Why Is National Vision (EYE) Up 3% Since Last Earnings Report?

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for National Vision (EYE). Shares have added about 3% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.But investors have to be wondering, will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is National Vision due for a pullback? Well, first let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for National Vision Holdings, Inc. before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late.National Vision Tops Q1 Earnings & Revenue EstimatesNational Vision Holdings, Inc. posted first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 45 cents per share, up 32.4% year over year. The bottom line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.7%.Quarterly net revenues were $543.9 million, up 6.6% from the year-ago period’s level. The figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by about 0.2%. Higher average ticket and continued strength in the managed care cohort helped drive adjusted comparable store sales growth of 4.5% in the quarter.EYE’s Sales Lift Reflects Unearned Revenue TimingEYE’s top-line growth can be attributed to a combination of underlying demand and accounting timing. Revenue growth was driven by stronger results in its core business and a positive 2.0% impact from the timing of unearned revenues.National Vision’s Brand Trends Remain Broadly PositiveWithin the Owned & Host segment, performance was positive across key banners. America’s Best comparable sales rose 4.4% year over year, while Eyeglass World comparable sales improved 5.2%.Other channels also contributed. Military comparable sales increased 2.2% and the Fred Meyer host business posted 4.7% growth, pointing to solid execution across formats.EYE’s MarginOn a consolidated basis, gross profit in the first quarter increased 6.4% year over year to $324.7 million, driven by higher revenues of $543.9 million. Gross margin was 59.7%, edging down about 8 bps from the prior-year quarter’s level, as costs applicable to revenues rose 6.8% to $219.1 million.SG&A expenses rose 0.2%  marginally to $256.1 million. Operating income climbed to $45.2 million, translating into an operating margin of 8.3%, which expanded roughly 320 bps year over year.EYE Financial DetailsNational Vision ended the first quarter of 2026 with cash and cash equivalents of $67.9 million compared with $38.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.Net cash provided by operating activities for the quarter totaled $61.7 million compared with $32.2 million in the prior-year period.National Vision Reiterates 2026 Targets For 2026, net revenues are projected to be in the range of $2.03-$2.09 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the metric is currently pegged at $2.06 billion.  Adjusted earnings per share is estimated to be between 85 cents and $1.09. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is currently pegged at 94 cents.How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in estimates revision.The consensus estimate has shifted -26.32% due to these changes.VGM ScoresAt this time, National Vision has a strong Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock has a score of B on the value side, putting it in the top 40% for value investors.Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.OutlookEstimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. It's no surprise National Vision has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months.Performance of an Industry PlayerNational Vision is part of the Zacks Consumer Products - Staples industry. Over the past month, Church & Dwight (CHD), a stock from the same industry, has gained 2.6%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended March 2026 more than a month ago.Church & Dwight reported revenues of $1.47 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +0.1%. EPS of $0.95 for the same period compares with $0.91 a year ago.For the current quarter, Church & Dwight is expected to post earnings of $0.91 per share, indicating a change of -3.2% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.9% over the last 30 days.Church & Dwight has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) based on the overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions. Additionally, the stock has a VGM Score of C.Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is HereThe AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. AI’s second wave is moving from infrastructure to implementation and these companies are at the forefront of this transition, positioned to become what Amazon and Google were to the internet era.See Stocks Now >>This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks