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Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Results

By PR Newswire | August 07, 2025, 4:10 PM

Raises Fiscal 2025 Outlook

LAKEWOOD, Colo., Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE: NGVC) today announced results for its third quarter of fiscal 2025 ended June 30, 2025.

Highlights for Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Compared to Third Quarter Fiscal 2024

  • Net sales increased 6.3% to $328.7 million;
  • Daily average comparable store sales increased 7.4%, and 14.6% on a two-year basis;
  • Net income increased 26.0% to $11.6 million, with diluted earnings per share of $0.50; and
  • Adjusted EBITDA increased 10.1% to $24.4 million.

"Our third quarter performance exceeded our expectations and we again delivered outstanding results across all key metrics including daily average comparable sales growth of 7.4%. We believe that our value offering of high-quality, natural and organic products at Always AffordableSM prices resonates with consumers' increasing prioritization of health and wellness, including food and nutrition," said Kemper Isely, Co-President. "Strong sales combined with effective promotions and enhanced store productivity helped drive a 50 basis point improvement in our operating margin, along with a 25% increase in diluted earnings per share. Based on the strong third quarter results, we are increasing our fiscal 2025 outlook for daily average comparable store sales growth and diluted earnings per share."

Mr. Isely added, "In June, our primary distributor, United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), experienced a cybersecurity incident that temporarily impacted UNFI's ability to fulfill orders and distribute products to our stores. In the weeks following the incident, we collaborated with UNFI to minimize disruptions and restore normalized levels of product distribution to our stores. We estimate that the disruption to our operations adversely impacted our third quarter fiscal 2025 daily average comparable store sales by 1.0 to 1.5 percentage points, and diluted earnings per share by $0.04 to $0.05. As of the date of this release, our operations have substantially normalized, and we do not expect the disruption to materially impact our operations or financial performance in the future."

In addition to presenting the financial results of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the Company) in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the Company is also presenting EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, which are non-GAAP financial measures. The reconciliation from GAAP to these non-GAAP financial measures is provided at the end of this earnings release.

Operating Results — Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Compared to Third Quarter Fiscal 2024

Net sales during the third quarter of fiscal 2025 increased $19.6 million, or 6.3%, to $328.7 million, compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2024, due to a $19.0 million increase in comparable store sales and a $3.4 million increase in new store sales, partially offset by a $2.8 million decrease in net sales related to closed stores. The Company estimates that net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 were adversely impacted by the UNFI cybersecurity incident by approximately $3.5 million to $4.0 million. Daily average comparable store sales increased 7.4% in the third quarter of fiscal 2025, comprised of a 4.8% increase in daily average transaction count and a 2.4% increase in daily average transaction size.

Gross profit during the third quarter of fiscal 2025 increased $7.9 million, or 8.8%, to $98.3 million. Gross profit reflects earnings after product and store occupancy costs. Gross margin increased by 70 basis points to 29.9% during the third quarter of fiscal 2025, compared to 29.2% in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. The increase in gross margin was driven by higher product margin primarily attributed to effective promotions.

Store expenses during the third quarter of fiscal 2025 increased 6.1% to $71.7 million, driven by higher compensation expenses. Store expenses as a percentage of net sales were 21.8% during the third quarter of fiscal 2025, down from 21.9% in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. The decrease in store expenses as a percentage of net sales reflects expense leverage.

Administrative expenses during the third quarter of fiscal 2025 increased 14.7% to $10.9 million, driven by higher technology expenses and compensation expenses. Administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales were 3.3% in the third quarter of fiscal 2025, up from 3.1% in the third quarter of fiscal 2024.

Operating income for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 increased 21.3% to $15.6 million. Operating margin during the third quarter of fiscal 2025 was 4.7%, up from 4.2% in the third quarter of fiscal 2024.

Net income for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 was $11.6 million, or $0.50 diluted earnings per share, compared to net income of $9.2 million, or $0.40 diluted earnings per share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2024.

Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 was $24.4 million, compared to $22.2 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2024.

Operating Results — First Nine Months Fiscal 2025 Compared to First Nine Months Fiscal 2024

Net sales during the first nine months of fiscal 2025 increased $75.8 million, or 8.2%, to $994.7 million, compared to the first nine months of fiscal 2024, due to a $72.8 million increase in comparable store sales and a $9.8 million increase in new store sales, partially offset by a $6.8 million decrease in sales related to closed stores. Daily average comparable store sales increased 8.4% in the first nine months of fiscal 2025, comprised of a 5.4% increase in daily average transaction count and a 2.9% increase in daily average transaction size.

Gross profit during the first nine months of fiscal 2025 increased $29.4 million, or 10.9%, to $298.9 million. Gross profit reflects earnings after product and store occupancy costs. Gross margin increased by 70 basis points to 30.0% during the first nine months of fiscal 2025, compared to 29.3% in the first nine months of fiscal 2024. The increase in gross margin was driven by higher product margin primarily attributed to effective promotions, and store occupancy cost leverage.

Store expenses during the first nine months of fiscal 2025 increased 6.4% to $218.0 million, primarily driven by higher compensation expenses. Store expenses as a percentage of net sales were 21.9% during the first nine months of fiscal 2025, down from 22.3% in the first nine months of fiscal 2024. The decrease in store expenses as a percentage of net sales reflects expense leverage.

Administrative expenses during the first nine months of fiscal 2025 increased 17.6% to $33.5 million, primarily driven by higher compensation expenses and technology expenses. Administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales were 3.4% during the first nine months of fiscal 2025, up from 3.1% in the first nine months of fiscal 2024.

Operating income for the first nine months of fiscal 2025 increased 33.2% to $46.5 million. Operating margin during the first nine months of fiscal 2025 was 4.7%, compared to 3.8% in the first nine months of fiscal 2024.

Net income for the first nine months of fiscal 2025 was $34.6 million, or $1.49 diluted earnings per share, compared to net income of $24.9 million, or $1.08 diluted earnings per share, for the first nine months of fiscal 2024.

Adjusted EBITDA for the first nine months of fiscal 2025 was $73.5 million, compared to $60.6 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2024.

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow

As of June 30, 2025, the Company had $13.2 million in cash and cash equivalents, and no outstanding borrowings on its $72.5 million revolving credit facility.

During the first nine months of fiscal 2025, the Company generated $39.7 million in cash from operations and invested $22.9 million in net capital expenditures, primarily for new and relocated/remodeled stores.

Dividend Announcement

Today, the Company announced the declaration of a quarterly cash dividend of $0.12 per common share. The dividend will be paid on September 17, 2025 to stockholders of record at the close of business on September 2, 2025.

Growth and Development

The Company ended the third quarter with 169 stores in 21 states. Since June 30, 2025, the Company has remodeled one store.

Outlook

The Company is raising its fiscal 2025 outlook for daily average comparable store sales growth and diluted earnings per share, and updating its outlook for the number of new stores and relocations/remodels, and capital expenditures. The Company is also introducing its new store growth expectations for fiscal 2026. The Company expects:

Fiscal 2025



Prior Outlook



Updated Outlook

Number of new stores



3 to 4



2

Number of relocations/remodels



2 to 4



3

Daily average comparable store sales growth



6.5% to 7.5%



7.25% to 7.75%

Diluted earnings per share



$1.78 to $1.86



$1.90 to $1.95











Capital expenditures (in millions)



$36 to $44



$30 to $33



                         Fiscal 2026                            







        Outlook          

Number of new stores







6 to 8

Earnings Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call today at 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss this earnings release. The dial-in number is 1-888-347-6606 (US) or 1-412-902-4289 (International). The conference ID is "Natural Grocers Q3 FY 2025 Earnings Call." A simultaneous audio webcast will be available at http://Investors.NaturalGrocers.com and archived for a minimum of 20 days.

About Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE: NGVC) is an expanding specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries, body care products and dietary supplements. The grocery products sold by Natural Grocers must meet strict quality guidelines and may not contain artificial flavors, preservatives, or sweeteners (as defined in its standards), synthetic colors, or partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils. The Company sells only USDA certified organic produce and exclusively pasture-raised, non-confinement dairy products, and free-range eggs. Natural Grocers' flexible smaller-store format allows it to offer affordable prices in a shopper-friendly, clean and convenient retail environment. The Company also provides extensive free science-based nutrition education programs to help customers make informed health and nutrition choices. The Company, founded in 1955, has 169 stores in 21 states.

Visit www.NaturalGrocers.com for more information and store locations.

Forward-Looking Statements

The following constitutes a "safe harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Except for the historical information contained herein, statements in this release are "forward-looking statements" and are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global, national, regional or local political, economic, inflationary, deflationary, recessionary, business, interest rate, labor market, competitive, market, regulatory, trade policy and other factors, and other risks detailed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Company's subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The information contained herein speaks only as of the date of this release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, except as may be required by the securities laws.

For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business, please refer to the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" sections of the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Form 10-K and the Company's subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, copies of which may be obtained by contacting Investor Relations at 303-986-4600 or by visiting the Company's website at http://Investors.NaturalGrocers.com.

Investor Contact:

Reed Anderson, ICR, 646-277-1260, [email protected]

 

NATURAL GROCERS BY VITAMIN COTTAGE, INC.



Consolidated Statements of Income

(Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)



















Three months ended

June 30,



Nine months ended

June 30,







2025



2024



2025



2024



Net sales



$

328,705



309,082



994,695



918,924



Cost of goods sold and occupancy costs



230,426



218,751



695,844



649,476



Gross profit



98,279



90,331



298,851



269,448



Store expenses



71,719



67,575



218,000



204,791



Administrative expenses



10,949



9,545



33,486



28,474



Pre-opening expenses



24



364



877



1,272



Operating income



15,587



12,847



46,488



34,911



Interest expense, net



(694)



(1,052)



(2,367)



(3,123)



Income before income taxes



14,893



11,795



44,121



31,788



Provision for income taxes



(3,288)



(2,586)



(9,477)



(6,863)



Net income



$

11,605



9,209



34,644



24,925























Net income per share of common stock:



















Basic



$

0.51



0.40



1.51



1.09



Diluted



$

0.50



0.40



1.49



1.08



Weighted average number of shares of common stock

     outstanding:



















Basic



22,951,339



22,789,057



22,930,084



22,766,516



Diluted



23,311,935



23,115,356



23,247,316



23,052,044



 

NATURAL GROCERS BY VITAMIN COTTAGE, INC.

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets 

(Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)







June 30,

2025



September 30,

2024

Assets









Current assets:









Cash and cash equivalents 



$

13,178



8,871

Accounts receivable, net 



12,810



12,610

Merchandise inventory 



124,626



120,672

Prepaid expenses and other current assets



6,362



4,905

Total current assets 



156,976



147,058

Property and equipment, net 



181,037



178,609

Other assets:









Operating lease assets, net



263,928



275,111

Finance lease assets, net



40,643



40,752

Other assets



4,218



458

Goodwill and other intangible assets, net 



12,195



13,488

Total other assets 



320,984



329,809

Total assets 



$

658,997



655,476











Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity









Current liabilities:









Accounts payable 



$

82,455



88,397

Accrued expenses 



31,481



35,847

Operating lease obligations, current portion 



36,428



35,926

Finance lease obligations, current portion



4,128



3,960

Total current liabilities 



154,492



164,130

Long-term liabilities:









Operating lease obligations, net of current portion



250,724



263,404

Finance lease obligations, net of current portion



43,253



43,217

Deferred income tax liabilities, net 



8,027



10,471

Total long-term liabilities 



302,004



317,092

Total liabilities 



456,496



481,222

Stockholders' equity:









Common stock, $0.001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized, 22,954,109 and

22,888,540 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2024,

respectively



23



23

Additional paid-in capital 



62,185



60,327

Retained earnings 



140,293



113,904

Total stockholders' equity 



202,501



174,254

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity 



$

658,997



655,476













 

NATURAL GROCERS BY VITAMIN COTTAGE, INC.

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 

(Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands)







Nine months ended June 30,





2025



2024

Operating activities:









Net income 



$

34,644



24,925

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:









Depreciation and amortization 



23,791



22,998

Loss on impairment of long-lived assets and store closing costs



81



390

(Gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment 



(30)



10

Share-based compensation 



3,100



1,900

Deferred income tax benefit



(2,444)



(2,519)

Non-cash interest expense 



3



14

Other 



3



(160)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:









(Increase) decrease in:









Accounts receivable, net 



(1,055)



1,318

Merchandise inventory 



(3,954)



1,923

Prepaid expenses and other assets 



(5,232)



(1,009)

Income tax receivable 





252

Operating lease assets 



25,221



25,005

(Decrease) increase in:









Operating lease liabilities



(25,565)



(25,386)

Accounts payable 



(4,520)



2,023

Accrued expenses 



(4,366)



(2,404)

Net cash provided by operating activities 



39,677



49,280

Investing activities:









Acquisition of property and equipment  



(23,124)



(31,016)

Acquisition of other intangibles



(167)



(839)

Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 



44



3

Proceeds from property insurance settlements



305



44

Net cash used in investing activities 



(22,942)



(31,808)

Financing activities:









Borrowings under revolving loans



486,200



455,300

Repayments under revolving loans



(486,200)



(438,700)

Repayments under term loan





(6,000)

Finance lease obligation payments 



(2,931)



(2,653)

Dividends to shareholders 



(8,255)



(29,585)

Payments of deferred financing costs 





(18)

Payments on withholding tax for restricted stock unit vesting



(1,242)



(243)

Net cash used in financing activities 



(12,428)



(21,899)

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 



4,307



(4,427)

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 



8,871



18,342

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period 



$

13,178



13,915

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:









Cash paid for interest 



$

959



1,630

Cash paid for interest on finance lease obligations, net of capitalized interest of

   $164 and $302, respectively 



1,441



1,422

Income taxes paid 



11,644



8,264

Supplemental disclosures of non-cash investing and financing activities:









Acquisition of property and equipment not yet paid 



$

2,157



2,578

Acquisition of other intangibles not yet paid 







51

Lease assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease obligations





14,022



13,073

Lease assets obtained in exchange for new finance lease obligations





3,135



(45)

 



                                                                                   NATURAL GROCERS BY VITAMIN COTTAGE, INC.



                                                                                   Non-GAAP Financial Measures

                                                                                   (Unaudited)

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not measures of financial performance under GAAP. We define EBITDA as net income before interest expense, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization. We define Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA as adjusted to exclude the effects of certain income and expense items that management believes make it more difficult to assess the Company's actual operating performance, including certain items such as impairment charges, store closing costs, share-based compensation, amortization of software hosting arrangement (SaaS) implementation costs and non-recurring items.

The following table reconciles net income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, dollars in thousands:





Three months ended

June 30,



Nine months ended

June 30,







2025



2024



2025



2024



Net income



$

11,605



9,209



34,644



24,925



Interest expense, net



694



1,052



2,367



3,123



Provision for income taxes



3,288



2,586



9,477



6,863



Depreciation and amortization



7,953



7,845



23,791



22,998



EBITDA





23,540



20,692



70,279



57,909



Impairment of long-lived assets and store

     closing costs







402



118



826



Share-based compensation



843



1,062



3,100



1,900



Amortization of SaaS implementation costs





2





3





Adjusted EBITDA



$

24,385



22,156



73,500



60,635



EBITDA increased 13.8% to $23.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $20.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024. EBITDA increased 21.4% to $70.3 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $57.9 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2024. EBITDA as a percentage of net sales was 7.2% and 6.7% for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. EBITDA as a percentage of net sales was 7.1% and 6.3% for the nine months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

Adjusted EBITDA increased 10.1% to $24.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $22.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024. Adjusted EBITDA increased 21.2% to $73.5 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $60.6 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2024. Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net sales was 7.4% and 7.2% for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net sales was 7.4% and 6.6% for the nine months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

Management believes some investors' understanding of our performance is enhanced by including EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, which are non-GAAP financial measures. We believe EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA provide additional information about: (i) our operating performance, because they assist us in comparing the operating performance of our stores on a consistent basis, as they remove the impact of non-cash depreciation and amortization expense as well as items not directly resulting from our core operations, such as interest expense and income taxes and (ii) our performance and the effectiveness of our operational strategies. Additionally, EBITDA is a component of a measure in our financial covenants under our credit facility.

Furthermore, management believes some investors use EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as supplemental measures to evaluate the overall operating performance of companies in our industry. Management believes that some investors' understanding of our performance is enhanced by including these non-GAAP financial measures as a reasonable basis for comparing our ongoing results of operations. By providing these non-GAAP financial measures, together with a reconciliation from net income, we believe we are enhancing investors' understanding of our business and our results of operations, as well as assisting investors in evaluating how well we are executing our strategic initiatives.

Our competitors may define EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA differently, and as a result, our measures of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be directly comparable to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA of other companies. Items excluded from EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are significant components in understanding and assessing financial performance. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are supplemental measures of operating performance that do not represent and should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to, or substitute for, net income or other financial statement data presented in the consolidated financial statements as indicators of financial performance. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA have limitations as analytical tools, and should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of the limitations are:

  • EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect our cash expenditures, or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;
  • EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs;
  • EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect any depreciation or interest expense for leases classified as finance leases; 
  • EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect the interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt;
  • Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect share-based compensation, impairment of long-lived assets, store closing costs and amortization of SaaS implementation costs;
  • EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect our tax expense or the cash requirements to pay our taxes; and
  • although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be replaced in the future and EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements.

Due to these limitations, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as measures of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and using EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as supplemental information.

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SOURCE Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc.

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