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Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's total free cash flow for the
months ended in Mar. 2026 was
$2 Mil.
Its total free cash flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $17 Mil.
During the past 12 months, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage was -59.30% per year.
During the past 3 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 41.70% per year.
During the past 5 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was -0.70% per year.
Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the Free Cash Flow Growth Rate using Free Cash Flow per Share data.
During the past 13 years, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's highest 3-Year average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 65.30% per year. The lowest was -53.30% per year. And the median was 10.10% per year.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE:NGVC) Free Cash Flow Explanation
Free Cash Flow is very close to Warren Buffett's definition of Owner's Earnings, except that in Warren Buffett's Owner's Earnings, the spending for Property, Plant, and Equipment is only for maintenance (replacement), while in the Free Cash Flow calculation, the cost of new Property, Plant, and Equipment due to business expansion is also deducted. There, Free Cash Flow is more conservative than Owner's Earnings.
In Don Yacktman's calculation of forward rate of return, he uses Free Cash Flow for the calculation. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation.
This is what Yacktman said in his March 2012 interview - when the S&P 500 was at 1400:
If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.
The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).
For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is because research shows that five years is the length of the typical business cycle.
* 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.
Be Aware
Free Cash Flow within a report period can be affected by management's decisions of capital spending. Therefore, it is important to look at long term when it comes to Free Cash Flow.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Free Cash Flow Related Terms
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Free Cash Flow 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 Free Cash Flow Chart
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Free Cash Flow Calculation
Free Cash Flow is considered one of the most important parameters to measure a company's earnings power by value investors because it is not subject to estimates of Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization (DDA). However, when we look at the Free Cash Flow, we should look from a long term perspective, because any year's Free Cash Flow can be drastically affected by the spending on Property, Plant, & Equipment (PPE) of the business in that year. Over the long term, Free Cash Flow should give pretty good picture on the real earnings power of the company.
Free Cash Flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $17 Mil.
* 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 Free Cash Flow of $17 Mil as of Mar. 2026. Free cash flow represents the total amount of cash a company has on hand following operating and capital expenditures. View historial data for Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage and its competitors.
Is Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Free Cash Flow too high?
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's current Free Cash Flow is $17 Mil. Overall, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has a GF Score™ of 84/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Free Cash Flow compare to VLGEA and YSWY?
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's Free Cash Flow of $17 Mil can be compared against companies in the Retail - Defensive industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Free Cash Flow for a Retail - Defensive company?
A good Free Cash Flow depends on the Retail - Defensive industry context. However, Free Cash Flow 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 Free Cash Flow mean?
A high Free Cash Flow can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Free cash flow represents the total amount of cash a company has on hand following operating and capital expenditures. View historial data for Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage and its competitors. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's current Free Cash Flow is $17 Mil. 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 $27.43, compared to a current price of $32.18 — trading 17.3% above its estimated fair value. The current Free Cash Flow is $17 Mil. Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage's overall GF Score™ is 84/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Free Cash Flow calculated?
Free Cash Flow is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NGVC), the current Free Cash Flow is $17 Mil 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 $32.18 is trading 17.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of $27.43.
GuruFocus considers Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for NGVC:
Free Cash Flow: $17 Mil
GF Value™: $27.43 vs. price of $32.18 (17.3% 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.
84GF Score
Get the complete analysis for NGVC
Free Cash Flow is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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