Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC) Short Interest Update

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) saw a large growth in short interest in the month of February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 277,100 shares, a growth of 52.2% from the January 31st total of 182,100 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 141,500 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.0 days. Approximately 3.8% of the shares of the company are sold short.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Price Performance

Shares of NGVC stock traded down $1.53 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $37.61. The stock had a trading volume of 176,590 shares, compared to its average volume of 158,741. The company has a market cap of $862.43 million, a P/E ratio of 23.96 and a beta of 1.43. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has a 12-month low of $15.82 and a 12-month high of $50.91. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $43.19 and a 200 day simple moving average of $35.94.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The specialty retailer reported $0.43 EPS for the quarter. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage had a net margin of 2.84% and a return on equity of 21.12%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage will post 1.61 earnings per share for the current year.

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Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Monday, March 3rd will be paid a $0.12 dividend. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.28%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 3rd. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's payout ratio is currently 30.57%.

Insider Transactions at Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

In other news, insider Charity Isely sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.73, for a total value of $87,460.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 12,290 shares in the company, valued at $537,441.70. This trade represents a 14.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 58.80% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC lifted its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 64.7% in the third quarter. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC now owns 449,007 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $13,331,000 after acquiring an additional 176,361 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP raised its stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 516.0% in the 4th quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 209,564 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $8,324,000 after purchasing an additional 175,545 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC lifted its holdings in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 1,190.6% in the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 162,130 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $6,440,000 after purchasing an additional 149,568 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP acquired a new stake in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the 4th quarter worth about $5,444,000. Finally, Tudor Investment Corp ET AL grew its holdings in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 210.3% during the fourth quarter. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL now owns 80,822 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $3,210,000 after buying an additional 54,773 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 31.99% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, StockNews.com lowered Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, January 13th.

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.