Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE:VIPS) Short Interest Down 18.3% in March

Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE:VIPS) saw a large decline in short interest in the month of March. As of March 13th, there was short interest totaling 5,195,163 shares, a decline of 18.3% from the February 26th total of 6,361,606 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 2,161,711 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.4 days. Approximately 1.4% of the company’s shares are sold short.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on VIPS shares. Zacks Research upgraded Vipshop from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Vipshop from $22.00 to $21.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Vipshop in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Vipshop from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, January 4th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Vipshop in a research report on Friday. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $20.48.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vipshop

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Arax Advisory Partners grew its position in shares of Vipshop by 96.8% in the 4th quarter. Arax Advisory Partners now owns 1,407 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 692 shares during the period. Richardson Financial Services Inc. lifted its position in Vipshop by 153.8% during the 4th quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 2,063 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 1,250 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its stake in Vipshop by 8,472.0% during the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 2,143 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 2,118 shares in the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its holdings in Vipshop by 575.5% in the third quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 2,925 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $57,000 after purchasing an additional 2,492 shares during the period. Finally, Cooper Investors PTY Ltd. purchased a new stake in Vipshop in the fourth quarter worth about $58,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 48.82% of the company’s stock.

Vipshop Price Performance

VIPS traded down $0.68 on Wednesday, hitting $15.04. The company had a trading volume of 852,034 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,156,148. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $16.79 and a 200-day simple moving average of $18.19. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 0.67. Vipshop has a 52-week low of $12.14 and a 52-week high of $21.08.

Vipshop Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared an annual dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 24th. Investors of record on Friday, April 10th will be paid a $0.62 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 10th. This is a positive change from Vipshop’s previous annual dividend of $0.43. This represents a yield of 342.0%. Vipshop’s payout ratio is currently 24.12%.

About Vipshop

Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE:VIPS) is a leading online discount retailer in China, offering high-quality branded products at competitive prices through a time-limited, flash-sales model. The company provides consumers with access to a rotating selection of merchandise, combining the excitement of limited-time offers with curated brand partnerships to drive customer engagement and loyalty.

Vipshop’s platform features a diverse range of product categories, including apparel, footwear, cosmetics, home furnishings, digital electronics and other lifestyle goods.