Freedom Investment Management Inc. Sells 2,290 Shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC)

Freedom Investment Management Inc. cut its holdings in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE:NGVC) by 11.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 18,173 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 2,290 shares during the quarter. Freedom Investment Management Inc. owned about 0.08% of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage worth $540,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. American Century Companies Inc. raised its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 28.3% in the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 304,382 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $6,453,000 after acquiring an additional 67,187 shares during the period. Inspire Investing LLC bought a new stake in Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the second quarter valued at approximately $353,000. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd bought a new position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage during the third quarter worth $430,000. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage by 49.3% during the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 43,437 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $921,000 after purchasing an additional 14,338 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kingsview Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the 3rd quarter valued at $421,000. Institutional investors own 31.99% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, StockNews.com upgraded Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 22nd.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Price Performance

Shares of NGVC opened at $47.06 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $30.74 and a 200 day simple moving average of $26.02. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. has a 52-week low of $14.31 and a 52-week high of $47.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 0.18 and a current ratio of 0.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.07 billion, a PE ratio of 31.80 and a beta of 1.23.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.12 per share. This is an increase from Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 2nd. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.02%. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage’s dividend payout ratio is currently 32.43%.

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.