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

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

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

Vera Bradley Stock Up 3.0%

Shares of NASDAQ VRA opened at $2.40 on Monday. 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 1 year low of $1.39 and a 1 year high of $3.95. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $2.51 and its 200-day simple moving average is $2.29. The firm has a market cap of $67.08 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.69 and a beta of 1.80.

Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The textile maker reported ($0.04) earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 firm had revenue of $62.25 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $61.69 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned ($0.27) EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Vera Bradley will post -0.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vera Bradley

In other news, Director Andrew Meslow bought 250,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 12th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $1.98 per share, for a total transaction of $495,000.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 550,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,089,000. This trade represents a 83.33% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 10.50% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Catalyst Funds Management Pty Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Vera Bradley during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Jump Financial LLC bought a new position in Vera Bradley during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Williams & Novak LLC lifted its holdings in Vera Bradley by 48.3% during the 2nd quarter. Williams & Novak LLC now owns 20,170 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 6,565 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Vera Bradley in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $49,000. 59.88% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.