Seeking Alpha: Natural Grocers Boldly Going Where Others Have Gone Before

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Natural Grocers (NGVC) (also known by its full name of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage) is paying some big compliments to Whole Foods (WFM), The Fresh Market (TFM), Trader Joe's and Sprouts. The company is pursuing a growth strategy in the organic/natural food retailing sector that seems to be taking some of the best ideas of these larger chains and coupling them with an even tighter focus on the hard-core healthy eating community. While these shares have had a big run in 2013 and sport pretty robust valuation multiples, it may be hasty to assume that the stock is overpriced today on a long-term basis.

Please read the full article at Seeking Alpha:
Natural Grocers Boldly Going Where Others Have Gone Before

Investopedia: Control May Be Herbalife's Real Long-Term Problem

Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) has gotten knocked around hard lately, as well-known investor David Einhorn has apparently taken some interest in the company and asked some fairly pointed questions. Although I don't agree with those who have interpreted his questions as implying that there is any sort of pyramid scheme at work, that doesn't mean that there aren't inherent issues with the Herbalife model. While there is likely to be sustained ongoing demand for the sort of supplements that Herbalife sells, I wonder whether Herbalife's model takes too much of the company's growth potential out of its own hands.

Please read more here:
http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2012/Control-May-Be-Herbalifes-Real-Long-Term-Problem-HLF-MED-VSI-ARNA-VVUS-AVP0604.aspx

Investopedia: The Fresh Market Is A Breath Of Fresh Growth

It's almost traditional (if not quite cliché) to take Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) to task for ruining that pastoral ideal that was the American Main Street shopping experience. More recently, neo-hippies have done battle over whether Whole Foods (Nasdaq:WFM) has "gone corporate" by forcing many smaller organic specialty stores out of business, and catering every bit as much to the Audi and soccer mom set as the patchouli and hemp-shirt set.

With that backdrop, it may seem daft to try to enter the market with yet another food market concept. Even with a market already full of choices, companies like Aldi, Trader Joe's and The Fresh Market (Nasdaq:TFM) are showing that customers still aren't completely satisfied with the retail landscape. While The Fresh Market is going to have to prove that it can manage its growth (and make it a profitable growth), this is one of the most interesting retail growth stories going on today.

Please follow this link for the full piece:
http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2011/The-Fresh-Market-Is-A-Breath-Of-Fresh-Growth-TFM-WFM-WMT-UNFI-KR-RDK-VSI-SWY1201.aspx

Seeking Alpha: Little Wrong With Herbalife Other Than Its Valuation

The devil's bargain between Wall Street and growth stocks goes a little something like this: “You give us exactly the growth we expect or more (but never less!) and we'll support extreme valuations that your cash flow probably can't support”. There's also an “or else” attached – if a company disappoints even slightly, there's an outsized price to pay.

Honestly, that's about the only context in which Herbalife (NYSE: HLF) is really disappointing anyone, and perhaps shareholders can count themselves lucky that the stock isn't down even worse against a backdrop of a pretty ugly tape.

More Growth In Q3

Herbalife's growth is almost hard to believe. Apparently there really is gold in guarana, protein shakes, and the other assorted supplements and “solutions” that the company offers through its army of over 2 million independent sellers.

To read the full piece at Seeking Alpha, click here:
Little Wrong With Herbalife Other Than Its Valuation

Investopedia: Herbalife - Stealth Emerging Markets Play?

It doesn't matter how much doctors and nutritionists may decry supplements, they are popular and people want to believe in them. That has underpinned good growth in a sector with none of the patent worries of pharmaceuticals and minimal FDA interference. It has also led to solid stock market performance for traditional store-based retailers like Vitamin Shoppe (NYSE:VSI) and GNC (NYSE:GNC) as well as multi-level marketing firm Herbalife (NYSE:HLF). (For help on choosing stocks, check out How Investors Can Screen For Stock Ideas.)

Growth in a Bottle in Q2  
Herbalife continues to rack up impressive growth. Revenue rose 28% in the second quarter, with organic growth on the order of 20%. There are several metrics that investors can use to evaluate the underlying momentum of Herbalife's business and regional volume points is one of them. By this standard, volume rose more than 17% in the second quarter, with exceptionally strong growth in Asia-Pacific, Mexico, and Central/South America. Results in North America and Europe were more sedate (mid-single digit growth), while the China numbers were actually down about 9%. Overall reported revenue from China was flat, though. 


To read the full piece, please click below:
http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2011/Herbalife--Stealth-Emerging-Market-Play-HLF-VSI-GNC-USNA-WTW-NTRI-VVUS0805.aspx