Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL) Sets New 1-Year Low – Here’s What Happened

Vital Farms, Inc. (NASDAQ:VITL) shares hit a new 52-week low during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $25.51 and last traded at $25.80, with a volume of 1652864 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.15.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently commented on VITL shares. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Vital Farms in a research note on Monday, December 29th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Vital Farms from $60.00 to $50.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on Vital Farms from $48.00 to $45.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $52.00 target price on shares of Vital Farms in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Finally, DA Davidson set a $47.00 price target on shares of Vital Farms and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Vital Farms presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $49.91.

Vital Farms Stock Down 1.3%

The company has a market capitalization of $1.16 billion, a PE ratio of 19.55 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 2.15 and a current ratio of 2.65. The company’s 50-day moving average is $30.32 and its 200 day moving average is $37.26.

Insider Activity at Vital Farms

In other news, insider Matthew Ohayer sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.85, for a total transaction of $771,250.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 6,361,190 shares in the company, valued at $196,242,711.50. This represents a 0.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Russell Diez-Canseco sold 16,734 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.05, for a total transaction of $586,526.70. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 649,684 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $22,771,424.20. This trade represents a 2.51% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders sold 91,734 shares of company stock worth $2,921,477. Insiders own 21.30% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vital Farms during the third quarter valued at $28,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC raised its position in Vital Farms by 4,382.6% in the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,031 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 1,008 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in Vital Farms by 225.6% during the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,452 shares of the company’s stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 1,006 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in Vital Farms during the 3rd quarter valued at about $55,000. Finally, State of Wyoming purchased a new stake in shares of Vital Farms during the 4th quarter valued at about $66,000. 98.59% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Vital Farms

Vital Farms, traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol VITL, is a U.S.-based food company specializing in pasture-raised egg and dairy products. The company partners with a network of family farms across the United States to produce eggs, butter and related items under a certified humane, pasture-centric farming model. Vital Farms’ supply chain emphasizes animal welfare, environmental stewardship and transparent sourcing, appealing to consumers seeking ethically produced, high-quality ingredients.

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Vital Farms began by marketing pasture-raised eggs to health- and ethically minded shoppers.