BlackRock Inc. Purchases Shares of 991,823 Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. $NGVC

Key Points

• BlackRock acquired 991,823 shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the second quarter, valued at approximately $30.8 million and representing a 4.3% stake.
• Several other institutional investors increased their positions, bringing total institutional ownership to 31.99% of the company.
• Analysts have a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating with a $47 price target, while the stock recently traded at $27.59 after the company missed quarterly EPS and revenue estimates.

BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 991,823 shares of the specialty retailer's stock, valued at approximately $30,766,000. BlackRock Inc. owned about 4.30% of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Millennium Management LLC grew its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 146.1% during the 3rd 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. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its holdings in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 64.6% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 669,567 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $26,783,000 after purchasing an additional 262,831 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the 2nd quarter worth $5,366,000. Two Sigma Investments LP grew its holdings in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 126.7% during the third quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 184,294 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $7,372,000 after purchasing an additional 102,997 shares during the period. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd grew its holdings in 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 purchasing an additional 100,732 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 31.99% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in a research report on Monday, August 24th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $47.00.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Price Performance

NYSE:NGVC opened at $27.59 on Wednesday. The business's 50-day moving average is $30.56 and its 200 day moving average is $28.57. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. has a 12 month low of $23.47 and a 12 month high of $41.14. The company has a market capitalization of $635.95 million, a P/E ratio of 13.39 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 (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results 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 net margin of 3.55% and a return on equity of 21.11%. The business 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. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. will post 2.09 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 17th will be given a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 17th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's dividend payout ratio is 29.13%.

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.

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