Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) Rating Increased to Buy at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Sunday morning.

Separately, Zacks Research raised shares of Vera Bradley from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce”.

Vera Bradley Price Performance

Shares of VRA opened at $4.14 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $117.74 million, a PE ratio of -2.41 and a beta of 1.70. The company’s 50-day moving average is $3.46 and its 200-day moving average is $2.85. Vera Bradley has a fifty-two week low of $1.39 and a fifty-two week high of $4.39.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 12th. The textile maker reported $0.09 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.01 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $84.89 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $79.73 million. Vera Bradley had a negative net margin of 17.74% and a negative return on equity of 12.00%. Analysts predict that Vera Bradley will post -0.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vera Bradley

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Jump Financial LLC bought a new position in Vera Bradley during the second quarter worth about $28,000. Emissary Wealth LLC bought a new position in Vera Bradley during the fourth quarter worth about $51,000. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd acquired a new stake in Vera Bradley during the third quarter worth about $49,000. Simplex Trading LLC grew its stake in Vera Bradley by 55.0% during the fourth quarter. Simplex Trading LLC now owns 35,083 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $85,000 after buying an additional 12,442 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LLC grew its stake in Vera Bradley by 266.8% during the second quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 41,000 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $91,000 after buying an additional 29,823 shares in the last quarter. 59.88% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.