Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) Shares Gap Down – Here’s Why

Shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC) gapped down prior to trading on Friday . The stock had previously closed at $32.46, but opened at $27.56. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage shares last traded at $27.4910, with a volume of 83,156 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently commented on NGVC shares. Weiss Ratings raised Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Alliance Global Partners began coverage on Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in a report on Thursday, April 16th. They set a “buy” rating and a $40.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 2nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $47.00.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $651.69 million, a P/E ratio of 13.59 and a beta of 1.33. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $31.50 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $28.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.25.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The specialty retailer reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $337.38 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $348.00 million. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 22.26%. As a group, equities analysts expect that Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. will post 2.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Charity Isely sold 3,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.04, for a total transaction of $87,120.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 10,697 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $310,640.88. This trade represents a 21.90% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 58.30% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its holdings in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 4.4% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 5,600 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $225,000 after purchasing an additional 234 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 2.6% during the second quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 19,546 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $767,000 after purchasing an additional 495 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 105.2% in the 4th quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,110 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 569 shares during the period. Osaic Holdings Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 44.3% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 1,931 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $76,000 after buying an additional 593 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. increased its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 29,862 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $748,000 after buying an additional 604 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 31.99% of the company’s stock.

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.