Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI – Get Free Report) and Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA – Get Free Report) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, profitability, risk, earnings, dividends and valuation.
Volatility and Risk
Levi Strauss & Co. has a beta of 1.3, indicating that its share price is 30% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Vera Bradley has a beta of 1.45, indicating that its share price is 45% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for Levi Strauss & Co. and Vera Bradley, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Levi Strauss & Co. | 0 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 2.86 |
| Vera Bradley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.50 |
Levi Strauss & Co. presently has a consensus target price of $26.92, indicating a potential upside of 10.88%. Given Levi Strauss & Co.’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts clearly believe Levi Strauss & Co. is more favorable than Vera Bradley.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
69.1% of Levi Strauss & Co. shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 59.9% of Vera Bradley shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.1% of Levi Strauss & Co. shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 14.3% of Vera Bradley shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Profitability
This table compares Levi Strauss & Co. and Vera Bradley’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Levi Strauss & Co. | 8.83% | 27.40% | 9.31% |
| Vera Bradley | -3.66% | -3.80% | -2.11% |
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Levi Strauss & Co. and Vera Bradley”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Levi Strauss & Co. | $6.28 billion | 1.48 | $578.10 million | $1.50 | 16.19 |
| Vera Bradley | $269.65 million | 0.81 | -$47.84 million | ($0.37) | -20.53 |
Levi Strauss & Co. has higher revenue and earnings than Vera Bradley. Vera Bradley is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Levi Strauss & Co., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Summary
Levi Strauss & Co. beats Vera Bradley on 12 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co. is a global apparel company best known for its Levi’s denim jeans. Founded in 1853 by Levi Strauss, the company has grown from a San Francisco dry-goods business into a designer, marketer and distributor of jeans, casual apparel and related accessories. Its portfolio includes the Levi’s, Dockers and Beyond Yoga brands. Products are sold through wholesale partners and the company’s own retail stores and e-commerce channels in markets around the world. Michelle Gass became president and chief executive officer in January 2024.
About Vera Bradley
Vera Bradley, Inc. is an American lifestyle and accessories company known for products featuring colorful prints and patterns. Founded in 1982 in Indiana by Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, the company was named after Baekgaard’s mother. The company designs and sells handbags, luggage and travel accessories, along with wallets, apparel, jewelry and other lifestyle products. Its merchandise is sold through its e-commerce business, company-operated retail and outlet stores, and wholesale partners.
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