 million, a P/E ratio of -15.22 and a beta of 1.50.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, September 15th. The textile maker reported $0.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.08) by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $71.65 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $65.95 million. Vera Bradley had a negative return on equity of 3.80% and a negative net margin of 3.66%. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned ($0.17) EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Vera Bradley, Inc. will post -0.22 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Vera Bradley

In related news, Director Ivan Brockman purchased 10,000 shares of Vera Bradley stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 6th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $5.02 per share, for a total transaction of $50,200.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 12,500 shares of the company's stock, valued at $62,750. This trade represents a 400.00% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 14.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vera Bradley

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in VRA. Engineers Gate Manager LP bought a new position in shares of Vera Bradley during the 2nd quarter worth about $39,000. Algert Global LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter valued at about $51,000. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. bought a new stake in Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter valued at about $158,000. GSA Capital Partners LLP bought a new stake in Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter valued at about $232,000. Finally, Squarepoint Ops LLC bought a new stake in Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter valued at about $327,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.88% of the company's stock.

About Vera Bradley

Vera Bradley, Inc is a lifestyle company that designs and markets handbags, travel items, accessories, gifts and related products. Its namesake Vera Bradley brand is known for colorful, patterned products, including bags, wallets, apparel, home goods and other accessories.

The company also operates the Pura Vida brand, which offers jewelry, bracelets and lifestyle accessories. Pura Vida products are sold through the brand's digital channels, retail locations and wholesale partners, while Vera Bradley products are distributed through the company's website, branded stores, outlet stores and third-party retailers.

Vera Bradley was founded in 1982 by Barbara Baekgaard and Patricia Miller and is headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

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