Cannabis Stock VRNO Rises 10% in a Month: Time to Buy, Hold or Sell?

Shares of Verano Holdings Corporation VRNO have staged a strong rally over the past month, thanks to the latest earnings results that point to improving operating performance.

Earlier this month, the company reported second-quarter 2026 results, which beat our estimates for both earnings and sales. The results highlighted continued revenue growth, strong retail performance and momentum from new products, while cash flow from operations also improved.

However, investors typically focus beyond a single quarter’s numbers and assess broader fundamentals. Let’s take a closer look at the company’s fundamentals to determine whether the stock deserves a place in investors’ portfolios.

VRNO Pursues Growth While Navigating Margin Pressure

Verano continues to expand its retail footprint and product portfolio across its U.S. cannabis operations. The company now operates across 13 states with 163 dispensaries and 14 production facilities, supported by more than 1.1 million square feet of cultivation capacity.

Retail remains an important growth driver, while new products are helping Verano strengthen its position across key categories. The company’s house of brands held the No. 4 national share position across legal cannabis markets at the end of the second quarter, with the HYPHEN brand ranking second in the specialty vape category and Swift Lifts ranking fifth among pre-roll brands. Last week, Verano entered the cannabis beverage category with the launch of Easy Landings, its first national beverage brand, initially offering four flavors and plans to expand the product into additional states.

Yet, profitability remains under pressure. Gross margin came in at 46% in the second quarter, down from 48% in the previous quarter and 56% a year ago, as promotional activity and price compression continued to weigh on results.

Verano is working to improve margins through cultivation, operational and cost-efficiency initiatives. Management expects the third quarter of 2026 to remain broadly similar to the second quarter in terms of revenue and gross-margin performance, although cash flow is expected to improve further during the period. The company expects the benefits of its ongoing initiatives to begin flowing through the income statement in the fourth quarter, making it an important potential inflection point for profitability.

Meanwhile, Verano continues to build capacity for future growth. Florida remains a key market, with additional dispensaries planned and a third production facility ready to open. The company is also preparing for Virginia's adult-use launch in 2027 and expects to commence operations in Texas the same year, providing additional avenues for expansion beyond its current markets.

VRNO Advances U.S. Exchange Uplisting Plans

Verano continues to take steps toward a potential listing on a major U.S. stock exchange. The company completed its redomestication to Nevada from British Columbia, Canada, last year and followed it with a 1-for-5 reverse stock split in June, which management said was intended to advance its path toward a prospective U.S. exchange listing.

Management said it remains focused on expanding access to U.S. investors and continues to see federal cannabis reclassification and banking reform as important to its exchange-listing ambitions. The company has also submitted DEA registration applications for certain state-licensed medical cannabis operations, as it works toward becoming a fully federally legal business.

Competition Remains Intense

Verano operates in an increasingly competitive U.S. cannabis market, where established multi-state operators (MSOs) are pursuing growth through different strategies. The company competes with large MSOs, including Green Thumb Industries GTBIF and Curaleaf Holdings CURLF, both of which are also positioning themselves to benefit from evolving federal cannabis policies and potential access to major U.S. exchanges.

Green Thumb Industries remains focused primarily on the U.S. market while expanding into newer opportunities such as Virginia and Texas. Curaleaf has increasingly diversified its revenue base through international operations, particularly in Europe. It recently launched an unsolicited takeover attempt for Aurora Cannabis ACB to strengthen its international medical cannabis platform, although the deal remains uncertain as the latter’s board reviews the proposal.

VRNO Stock Performance and Estimates

Shares of Verano have outperformed the industry this year, as shown in the chart below.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Movements in loss estimates for 2026 and 2027 have been mixed over the last 30 days. While the 2026 loss estimate has widened, the bottom-line forecast for 2027 has improved sharply, turning positive from a prior loss estimate.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

How to Play VRNO Stock?

Verano continues to make progress across its operations, while its efforts to expand its retail footprint, introduce new products and pursue a potential U.S. exchange listing provide several avenues for future growth. The improvement in the 2027 earnings outlook also suggests that analysts see greater potential for the company’s performance in the coming periods.

However, the near-term outlook remains less certain. Margin pressure is expected to persist through the third quarter, with management anticipating an improvement beginning in the fourth quarter. At the same time, 2026 loss estimates have widened, indicating that expectations for near-term earnings growth remain subdued.

Given the mixed outlook, investors may want to adopt a wait-and-watch approach toward this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock. Greater clarity on margin improvement and earnings momentum could provide a better indication of the company’s near-term trajectory.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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