KBC Group NV Invests $1.29 Million in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. $NGVC

KBC Group NV bought a new position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC) during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 49,835 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,288,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 64.6% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 669,567 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $26,783,000 after buying an additional 262,831 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 646,006 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $16,183,000 after acquiring an additional 1,689 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC increased its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 146.1% in the third quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 539,363 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $21,575,000 after acquiring an additional 320,186 shares during the period. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd raised its stake in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 76.1% during the second quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd now owns 233,167 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $9,152,000 after acquiring an additional 100,732 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Oberweis Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 34.8% during the third quarter. Oberweis Asset Management Inc. now owns 218,806 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $8,752,000 after acquiring an additional 56,502 shares during the last quarter. 31.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Trading Up 2.3%

NYSE:NGVC opened at $30.03 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $30.91 and a 200-day moving average price of $27.93. The stock has a market cap of $691.91 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.44 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. has a 12 month low of $23.47 and a 12 month high of $45.98.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The specialty retailer reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.56 by $0.02. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 22.26%. The company had revenue of $337.38 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $348.00 million. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.070-2.15 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. will post 2.11 EPS for the current year.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 3rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 18th were issued a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, May 18th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage’s dividend payout ratio is 28.85%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

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

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Charity Isely sold 3,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.04, for a total value of $87,120.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 10,697 shares in the company, 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 through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 58.30% of the company’s stock.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Profile

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.