What is Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Debt-to-Equity?
Natural Grocers by Vitamin CottageNGVC +2.29%86 Debt-to-Equity is 1.41 as of Mar. 2026, which is 28% below its 10-year median of 1.95. GuruFocus rates NGVC with a GF Score™ of 86/100 and a GF Value™ of $27.31 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 279 Retail - Defensive companies, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage ranks worse than 75.27% on this metric.
A high debt to equity ratio generally means that a company has been aggressive in financing its growth with debt. This can result in volatile earnings as a result of the additional interest expense.
NGVC'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.36 Med: 1.95 Max: 3.3
Current: 1.41
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage was 3.30. The lowest was 0.36. And the median was 1.95.
NGVC's Debt-to-Equity is ranked worse than 75.27% of 279
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 0.55
vs NGVC: 1.41
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) Debt-to-Equity Explanation
Because a company can increase its ROE % by having more financial leverage, it is important to watch the leverage ratio when investing in high ROE % companies.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Debt-to-Equity Chart
NGVC vs YSWY, VLGEA, DNUT: Debt-to-Equity Comparison
For the Grocery Stores subindustry, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Debt-to-Equity, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-Equity data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Debt-to-Equity vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Debt-to-Equity falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NGVC) has a Debt-to-Equity of 1.41 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage and its competitors. This is 28% below median its historical median of 1.95. Over the past decade, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.36 to 3.30. According to the industry distribution chart, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage ranks #210 out of 279 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 75.3%.
Is Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Debt-to-Equity too high?
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's current Debt-to-Equity of 1.41 is 28% below median its 10-year median of 1.95. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.36 to a high of 3.30. The Retail - Defensive industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.55. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's value of 1.41 is 156.4% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage ranks #210 out of 279 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has a GF Score™ of 86/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Debt-to-Equity compare to YSWY and VLGEA?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage ranks #210 out of 279 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This places Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.55. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's value of 1.41 is 156.4% above this benchmark. Historically, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.36 to 3.30 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 1.95 vs. the industry median of 0.55, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Debt-to-Equity for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Retail - Defensive companies is 0.55, based on 279 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-Equity significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-Equity should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's current Debt-to-Equity of 1.41 is 156.4% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Debt-to-Equity mean?
A high Debt-to-Equity can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 0.55 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's current Debt-to-Equity is 1.41, which is 28% below median its own 10-year median of 1.95. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NGVC) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $27.31, compared to a current price of $32.60 — trading 19.4% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 1.41, which is 28% below median its 10-year median of 1.95 and 156.4% above the Retail - Defensive industry median of 0.55. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's overall GF Score™ is 86/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Debt-to-Equity calculated?
Debt-to-Equity is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NGVC), the current Debt-to-Equity is 1.41 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NGVC) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $32.60 is trading 19.4% above its estimated GF Value™ of $27.31.
GuruFocus considers Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for NGVC:
Debt-to-Equity: 1.41 (28% below median its 10-year median of 1.95)
GF Value™: $27.31 vs. price of $32.60 (19.4% above fair value)
Industry Position: 156.4% above the Retail - Defensive median (#210 of 279)
No single metric tells the full story. See the NGVC stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Business Description
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc operates natural and organic grocery and dietary supplement stores. It offers the following product categories: natural and organic food, dietary supplements, natural body care, household, pet care products, books, and handouts. The Company has a single reporting segment, natural and organic retail stores, through which business is conducted. The company generates the majority of its revenue from grocery products and dietary supplements, and the rest from other products.
86GF Score
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