Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) Trading Up 5.7% - Time to Buy?

Key Points

• Natural Grocers (NGVC) stock rose about 5.7% to $27.90 on Thursday on very light volume (~11,600 shares vs. a 175,517 average), trading just below its 200‑day SMA of $28.84 with a market cap near $633M and a P/E of 13.3.
• Analyst action: Alliance Global Partners initiated coverage with a Buy and a $40 target; the consensus is a "Moderate Buy" with an average target around $47.
• The company reported Quarterly EPS of $0.49 (beating the $0.46 estimate), provided FY2026 guidance of $2.00–$2.15 EPS, and pays a $0.15 quarterly dividend (≈2.2% yield).

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report)'s stock price was up 5.7% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $27.71 and last traded at $27.8990. Approximately 11,584 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 93% from the average daily volume of 175,517 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.40.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Alliance Global Partners started coverage on Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in a report on Thursday. They set a "buy" rating and a $40.00 target price on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $47.00.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Trading Up 4.1%

The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $25.94 and a 200 day simple moving average of $28.84. The stock has a market cap of $633.09 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.34 and a beta of 1.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 0.25 and a current ratio of 1.07.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The specialty retailer reported $0.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.03. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage had a return on equity of 23.11% and a net margin of 3.58%.The business had revenue of $335.58 million for the quarter. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.000-2.150 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate 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 disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd were issued a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.13%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 105.2% during the fourth quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,110 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 569 shares during the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue acquired a new stake in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the third quarter worth $36,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its holdings in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 136.5% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,114 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 643 shares during the last quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System boosted its holdings in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 36.2% during the third quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 1,154 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 307 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 130.9% during the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 1,307 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $52,000 after purchasing an additional 741 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 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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