Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) Stock Crosses Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Natural Grocers (NYSE:NGVC) shares moved above their 200-day moving average, trading as high as $32.89 and last changing hands at $32.62, signaling recent technical strength.
• Analysts remain broadly positive: the stock has a Moderate Buy consensus rating with a $47.00 average price target, and Alliance Global Partners recently initiated coverage with a buy rating and a $40 target.
• The company reported stronger-than-expected earnings of $0.58 EPS for the quarter, but revenue of $337.38 million came in below estimates; it also paid a quarterly dividend of $0.15 per share, yielding about 1.8% annually.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report)'s stock price passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $27.22 and traded as high as $32.89. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage shares last traded at $32.62, with a volume of 119,747 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on NGVC shares. Alliance Global Partners began coverage on Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. They set a "buy" rating and a $40.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings upgraded Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 2nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $47.00.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Stock Up 0.1%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.25 and a current ratio of 1.05. The stock has a market cap of $751.56 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.68 and a beta of 1.33. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $29.57 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $27.22.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The specialty retailer reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates 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 analyst estimates of $348.00 million. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.070-2.15 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. will post 2.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed 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 of this dividend was Monday, May 18th. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.8%. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's dividend payout ratio is currently 28.85%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage news, insider Charity Isely sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the insider directly owned 10,697 shares in the company, valued at approximately $310,640.88. This trade represents a 21.90% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 58.30% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in NGVC. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 164.2% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 48,702 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $1,958,000 after acquiring an additional 30,271 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its holdings in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 4.4% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 5,600 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $225,000 after purchasing an additional 234 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC lifted its position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 58.9% during the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 257,564 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $10,354,000 after purchasing an additional 95,434 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 53.9% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 19,051 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $766,000 after purchasing an additional 6,672 shares during the period. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its stake in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 78.4% in the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 22,695 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $891,000 after purchasing an additional 9,974 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 31.99% of the company's stock.

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. 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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