Citigroup Issues Pessimistic Forecast for National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) Stock Price

National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) had its price target dropped by equities research analysts at Citigroup from $39.00 to $35.00 in a research report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the stock. Citigroup’s target price points to a potential upside of 83.73% from the company’s previous close.

EYE has been the subject of a number of other reports. Roth Capital reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $27.00 price target on shares of National Vision in a report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on National Vision from $22.00 to $21.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. Barclays decreased their target price on National Vision from $38.00 to $27.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $34.00 price target on shares of National Vision in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Bank of America decreased their price objective on National Vision from $35.00 to $30.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $30.36.

National Vision Stock Down 2.4%

Shares of EYE stock traded down $0.46 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $19.05. 3,133,659 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,813,113. The business’s fifty day moving average is $19.48 and its two-hundred day moving average is $22.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.42, a P/E/G ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 1.02. National Vision has a 12-month low of $14.75 and a 12-month high of $30.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 0.62 and a quick ratio of 0.37.

National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 12th. The company reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.18 by $0.07. National Vision had a net margin of 2.31% and a return on equity of 6.41%. The company had revenue of $498.81 million during the quarter. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.18 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that National Vision will post 0.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of National Vision

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in EYE. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of National Vision by 80.4% in the fourth quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. now owns 252,697 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,699,000 after acquiring an additional 112,606 shares in the last quarter. Hussman Strategic Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in National Vision in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $2,711,000. Pier Capital LLC increased its position in National Vision by 111.1% during the 4th quarter. Pier Capital LLC now owns 313,565 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,096,000 after purchasing an additional 165,049 shares during the period. Intech Investment Management LLC increased its position in National Vision by 33.9% during the 4th quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 152,401 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,935,000 after purchasing an additional 38,585 shares during the period. Finally, Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. raised its stake in shares of National Vision by 23.2% during the 4th quarter. Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. now owns 1,204,444 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,099,000 after buying an additional 226,919 shares in the last quarter.

National Vision News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: National Vision reported second-quarter adjusted earnings of $0.25 per share, above estimates of approximately $0.17-$0.18 and up from $0.18 a year earlier. Revenue reached $498.8 million, increasing 2.6% year over year and exceeding consensus expectations. National Vision Surpasses Q2 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Operating performance improved, with an expanded operating margin, and management raised its 2026 profit outlook. The company now projects $119 million to $139 million in adjusted operating income, providing a supportive signal for earnings growth. National Vision 2026 Operating Income Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: The earnings release and presentation show modest overall sales growth, but investors are assessing whether the earnings beat reflects sustainable improvement or cost and mix benefits. National Vision Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Management narrowed its 2026 comparable-store sales outlook to 3%-5%, signaling less confidence in near-term consumer demand. Reports also highlighted a loss of higher-paying self-pay customers, which can weigh on revenue quality and profitability. National Vision Customer Mix Report
• Negative Sentiment: Gross-margin pressure remains a concern even though operating margins expanded. The combination of lower-margin customer mix, cautious comparable-sales guidance and questions about sales momentum appears to be outweighing the quarterly earnings and revenue beats. National Vision Stock Reaction to Q2 Results

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.