Vital Farms, Inc. (NASDAQ:VITL) Short Interest Down 35.0% in June

Key Points

• Short interest in Vital Farms fell sharply in June, dropping 35% to 7.41 million shares as of June 30, which equals about 18% of the float and a 2.3-day short-interest ratio.
• Insiders have been buying shares, including purchases by Stephanie Coon and Director Glenda J. Flanagan in May, bringing three-month insider buying to 38,700 shares worth about $320,864.
• The stock remains under pressure despite revenue growth: VITL opened at $13.18, below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, while its latest earnings missed EPS expectations even as revenue rose 15.4% year over year.

Vital Farms, Inc. (NASDAQ:VITL - Get Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest in June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totaling 7,412,289 shares, a decrease of 35.0% from the June 15th total of 11,401,769 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 3,197,113 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.3 days. Approximately 18.0% of the company's shares are short sold.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Stephanie Coon acquired 5,895 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 15th. The shares were bought at an average price of $8.42 per share, for a total transaction of $49,635.90. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider directly owned 62,314 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $524,683.88. This trade represents a 10.45% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Glenda J. Flanagan purchased 6,100 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 18th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $8.33 per share, with a total value of $50,813.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 37,498 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $312,358.34. This represents a 19.43% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders purchased 38,700 shares of company stock valued at $320,864. 3.90% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of VITL. Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in Vital Farms in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Quarry LP bought a new position in Vital Farms in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its position 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 valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,008 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in shares of Vital Farms by 196.7% during the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 3,367 shares of the company's stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 2,232 shares during the period. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Vital Farms by 225.6% in the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,452 shares of the company's stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 1,006 shares during the last quarter. 98.59% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Vital Farms Trading Down 3.0%

Shares of NASDAQ:VITL opened at $13.18 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $564.76 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.67 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. Vital Farms has a 12 month low of $7.95 and a 12 month high of $53.13. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $10.70 and its 200 day simple moving average is $17.47.

Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported ($0.03) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.09 by ($0.12). The business had revenue of $187.16 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $182.40 million. Vital Farms had a return on equity of 14.47% and a net margin of 6.10%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up 15.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.37 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Vital Farms will post -0.46 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on VITL. TD Cowen downgraded shares of Vital Farms from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and cut their price target for the company from $25.00 to $16.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Wall Street Zen lowered Vital Farms from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 9th. Needham & Company LLC lowered their target price on shares of Vital Farms from $20.00 to $13.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 11th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Vital Farms from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, Mizuho set a $20.00 price target on Vital Farms in a report on Monday, May 4th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $24.08.

Vital Farms Company Profile

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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