Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) Shares Up 9.1% - Should You Buy?

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) shares were up 9.1% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $45.78 and last traded at $45.95. Approximately 141,738 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 2% from the average daily volume of 143,972 shares. The stock had previously closed at $42.13.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

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

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Trading Up 0.2 %

The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $43.10 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $35.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.37 and a beta of 1.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.15, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The specialty retailer reported $0.43 earnings per share for the quarter. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage had a return on equity of 21.12% and a net margin of 2.84%. As a group, analysts forecast that Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. will post 1.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.12 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 3rd. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.08%. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 30.57%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

In related news, insider Charity Isely sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.73, for a total value of $87,460.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 12,290 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $537,441.70. This represents a 14.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Lark Isely sold 4,000 shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.66, for a total transaction of $178,640.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 8,682 shares in the company, valued at $387,738.12. This represents a 31.54 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 58.80% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Golden State Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Human Investing LLC bought a new position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the 4th quarter valued at $40,000. Van ECK Associates Corp increased its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 33.3% during the 4th quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 2,301 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $91,000 after purchasing an additional 575 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Virtus Investment Advisers Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the 3rd quarter worth $126,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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.