Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) Trading Down 5% – What’s Next?

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC) was down 5% on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $25.08 and last traded at $25.07. Approximately 72,444 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 68% from the average daily volume of 228,006 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.38.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

NGVC has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, October 25th. Northcoast Research set a $54.00 price target on Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $54.00.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Price Performance

The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $25.79 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $32.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.25. The firm has a market capitalization of $580.25 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.23 and a beta of 1.35.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The specialty retailer reported $0.49 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $335.58 million during the quarter. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage had a return on equity of 23.11% and a net margin of 3.58%.Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.000-2.150 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. will post 1.61 EPS for the current year.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Monday, March 2nd will be issued a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.13%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in NGVC. State of Alaska Department of Revenue purchased a new position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 136.5% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,114 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 643 shares during the last quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System increased its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 36.2% in the 3rd quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 1,154 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $46,000 after purchasing an additional 307 shares during the last quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 48.9% in the 2nd quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 1,303 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 428 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 130.9% during the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 1,307 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $52,000 after purchasing an additional 741 shares during the last quarter. 31.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc operates a chain of specialty grocery stores focused on natural and organic products. Founded in 1955 by Margaret and Philip Isely in Lakewood, Colorado, the company has built a reputation on strict product standards, including certified organic produce, non-GMO groceries and dietary supplements. Natural Grocers emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods and carries a broad assortment of private-label and national brands that meet its quality guidelines.

The company’s core offerings include fresh fruits and vegetables, bulk foods, vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements, as well as natural body care and household items.