Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) Stock Crosses Above 200-Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Price action: Vera Bradley shares crossed above their 200-day moving average ($2.73), trading as high as $4.28 and last at $3.99, though the stock was down about 6.3% on the day.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed: Zacks upgraded to a Hold and Wall Street Zen to a Buy, but MarketBeat shows a consensus rating of "Reduce" (two Holds, one Sell).
• Financials and ownership: The company beat quarterly EPS ($0.09 vs. $0.01) and revenue estimates but remains unprofitable (negative net margin ~17.7% and negative ROE), has a market cap of ~$111.6M, and roughly 60% institutional ownership after recent inflows from several funds.

Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRA - Get Free Report) shares passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $2.73 and traded as high as $4.28. Vera Bradley shares last traded at $3.99, with a volume of 209,094 shares trading hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on VRA. Zacks Research raised shares of Vera Bradley from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Vera Bradley from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, April 11th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Reduce".

Vera Bradley Trading Down 6.3%

The company has a market cap of $111.60 million, a PE ratio of -2.32 and a beta of 1.59. The company's 50 day moving average is $3.25 and its 200 day moving average is $2.73.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 12th. The textile maker reported $0.09 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.01 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $84.89 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $79.73 million. Vera Bradley had a negative net margin of 17.74% and a negative return on equity of 12.00%. Analysts expect that Vera Bradley, Inc. will post -0.34 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Nomura Holdings Inc. increased its position in Vera Bradley by 15.2% during the 3rd quarter. Nomura Holdings Inc. now owns 1,846,432 shares of the textile maker's stock valued at $3,711,000 after purchasing an additional 243,900 shares during the period. Peapod Lane Capital LLC increased its position in Vera Bradley by 14.4% during the 4th quarter. Peapod Lane Capital LLC now owns 875,893 shares of the textile maker's stock valued at $2,120,000 after purchasing an additional 110,485 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its position in Vera Bradley by 21.5% during the 3rd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 542,579 shares of the textile maker's stock valued at $1,091,000 after purchasing an additional 96,044 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP increased its position in Vera Bradley by 133.2% during the 4th quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 467,127 shares of the textile maker's stock valued at $1,130,000 after purchasing an additional 266,785 shares during the period. Finally, Impala Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Vera Bradley during the 4th quarter valued at about $976,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 59.88% of the company's stock.

About Vera Bradley

Vera Bradley, Inc NASDAQ: VRA is a lifestyle and accessories designer specializing in colorful, patterned handbags, luggage, travel accessories and coordinated home décor. Founded in 1982 by Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, the company first gained recognition for its quilted cotton bags sold at craft shows before expanding into an established fashion brand. Headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Vera Bradley has built a reputation for distinctive prints and functional design aimed primarily at women's casual and travel needs.

The company's product portfolio includes day bags, weekenders, backpacks, wallets, and organizational cases, as well as an expanding range of travel gear such as rolling luggage and travel pouches.

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