Wall Street Zen Upgrades Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) to "Buy"

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Natural Grocers (NYSE: NGVC) to “Buy” from “Hold.” The stock carries a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating, with three Buy ratings and two Holds, and an average price target of $43.
• NGVC shares opened at $30.61, compared with a 52-week range of $23.47 to $41.07. The company reported quarterly EPS of $0.48, below the $0.52 estimate, while revenue of $334.74 million also missed expectations.
• Institutional investors increased their involvement, including new stakes from BlackRock and Bank of New York Mellon; hedge funds and other institutions collectively own 31.99% of the company.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) was upgraded by Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

NGVC has been the subject of a number of other reports. Bank of America started coverage on shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in a research report on Friday, September 18th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $35.00 price objective for the company. Zacks Research raised shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, September 21st. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in a research note on Monday, August 24th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $43.00.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Price Performance

Shares of NYSE NGVC opened at $30.61 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $705.49 million, a PE ratio of 14.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.27. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has a fifty-two week low of $23.47 and a fifty-two week high of $41.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.25 and a current ratio of 1.10. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $28.87 and a 200-day moving average of $29.41.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The specialty retailer reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.52 by ($0.04). Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage had a return on equity of 21.11% and a net margin of 3.55%. The company had revenue of $334.74 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $347.17 million. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.070-2.110 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage will post 2.10 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,766,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the second quarter worth $5,366,000. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. bought a new stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the 2nd quarter valued at $2,751,000. Man Group plc bought a new stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the 2nd quarter valued at $2,308,000. Finally, Green Alpha Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the 2nd quarter valued at $2,004,000. 31.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Company Profile

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc operates a chain of specialty grocery stores focused on natural and organic products. Its stores offer fresh produce, meat, dairy, frozen foods, shelf-stable groceries, bulk items, prepared foods, dietary supplements, body care products and environmentally focused household merchandise. The company emphasizes products that meet its quality standards, including restrictions on artificial colors, flavors and preservatives in many food categories.

The company was founded in 1955 in Lakewood, Colorado, by Margaret and Philip Isely and remains a family-operated business.

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