Analysts Estimate Vital Farms (VITL) to Report a Decline in Earnings: What to Look Out for

Core Viewpoint - Vital Farms (VITL) is anticipated to report a year-over-year decline in earnings despite an increase in revenues for the quarter ending December 2024, with the actual results being crucial for the stock's near-term price movement [1][2]. Earnings Expectations - The consensus estimate for Vital Farms' quarterly earnings is $0.16 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of 5.9$160.23 million, representing an 18% increase from the previous year [3]. - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised down by 9.3% over the last 30 days, indicating a reassessment by analysts [4]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP model suggests that the Most Accurate Estimate for Vital Farms is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of +8.97%, indicating a potential for a positive earnings surprise [10][11]. - However, the stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 4, which complicates the prediction of an earnings beat [11]. Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, Vital Farms exceeded the expected earnings of $0.14 per share by delivering$0.16, resulting in a surprise of +14.29% [12]. - Over the past four quarters, the company has consistently beaten consensus EPS estimates [13]. Conclusion - While Vital Farms does not appear to be a strong candidate for an earnings beat, it is essential for investors to consider other factors influencing stock performance ahead of the earnings release [16].