Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
What: Shares of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NGVC 2.18%) were sprouting higher today, gaining as much as 17% after a strong quarterly earnings report.
So what: The natural and organic grocery chain beat earnings estimates by $0.01, posting a per-share profit of $0.14, and saw revenue improve 25.4%, to $106.5 million. That figure easily beat the analyst consensus at $102.6 million, and same-store sales were up briskly, as well, gaining 10.4%. In the second quarter, the company opened four new stores, bringing the grand total to 65, and Natural Grocers plans to open 13 in the fiscal year. Management still sees EPS for the year between $0.46 and $0.49.
Now what: We've seen larger peers such as Whole Foods and Herbalife beat estimates this quarter, as well, so it shouldn't come as a big surprise to see Natural Grocers raise the bar, also. Demand for both organic foods and dietary supplements appears to have room to grow, and Natural Grocers is a small company with a solid expansion plan to take advantage of the increase in demand. Shares are highly valued, but Natural Grocers looks poised to hit its marks.
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