Natural Grocers By Vitamin Cottage Inc
NYSE:NGVC
Natural Grocers By Vitamin Cottage Inc
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. engages in the retail of natural and organic groceries and dietary supplements. The company is headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado and currently employs 3,218 full-time employees. The company went IPO on 2012-07-25. Its grocery products include Produce; Its grocery products include Produce; Bulk Food and Private Label Products; Dry, Frozen and Canned Groceries; Meats and Seafood; Dairy Products, Dairy Substitutes and Eggs; Prepared Foods; Bread and Baked Goods, Beer, Wine and Hard Cider, and Beverages. The firm also offers a range of natural pet care and food products, Household and General Merchandise and Books and Handouts. The company also operates a bulk food repackaging facility and distribution center in Golden, Colorado. The firm operates in 162 stores and in 20 states including Colorado, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The company also provides science-based Nutrition education programs.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. engages in the retail of natural and organic groceries and dietary supplements. The company is headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado and currently employs 3,218 full-time employees. The company went IPO on 2012-07-25. Its grocery products include Produce; Its grocery products include Produce; Bulk Food and Private Label Products; Dry, Frozen and Canned Groceries; Meats and Seafood; Dairy Products, Dairy Substitutes and Eggs; Prepared Foods; Bread and Baked Goods, Beer, Wine and Hard Cider, and Beverages. The firm also offers a range of natural pet care and food products, Household and General Merchandise and Books and Handouts. The company also operates a bulk food repackaging facility and distribution center in Golden, Colorado. The firm operates in 162 stores and in 20 states including Colorado, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The company also provides science-based Nutrition education programs.
Solid EPS Growth: Diluted earnings per share rose 14% to $0.49, in line with company expectations.
Steady Sales Performance: Net sales grew 1.6% to $335.6 million, with daily average comparable store sales up 1.7%.
Guidance Maintained: Full-year outlook is unchanged, expecting comparable store sales growth of 1.5% to 4% and EPS between $2 and $2.15.
Margin Pressure: Gross margin fell by 40 basis points to 29.5%, mainly due to higher inventory shrink from isolated events and cycling low shrink last year.
Customer Trends: Sales growth was strongest among members of the {N}power Rewards Program, while income-constrained customers pulled back.
Store Growth: Plan to open 6 to 8 new stores and relocate or remodel 2 to 3 stores this year, aiming for 4% to 5% annual unit growth.
Strong Cash Position: Ended the quarter with $23.2 million in cash, no outstanding borrowings, and $67.6 million available on the credit facility.
