Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRA) Short Interest Down 20.8% in January

Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRA) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 1,396,895 shares, a decrease of 20.8% from the December 31st total of 1,763,994 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 534,503 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.6 days. Approximately 5.6% of the shares of the company are short sold. Approximately 5.6% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 534,503 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.6 days.

Vera Bradley Price Performance

Vera Bradley stock traded up $0.07 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $2.40. 165,093 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 405,314. The stock has a market capitalization of $67.08 million, a P/E ratio of -0.69 and a beta of 1.78. The business’s 50-day moving average is $2.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $2.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 2.52. Vera Bradley has a 12 month low of $1.39 and a 12 month high of $3.95.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The textile maker reported ($0.04) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.11) by $0.07. Vera Bradley had a negative return on equity of 18.30% and a negative net margin of 34.23%.The business had revenue of $62.25 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $61.69 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned ($0.27) EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Vera Bradley will post -0.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on VRA. Zacks Research cut Vera Bradley from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Vera Bradley from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Sunday, October 26th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Vera Bradley in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Vera Bradley has a consensus rating of “Sell”.

Insider Transactions at Vera Bradley

In related news, Director Andrew Meslow acquired 50,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $1.93 per share, with a total value of $96,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 600,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,158,000. This represents a 9.09% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 12.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of VRA. Catalyst Funds Management Pty Ltd bought a new position in Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. bought a new position in Vera Bradley in the second quarter valued at about $26,000. Jump Financial LLC bought a new position in Vera Bradley in the second quarter valued at about $28,000. Williams & Novak LLC increased its position in Vera Bradley by 48.3% in the second quarter. Williams & Novak LLC now owns 20,170 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 6,565 shares during the period. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd bought a new stake in Vera Bradley during the 3rd quarter worth about $49,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.88% of the company’s stock.

Vera Bradley Company Profile

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.