Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRA) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest

Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRA) saw a large increase in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 2,077,100 shares, an increase of 25.6% from the November 30th total of 1,653,179 shares. Approximately 8.3% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 1,360,729 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.5 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,360,729 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.5 days. Approximately 8.3% of the shares of the company are sold short.

Insider Transactions at Vera Bradley

In other Vera Bradley news, Director Andrew Meslow purchased 50,000 shares of Vera Bradley stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 15th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $1.93 per share, for a total transaction of $96,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 600,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,158,000. This trade represents a 9.09% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 10.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Vera Bradley

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Catalyst Funds Management Pty Ltd bought a new position in shares of Vera Bradley in the second quarter worth about $25,000. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. bought a new position in Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Jump Financial LLC bought a new position in Vera Bradley in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Vera Bradley in the first quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Fortis Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vera Bradley during the first quarter worth $29,000. 59.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Vera Bradley Trading Up 1.9%

VRA opened at $2.20 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $61.50 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.63 and a beta of 1.75. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 2.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. Vera Bradley has a twelve month low of $1.39 and a twelve month high of $4.01. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $2.40 and a 200 day simple moving average of $2.22.

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on VRA. Wall Street Zen lowered Vera Bradley from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Sunday, October 26th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Vera Bradley in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Reduce”.

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.