Wedge Capital Management L L P NC Makes New $1.66 Million Investment in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. $NGVC

Wedge Capital Management L L P NC purchased a new position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC) during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 53,444 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,658,000. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC owned about 0.23% of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of NGVC. KBC Group NV acquired a new stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the first quarter worth about $1,288,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio bought a new position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the first quarter worth about $1,249,000. UBS Group AG boosted its stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 65.5% in the fourth quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 128,059 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $3,208,000 after acquiring an additional 50,677 shares during the period. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new position in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,203,000. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC grew its holdings in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 2.8% during the first quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 36,927 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $955,000 after purchasing an additional 1,014 shares during the last quarter. 31.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

NGVC has been the topic of a number of research reports. Wall Street Zen cut Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 2nd. 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. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $47.00.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Trading Up 0.6%

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage stock opened at $28.20 on Friday. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. has a 52-week low of $23.47 and a 52-week high of $41.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The firm has a market capitalization of $649.92 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.69 and a beta of 1.33. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $31.32 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $28.45.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 17th will be given a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 17th. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage’s payout ratio is currently 29.13%.

Insider Transactions at Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

In related news, insider Charity Isely sold 3,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the insider directly owned 10,697 shares in the company, valued at $310,640.88. This trade represents a 21.90% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 58.30% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.