National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) Reaches New 52-Week Low After Analyst Downgrade

National Vision Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:EYE)’s share price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Thursday after Citigroup lowered their price target on the stock from $40.00 to $39.00. Citigroup currently has a buy rating on the stock. National Vision traded as low as $14.75 and last traded at $16.92, with a volume of 13323034 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $20.94.

Several other analysts have also recently commented on EYE. Zacks Research cut National Vision from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Roth Mkm set a $25.00 target price on National Vision in a report on Thursday. Guggenheim boosted their price target on National Vision from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Bank of America cut their target price on National Vision from $35.00 to $30.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised National Vision from a “sell (d-)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $29.23.

Insider Activity

In related news, Chairman L Reade Fahs sold 7,601 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.58, for a total transaction of $224,837.58. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman owned 694,880 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $20,554,550.40. This trade represents a 1.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 2.40% of the company’s stock.

Key National Vision News

Here are the key news stories impacting National Vision this week:

• Positive Sentiment: National Vision reported first-quarter earnings and revenue that beat estimates, with same-store sales up 4.5% and operating margin expanding by 320 basis points, reinforcing the view that its turnaround is gaining traction. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: The company reiterated its 2026 guidance, suggesting management remains confident in its outlook despite a mixed revenue print and ongoing macro pressure. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup lowered its price target to $39 from $40 while keeping a buy rating, and other firms also trimmed targets, including Wells Fargo to $20 and Bank of America to $30; the cuts were notable, but all implied meaningful upside from the current share price. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: A securities-law investigation announced by Johnson Fistel could create some overhang on the stock if investor concerns or legal risk intensify. Article Title

Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Vision

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of EYE. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its stake in National Vision by 4.4% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 46,257 shares of the company’s stock worth $591,000 after acquiring an additional 1,948 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its stake in National Vision by 6.0% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 235,125 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,005,000 after acquiring an additional 13,384 shares in the last quarter. Creative Planning purchased a new stake in National Vision in the 2nd quarter worth about $395,000. Walleye Capital LLC lifted its stake in National Vision by 29.4% in the 2nd quarter. Walleye Capital LLC now owns 27,127 shares of the company’s stock worth $624,000 after acquiring an additional 6,170 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cerity Partners LLC lifted its stake in National Vision by 13.8% in the 2nd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 16,887 shares of the company’s stock worth $389,000 after acquiring an additional 2,049 shares in the last quarter.

National Vision Stock Performance

The firm has a 50 day moving average of $24.84 and a 200-day moving average of $26.30. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.40 billion, a PE ratio of 30.61, a P/E/G ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 1.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a current ratio of 0.62.

National Vision (NASDAQ:EYE) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 13th. The company reported $0.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.43 by $0.02. National Vision had a return on equity of 6.41% and a net margin of 2.31%.The firm had revenue of $543.88 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $545.09 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.34 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. National Vision has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.850-1.090 EPS. Research analysts forecast that National Vision Holdings, Inc. will post 0.66 earnings per share for the current year.

About National Vision

National Vision Holdings, Inc is an American optical retailer specializing in accessible vision care and eyewear. The company operates under multiple retail banners, offering comprehensive eye health services and a wide range of optical products. Since its founding in the early 1990s, National Vision has focused on providing value-driven solutions, targeting underserved and price‐conscious consumer segments.

Through its primary retail brands—including America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Eyeglass World, Optical America and Vista Optical—National Vision delivers services such as comprehensive eye examinations, prescription eyewear, contact lenses, sunglasses and lens accessories.