Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) Now Covered by Bank of America

Key Points

• Bank of America initiated coverage of Natural Grocers with a “buy” rating and a $35 price target, implying 19.52% upside from the prior close.
• Analyst sentiment is generally positive: three analysts rate the stock a Buy and one rates it Hold, producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average target of $43.
• Natural Grocers’ latest quarterly results missed expectations, with EPS of $0.48 versus $0.52 expected and revenue of $334.74 million versus $347.17 million projected; institutional investors own nearly 32% of the stock.

Analysts at Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) in a research report issued on Friday, Benzinga reports. The firm set a "buy" rating and a $35.00 price target on the specialty retailer's stock. Bank of America's price target suggests a potential upside of 19.52% from the company's previous close.

NGVC has been the topic of several other reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in a research report on Monday, August 24th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Sunday, September 13th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $43.00.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:NGVC opened at $29.29 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $675.02 million, a PE ratio of 14.22 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 0.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has a 1-year low of $23.47 and a 1-year high of $41.14. The business's 50 day moving average is $29.52 and its 200-day moving average is $28.74.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The specialty retailer reported $0.48 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.52 by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $334.74 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $347.17 million. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage had a return on equity of 21.11% and a net margin of 3.55%.Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.070-2.110 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage will post 2.09 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the second quarter worth approximately $30,766,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $5,366,000. UBS Group AG boosted its holdings in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 65.5% in the 4th quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 128,059 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $3,208,000 after acquiring an additional 50,677 shares in the last quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. bought a new stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,751,000. Finally, Quantinno Capital Management LP grew its position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 14.1% during the 1st quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 75,417 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $1,950,000 after acquiring an additional 9,338 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 31.99% of the company's stock.

About Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc is a specialty retailer focused on natural and organic foods, dietary supplements, and health-oriented products. Its stores offer groceries such as fresh produce, meat, dairy, frozen foods, pantry staples, and bulk items, along with vitamins, nutritional supplements, body care products, and household goods.

The company emphasizes USDA-certified organic and non-genetically modified products, product-quality standards, and nutritional education. Many locations also provide free nutrition classes, educational materials, and guidance from credentialed nutrition professionals as part of the company's focus on supporting healthy lifestyles.

Natural Grocers was founded in 1955 in Golden, Colorado, by Margaret and Philip Isely and remains family operated.

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