Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) Hits New 52-Week Low – Here’s Why

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC) shares reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $30.55 and last traded at $30.89, with a volume of 20686 shares. The stock had previously closed at $31.93.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Northcoast Research set a $54.00 price objective on shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. Finally, 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. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $54.00.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. The company has a market cap of $728.87 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.89 and a beta of 1.57. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $38.09 and its 200 day simple moving average is $41.53.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 7th. The specialty retailer reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.49 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $328.71 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $335.01 million. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage had a net margin of 3.31% and a return on equity of 23.47%. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.900-1.950 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. will post 1.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 2nd were given a $0.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 2nd. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.5%. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage’s dividend payout ratio is presently 25.53%.

Insider Activity at Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

In related news, insider Lark Isely sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.00, for a total transaction of $80,000.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 4,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $187,280. This trade represents a 29.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 58.80% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Teacher Retirement System of Texas purchased a new stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the 1st quarter worth approximately $317,000. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC grew its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 9.5% in the 1st quarter. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC now owns 59,026 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $2,373,000 after acquiring an additional 5,122 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC grew its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 167.8% in the 1st quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,291 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $52,000 after acquiring an additional 809 shares in the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $14,006,000. Finally, KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS acquired a new position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $72,000. 31.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Company Profile

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, retails natural and organic groceries, and dietary supplements in the United States. The company’s stores offer natural and organic grocery products, such as organic produce; private label repackaged bulk products, including dried fruits, nuts, grains, granolas, teas, herbs, and spices, as well as peanut and almond butters; private label products comprising grocery staples, household products, bulk foods, and vitamins and dietary supplements, as well as organic eggs, organic flavored coffee, and organic mustard; dry, frozen, and canned groceries; meat and seafood products; dairy products, dairy substitutes, and eggs; prepared foods; bread and baked products; beverages; and beer, wine, and hard cider products.