Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) Trading Down 5.7% - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) saw its stock price drop by 5.7%, closing at $36.07, with trading volume down 57% from its average.
• Analysts have downgraded the stock from a "buy" to a "hold" rating, while the company reported a quarterly earnings per share (EPS) of $0.50, slightly beating expectations.
• The firm declared a quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share, reflecting a 1.3% yield and a dividend payout ratio of 25.53%.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report)'s stock price was down 5.7% on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $36.17 and last traded at $36.07. Approximately 88,634 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 57% from the average daily volume of 203,846 shares. The stock had previously closed at $38.24.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Trading Down 4.9%

The firm has a market capitalization of $834.72 million, a PE ratio of 19.32 and a beta of 1.61. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $39.14 and its 200 day simple moving average is $42.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 7th. The specialty retailer reported $0.50 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.49 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $328.71 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $335.01 million. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage had a net margin of 3.31% and a return on equity of 23.47%. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.900-1.950 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. will post 1.61 EPS for the current year.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 2nd will be issued a $0.12 dividend. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 2nd. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's dividend payout ratio is 25.53%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Lark Isely sold 2,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.00, for a total transaction of $80,000.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 4,682 shares of the company's stock, valued at $187,280. This trade represents a 29.93% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 4,500 shares of company stock valued at $189,020. 58.80% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 9,741.4% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 5,708 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $229,000 after purchasing an additional 5,650 shares during the period. Two Sigma Investments LP grew its stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 30.9% in the 4th quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 56,193 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $2,232,000 after acquiring an additional 13,255 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the 1st quarter valued at $14,006,000. Teacher Retirement System of Texas acquired a new stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the 1st quarter valued at $317,000. Finally, Balyasny Asset Management L.P. acquired a new stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the 4th quarter valued at $680,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 31.99% of the company's stock.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Company Profile

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, retails natural and organic groceries, and dietary supplements in the United States. The company's stores offer natural and organic grocery products, such as organic produce; private label repackaged bulk products, including dried fruits, nuts, grains, granolas, teas, herbs, and spices, as well as peanut and almond butters; private label products comprising grocery staples, household products, bulk foods, and vitamins and dietary supplements, as well as organic eggs, organic flavored coffee, and organic mustard; dry, frozen, and canned groceries; meat and seafood products; dairy products, dairy substitutes, and eggs; prepared foods; bread and baked products; beverages; and beer, wine, and hard cider products.

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