Vital Farms, Inc. (NASDAQ:VITL) Given Consensus Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by Brokerages

Key Points

• Analysts give Vital Farms a consensus "Moderate Buy" from 14 firms with an average 1‑year target of $37.42, yet shares trade at about $13.13, and several brokers have recently cut targets (e.g., Morgan Stanley to $24, Needham to $20), highlighting a wide gap between analyst targets and current price.
• In the latest quarter Vital Farms reported $0.35 EPS (missed $0.38) while revenue rose 28.6% year‑over‑year; the company trades at a P/E of 9.12 and has a market cap near $588 million.
• Multiple law firms have filed or are soliciting plaintiffs in a securities class action alleging inadequate disclosures (notably ERP/system risks), creating litigation, reputational and potential financial downside for the stock.

Vital Farms, Inc. (NASDAQ:VITL - Get Free Report) has received an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the fourteen ratings firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $37.4167.

Several analysts recently issued reports on VITL shares. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "equal weight" rating and set a $24.00 price objective (down from $45.00) on shares of Vital Farms in a report on Friday, February 27th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Vital Farms from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Benchmark cut shares of Vital Farms from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Needham & Company LLC cut their price objective on Vital Farms from $35.00 to $20.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Mizuho decreased their target price on Vital Farms from $48.00 to $40.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 2nd.

Vital Farms Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ VITL opened at $13.13 on Wednesday. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $17.87 and its 200-day simple moving average is $27.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 1.61 and a current ratio of 2.16. Vital Farms has a 52 week low of $12.12 and a 52 week high of $53.13. The firm has a market cap of $588.22 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.12 and a beta of 1.35.

Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.38 by ($0.03). Vital Farms had a return on equity of 20.69% and a net margin of 8.73%.The company had revenue of $213.55 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $212.83 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.23 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 28.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Vital Farms will post 0.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Karl Khoury bought 5,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $18.45 per share, with a total value of $92,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 119,789 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,210,107.05. The trade was a 4.36% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, major shareholder Matthew Ohayer sold 20,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.33, for a total transaction of $406,600.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 6,321,190 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $128,509,792.70. The trade was a 0.32% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 21.30% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in Vital Farms during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Quarry LP acquired a new position in Vital Farms in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vital Farms in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vital Farms by 4,382.6% during the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,031 shares of the company's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,008 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Vital Farms by 225.6% during the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,452 shares of the company's stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 1,006 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 98.59% of the company's stock.

Vital Farms News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Vital Farms this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Stifel Nicolaus cut its price target from $39 to $34 but kept a "buy" rating, signaling the analyst still sees material upside vs. the current share price — a vote of confidence from an institutional analyst that can support demand from growth/value-oriented investors. Stifel target cut / Benzinga
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks and market reports note Vital Farms' intraday uptick to $13.13, reflecting short-term buying interest but still far below prior highs; volume was roughly in line with average, so today's move looks modest rather than a strong trend change. Zacks: Vital Farms Ascends
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms (Rosen, Pomerantz, Schall, Faruqi & Faruqi, Levi & Korsinsky, Robbins, Bronstein Gewirtz & Grossman, Gross, DJS and others) have filed or are soliciting plaintiffs in a securities class action covering purchases from May 8, 2025 through Feb 26, 2026, with lead‑plaintiff deadlines around May 26, 2026. Allegations include inadequate disclosures (notably around ERP/system risk warnings), which raises litigation risk, potential monetary damages, management distraction and reputational harm — all downside catalysts for the stock. Representative notices: Pomerantz investor alert Rosen Law Firm notice Levi & Korsinsky: disclosure scrutiny

About Vital Farms

Vital Farms, traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol VITL, is a U.S.-based food company specializing in pasture-raised egg and dairy products. The company partners with a network of family farms across the United States to produce eggs, butter and related items under a certified humane, pasture-centric farming model. Vital Farms' supply chain emphasizes animal welfare, environmental stewardship and transparent sourcing, appealing to consumers seeking ethically produced, high-quality ingredients.

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Vital Farms began by marketing pasture-raised eggs to health- and ethically minded shoppers.

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