National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) Trading Down 8.7% – Time to Sell?

National Vision Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:EYE) shares were down 8.7% on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $20.06 and last traded at $20.1380. Approximately 640,671 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 64% from the average session volume of 1,769,737 shares. The stock had previously closed at $22.06.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently issued reports on EYE. Weiss Ratings upgraded National Vision from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on National Vision from $30.00 to $20.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on National Vision from $30.00 to $22.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Roth Capital set a $25.00 price target on National Vision in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Finally, UBS Group cut their price objective on shares of National Vision from $42.00 to $36.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $30.82.

National Vision Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $1.62 billion, a PE ratio of 35.40, a PEG ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a current ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $19.42 and its 200-day moving average price is $22.76.

National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 13th. The company reported $0.45 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.43 by $0.02. National Vision had a return on equity of 6.41% and a net margin of 2.31%.The business had revenue of $543.88 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $545.09 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.34 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that National Vision Holdings, Inc. will post 0.58 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Vision

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

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.