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RDVTRed Violet, Inc.Hold5.7·$66.17-1.59%
RDVT · Why this verdict

Why Red Violet (RDVT) is rated HOLD

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictHOLD
Overall score5.7/10
ConfidenceMEDIUM
MacroNEUTRAL

Thesis pillars

Red Violet trades at a rich valuation — a 40.3x forward P/E and a PEG ratio of 1.61 — meaning the market is already pricing in continued strong growth, leaving little room for error.

Stable
Valuation breakdown
Expectation
The PEG ratio should stay near or below 1.6 as earnings growth catches up to the multiple, rather than the multiple compressing.

CounterA PEG above 1.5 combined with a 40x forward P/E leaves the stock vulnerable to a sharp de-rating if growth decelerates even modestly.

The engine flags a leverage penalty from a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.6, adding balance-sheet risk on top of an already rich valuation and reducing the margin of safety if growth slows.

Stable
Bear case
Expectation
Debt-to-equity should decline from 2.6x or at minimum not increase further over the next several quarters.

CounterIf the debt funds high-return growth investments, leverage may be a rational and value-accretive choice rather than a red flag.

Insiders have sold notably — $2.64 million over 90 days, 0.286% of market cap — a bearish signal that compounds the valuation and asymmetry concerns.

Stable
Insider breakdown
Expectation
Insider selling should moderate from current levels rather than accelerate, signaling insiders still see value in the shares.

CounterAt a company with a concentrated founder/insider ownership base, routine diversification sales are common and may carry limited signal about the business outlook.

The company has beaten estimates in 3 of its last 4 quarters with an average surprise of 38.1%, and the next report is 32 days away, providing a concrete near-term catalyst for the bull case.

Stable
Avg surprise pct
Expectation
The beat streak should continue at the next print with a positive surprise.

CounterSuch a large average surprise raises the bar for future quarters and increases the risk that a smaller-than-usual beat is read by the market as a disappointment.

The V9 engine shows the stock has already run 17.6% past its analyst-target take-profit, turning the asymmetry ratio negative (-1.17) and signaling that the near-term risk/reward has become unfavorable at current prices.

Stable
Estimated upside
Expectation
The asymmetry ratio should recover above 1.5 through either a price pullback or an analyst target upgrade before this becomes a fresh buy.

CounterContinued earnings beats could prompt analysts to raise price targets faster than the stock appreciates, restoring favorable asymmetry without any price decline.

TrendMatrix Research · core thesis

Engine thesis — one sentence

Red Violet's strong earnings-beat streak supports its growth story, but the stock's rich valuation, high leverage, notable insider selling, and an already-negative asymmetry reading suggest the near-term risk/reward has turned unfavorable after running past its analyst target.

Falsifiable statement — pillar-level invalidators below. Engine-derived; not personalized advice.

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

3.2/10data confidence 67%
ComponentSub-score
P/E1.5
P/S3.2
Fwd P/E2.7
PEG4.8
  • Forward P/E: 42.3x
  • PEG: 1.69

Quality

7.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROE4.8
ROA5.9
Gross margin10.0
Op margin8.8
Net margin7.5
Current ratio5.0
FCF quality6.4
Moat8.4
Rule of 405.5
Piotroski F10.0
  • Wide economic moat
  • Compounder quality: strong returns + growth
  • Strong Piotroski F-Score: 9/9

Growth

7.0/10data confidence 67%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth6.9
EPS growth7.0

Momentum

7.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI4.1
MACD10.0
OBV10.0
MA position9.0
Volume3.1
  • Overbought (RSI 78)
  • Volume accumulation (rising OBV)
  • Above 200-day MA

Sentiment

5.4/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
Analyst rating6.4
Price target4.4
erm sentiment5.0
  • Light analyst coverage (2.0) — signal dampened

Insider

4.0/10data confidence 75%
ComponentSub-score
materiality3.0
insider conviction2.0
holder change6.9
  • Notable insider selling — $2,641,830 (0.273% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

5.6/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank1.3
quality rank6.7
growth rank5.9
  • Conservative debt levels

Technical

4.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger1.6
support resistance1.8
52w position9.0
gap6.0

Risk (lower is worse)

5.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest6.7
days to cover6.1
volatility1.8
put call10.0
implied vol3.3
max pain risk3.0
beta3.9
debt equity9.9
  • Above max pain $30

Catalyst

7.5/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm5.0
earnings history10.0
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg10.0
  • Strong earnings: 3B/0M

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Maintain position. Not compelling to add more.

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L4:PATH_F_HOLD
Passed (6)
  • MOMENTUM:7.2>=5.5
  • 8K:CLEAN
  • NEWS_EVENTS:NONE_RECENT
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:29d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (1)
  • ASYMMETRY:-1.2=NEGATIVE
Warning (1)
  • INSIDER:0.27%=MODERATE
Reward-to-Risk
-1.23
Upside
-18.4%
Downside
15.0%
Sizing output
AVOID

Setup No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed

EdgeCatalyst-Driven Earnings in 29d with 3/4 beat streak

SuitabilityAggressive Beta 1.83>1.3, MCap $1.0B<$5B

Investment implication

None of the engine's positive-conviction paths (C-quality, D-momentum) triggered — the F-path HOLD reflects balanced signals. Strongest-cleared gate: MOMENTUM:7.2>=5.5. Top dim: Catalyst at 7.5; weakest: Value at 3.2. No conviction either direction.

The strongest dimensions are Catalyst at 7.5, Quality at 7.2, and Momentum at 7.2; the weakest are Value at 3.2, Insider at 4.0, and Technical at 4.6. The V9 engine flagged 1 failed gate with 1 warning, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of -1.23 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

What would invalidate the thesis

Falsifying conditions — when triggered, the corresponding pillar's thesis is invalidated.

  • P1Rich Valuation Risk

    Trip ifForward P/E compresses below 25x while PEG ratio stays above 2.0.

  • P2Earnings Beat Streak

    Trip ifEPS surprise falls below 0% at the next earnings report.

  • P3Target Reached Negative Asymmetry

    Trip ifAsymmetry ratio stays below -1.0 for 2 consecutive months.

  • P4Leverage Penalty Risk

    Trip ifDebt-to-equity ratio rises above 3.5x from the current 2.6x.

  • P5Notable Insider Selling

    Trip ifNet insider selling exceeds $5 million over a rolling 90-day period.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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