Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) Share Price Crosses Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average – Here’s What Happened

Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRA)’s stock price passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $2.34 and traded as high as $2.90. Vera Bradley shares last traded at $2.81, with a volume of 104,775 shares.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

VRA has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Vera Bradley from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Sunday, October 26th. Zacks Research raised Vera Bradley from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Vera Bradley has a consensus rating of “Reduce”.

Vera Bradley Stock Down 2.4%

The company has a market cap of $78.54 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.80 and a beta of 1.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 2.52. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $2.57 and its two-hundred day moving average is $2.34.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The textile maker reported ($0.04) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.11) by $0.07. The business had revenue of $62.25 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $61.69 million. Vera Bradley had a negative return on equity of 18.30% and a negative net margin of 34.23%.During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned ($0.27) EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Vera Bradley, Inc. will post -0.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Vera Bradley

In related news, Director Andrew Meslow purchased 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 15th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $1.93 per share, with a total value of $96,500.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 600,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,158,000. This represents a 9.09% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 12.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Vera Bradley

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Impala Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Vera Bradley during the fourth quarter valued at about $976,000. Marshall Wace LLP increased its stake in Vera Bradley by 133.2% in the 4th quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 467,127 shares of the textile maker’s stock valued at $1,130,000 after buying an additional 266,785 shares during the last quarter. Nomura Holdings Inc. lifted its position in shares of Vera Bradley by 15.2% during the 3rd quarter. Nomura Holdings Inc. now owns 1,846,432 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $3,711,000 after buying an additional 243,900 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vera Bradley by 161.6% in the 4th quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 294,195 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $712,000 after buying an additional 181,750 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Peapod Lane Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vera Bradley by 14.4% in the fourth quarter. Peapod Lane Capital LLC now owns 875,893 shares of the textile maker’s stock valued at $2,120,000 after acquiring an additional 110,485 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 59.88% of the company’s stock.

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.