vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of Blue Bird Corp (BLBD) and Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NGVC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($335.6M vs $333.1M, roughly 1.0× Blue Bird Corp). Blue Bird Corp runs the higher net margin — 9.2% vs 3.4%, a 5.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Blue Bird Corp posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.1% vs 1.6%). Blue Bird Corp produced more free cash flow last quarter ($31.1M vs $11.6M). Over the past eight quarters, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (4.4% CAGR vs -1.9%).

The Blue Bird Corporation is an American bus manufacturer. Headquartered in Fort Valley, Georgia, the company was best known for its production of school buses. The company has also manufactured a wide variety of other bus types, including transit buses, motorhomes, and specialty vehicles such as mobile libraries and mobile police command centers.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. is a U.S.-based specialty retail chain that offers certified organic groceries, dietary supplements, natural personal care items, and eco-friendly household products. It serves health-conscious consumers across multiple U.S. states, following strict quality standards that exclude artificial preservatives, colors, flavors and harmful additives.

BLBD vs NGVC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NGVC
NGVC
1.0× larger
NGVC
$335.6M
$333.1M
BLBD
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
BLBD
BLBD
+4.5% gap
BLBD
6.1%
1.6%
NGVC
Higher net margin
BLBD
BLBD
5.9% more per $
BLBD
9.2%
3.4%
NGVC
More free cash flow
BLBD
BLBD
$19.6M more FCF
BLBD
$31.1M
$11.6M
NGVC
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NGVC
NGVC
Annualised
NGVC
4.4%
-1.9%
BLBD

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Revenue
$333.1M
$335.6M
Net Profit
$30.8M
$11.3M
Gross Margin
21.4%
29.5%
Operating Margin
11.3%
4.4%
Net Margin
9.2%
3.4%
Revenue YoY
6.1%
1.6%
Net Profit YoY
7.1%
14.0%
EPS (diluted)
$0.94
$0.49

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$333.1M
$335.6M
Q3 25
$409.4M
$336.1M
Q2 25
$398.0M
$328.7M
Q1 25
$358.9M
$335.8M
Q4 24
$313.9M
$330.2M
Q3 24
$350.2M
$322.7M
Q2 24
$333.4M
$309.1M
Q1 24
$345.9M
$308.1M
Net Profit
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$30.8M
$11.3M
Q3 25
$36.5M
$11.8M
Q2 25
$36.5M
$11.6M
Q1 25
$26.0M
$13.1M
Q4 24
$28.7M
$9.9M
Q3 24
$24.7M
$9.0M
Q2 24
$28.7M
$9.2M
Q1 24
$26.0M
$8.0M
Gross Margin
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
21.4%
29.5%
Q3 25
21.1%
29.5%
Q2 25
21.6%
29.9%
Q1 25
19.7%
30.3%
Q4 24
19.2%
29.9%
Q3 24
17.0%
29.6%
Q2 24
20.8%
29.2%
Q1 24
18.4%
29.3%
Operating Margin
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
11.3%
4.4%
Q3 25
12.3%
4.6%
Q2 25
12.6%
4.7%
Q1 25
9.4%
5.2%
Q4 24
10.5%
4.0%
Q3 24
7.3%
3.7%
Q2 24
11.9%
4.2%
Q1 24
10.4%
3.7%
Net Margin
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
9.2%
3.4%
Q3 25
8.9%
3.5%
Q2 25
9.2%
3.5%
Q1 25
7.3%
3.9%
Q4 24
9.2%
3.0%
Q3 24
7.0%
2.8%
Q2 24
8.6%
3.0%
Q1 24
7.5%
2.6%
EPS (diluted)
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$0.94
$0.49
Q3 25
$1.11
$0.51
Q2 25
$1.12
$0.50
Q1 25
$0.79
$0.56
Q4 24
$0.86
$0.43
Q3 24
$0.71
$0.38
Q2 24
$0.85
$0.40
Q1 24
$0.79
$0.35

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$241.7M
$23.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$271.4M
$220.0M
Total Assets
$642.3M
$668.6M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$241.7M
$23.2M
Q3 25
$229.3M
$17.1M
Q2 25
$173.1M
$13.2M
Q1 25
$130.7M
$21.2M
Q4 24
$136.1M
$6.3M
Q3 24
$127.7M
$8.9M
Q2 24
$88.4M
$13.9M
Q1 24
$93.1M
$11.0M
Stockholders' Equity
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$271.4M
$220.0M
Q3 25
$255.4M
$212.4M
Q2 25
$221.8M
$202.5M
Q1 25
$190.4M
$193.0M
Q4 24
$179.7M
$181.9M
Q3 24
$159.6M
$174.3M
Q2 24
$137.3M
$167.8M
Q1 24
$105.8M
$160.0M
Total Assets
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$642.3M
$668.6M
Q3 25
$625.3M
$670.5M
Q2 25
$575.5M
$659.0M
Q1 25
$543.7M
$664.6M
Q4 24
$535.2M
$648.9M
Q3 24
$524.9M
$655.5M
Q2 24
$468.1M
$654.4M
Q1 24
$456.5M
$656.6M

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$36.6M
$21.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$31.1M
$11.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
9.3%
3.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.6%
2.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.19×
1.86×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$162.6M
$42.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$36.6M
$21.1M
Q3 25
$65.1M
$15.6M
Q2 25
$56.9M
$2.9M
Q1 25
$27.8M
$34.1M
Q4 24
$26.4M
$2.7M
Q3 24
$55.4M
$24.5M
Q2 24
$989.0K
$12.4M
Q1 24
$54.6M
$20.2M
Free Cash Flow
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$31.1M
$11.6M
Q3 25
$60.5M
$7.5M
Q2 25
$52.3M
$-4.2M
Q1 25
$18.7M
$27.6M
Q4 24
$21.8M
$-6.9M
Q3 24
$50.2M
$18.0M
Q2 24
$-3.5M
$3.6M
Q1 24
$51.8M
$9.8M
FCF Margin
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
9.3%
3.4%
Q3 25
14.8%
2.2%
Q2 25
13.1%
-1.3%
Q1 25
5.2%
8.2%
Q4 24
7.0%
-2.1%
Q3 24
14.3%
5.6%
Q2 24
-1.1%
1.2%
Q1 24
15.0%
3.2%
Capex Intensity
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
1.6%
2.9%
Q3 25
1.1%
2.4%
Q2 25
1.2%
2.2%
Q1 25
2.5%
1.9%
Q4 24
1.5%
2.9%
Q3 24
1.5%
2.0%
Q2 24
1.3%
2.9%
Q1 24
0.8%
3.4%
Cash Conversion
BLBD
BLBD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
1.19×
1.86×
Q3 25
1.78×
1.32×
Q2 25
1.56×
0.25×
Q1 25
1.07×
2.60×
Q4 24
0.92×
0.27×
Q3 24
2.24×
2.72×
Q2 24
0.03×
1.35×
Q1 24
2.10×
2.54×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

BLBD
BLBD

Alternative Fuel Buses$151.4M45%
Diesel Buses$144.9M43%
Parts$24.8M7%
Other$12.1M4%

NGVC
NGVC

Grocery$243.8M73%
Dietary Supplements$60.7M18%
Manufactured Product Other$31.0M9%

Related Comparisons