In calculating the Net-Net Working Capital (NNWC), Benjamin Graham assumed that a company's accounts receivable is only worth 75% its value, its inventory is only worth 50% of its value, but its liabilities have to be paid in full. In addition, Graham believed that preferred stock belongs on the liability side of the balance sheet, not as part of capital and surplus. This is a conservative way of estimating the company's value.
NGVC's Price-to-Net-Net-Working-Capital is not ranked *
in the Retail - Defensive industry.
Industry Median: 5.57 * Ranked among companies with meaningful Price-to-Net-Net-Working-Capital only.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) Net-Net Working Capital Explanation
One research study, covering the years 1970 through 1983 showed that portfolios picked at the beginning of each year, and held for one year, returned 29.4 percent, on average, over the 13-year period, compared to 11.5 percent for the S&P 500 Index. Other studies of Graham's strategy produced similar results.
Benjamin Graham looked for companies whose market values were less than two-thirds of their net-net value. They are collected under our Net-Net screener.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Net-Net Working Capital Related Terms
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Net-Net Working Capital 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 Net-Net Working Capital Chart
NGVC vs YSWY, VLGEA, DNUT: Net-Net Working Capital Comparison
For the Grocery Stores subindustry, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Price-to-Net-Net-Working-Capital, along with its competitors' market caps and Price-to-Net-Net-Working-Capital 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 Price-to-Net-Net-Working-Capital vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Price-to-Net-Net-Working-Capital distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Price-to-Net-Net-Working-Capital 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.
In calculating the Net-Net Working Capital (NNWC), Benjamin Graham assumed that a company's accounts receivable is only worth 75% its value, its inventory is only worth 50% of its value, but its liabilities have to be paid in full.
In addition, Graham believed that preferred stock belongs on the liability side of the balance sheet, not as part of capital and surplus. In "Security Analysis", preferred stock is dubbed "an imperfect creditorship position" that is best placed on the balance sheet alongside funded debt.
This is a conservative way of estimating the company's value.
What does a Net-Net Working Capital of $-15.56 mean?
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NGVC) has a Net-Net Working Capital of $-15.56 as of Mar. 2026. Ben Graham defined net-net working capital as the per-share sum of cash, 75% of receivables and 50% of inventory less total liabilities. View historical data on Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage According to the industry distribution chart, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage ranks #999999 out of 79 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry.
Is Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Net-Net Working Capital too high?
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's current Net-Net Working Capital is $-15.56. Based on the distribution chart, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage ranks #999999 out of 79 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 Net-Net Working Capital compare to YSWY and VLGEA?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage ranks #999999 out of 79 companies for Net-Net Working Capital. This places Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Net-Net Working Capital is 5.57. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Net-Net Working Capital for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median Net-Net Working Capital among Retail - Defensive companies is 5.57, based on 79 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Net-Net Working Capital significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Net-Net Working Capital should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Net-Net Working Capital mean?
A high Net-Net Working Capital can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Ben Graham defined net-net working capital as the per-share sum of cash, 75% of receivables and 50% of inventory less total liabilities. View historical data on Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Net-Net Working Capital is 5.57 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's current Net-Net Working Capital is $-15.56. 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 Net-Net Working Capital is $-15.56. 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 Net-Net Working Capital calculated?
Net-Net Working Capital is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NGVC), the current Net-Net Working Capital is $-15.56 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:
Net-Net Working Capital: $-15.56
GF Value™: $27.31 vs. price of $32.60 (19.4% above fair value)
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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