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Side-by-side financial comparison of HEARTLAND EXPRESS INC (HTLD) 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 $179.4M, roughly 1.9× HEARTLAND EXPRESS INC). Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 3.4% vs -10.8%, a 14.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (1.6% vs -26.1%). Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($11.6M vs $-44.2M). Over the past eight quarters, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (4.4% CAGR vs -18.5%).

Heartland Express is an American trucking company headquartered in North Liberty, Iowa. The company offers truckload shipping services across the United States.

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.

HTLD vs NGVC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NGVC
NGVC
1.9× larger
NGVC
$335.6M
$179.4M
HTLD
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NGVC
NGVC
+27.7% gap
NGVC
1.6%
-26.1%
HTLD
Higher net margin
NGVC
NGVC
14.2% more per $
NGVC
3.4%
-10.8%
HTLD
More free cash flow
NGVC
NGVC
$55.8M more FCF
NGVC
$11.6M
$-44.2M
HTLD
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NGVC
NGVC
Annualised
NGVC
4.4%
-18.5%
HTLD

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Revenue
$179.4M
$335.6M
Net Profit
$-19.4M
$11.3M
Gross Margin
29.5%
Operating Margin
-12.7%
4.4%
Net Margin
-10.8%
3.4%
Revenue YoY
-26.1%
1.6%
Net Profit YoY
-949.2%
14.0%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.24
$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
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$179.4M
$335.6M
Q3 25
$196.5M
$336.1M
Q2 25
$210.4M
$328.7M
Q1 25
$219.4M
$335.8M
Q4 24
$242.6M
$330.2M
Q3 24
$259.9M
$322.7M
Q2 24
$274.8M
$309.1M
Q1 24
$270.3M
$308.1M
Net Profit
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$-19.4M
$11.3M
Q3 25
$-8.3M
$11.8M
Q2 25
$-10.9M
$11.6M
Q1 25
$-13.9M
$13.1M
Q4 24
$-1.9M
$9.9M
Q3 24
$-9.3M
$9.0M
Q2 24
$-3.5M
$9.2M
Q1 24
$-15.1M
$8.0M
Gross Margin
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
29.5%
Q3 25
29.5%
Q2 25
29.9%
Q1 25
30.3%
Q4 24
29.9%
Q3 24
29.6%
Q2 24
29.2%
Q1 24
29.3%
Operating Margin
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
-12.7%
4.4%
Q3 25
-3.7%
4.6%
Q2 25
-5.9%
4.7%
Q1 25
-6.8%
5.2%
Q4 24
0.4%
4.0%
Q3 24
-2.7%
3.7%
Q2 24
0.1%
4.2%
Q1 24
-5.3%
3.7%
Net Margin
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
-10.8%
3.4%
Q3 25
-4.2%
3.5%
Q2 25
-5.2%
3.5%
Q1 25
-6.3%
3.9%
Q4 24
-0.8%
3.0%
Q3 24
-3.6%
2.8%
Q2 24
-1.3%
3.0%
Q1 24
-5.6%
2.6%
EPS (diluted)
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$-0.24
$0.49
Q3 25
$-0.11
$0.51
Q2 25
$-0.14
$0.50
Q1 25
$-0.18
$0.56
Q4 24
$-0.03
$0.43
Q3 24
$-0.12
$0.38
Q2 24
$-0.04
$0.40
Q1 24
$-0.19
$0.35

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$18.5M
$23.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$154.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$755.3M
$220.0M
Total Assets
$1.2B
$668.6M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.20×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$18.5M
$23.2M
Q3 25
$32.7M
$17.1M
Q2 25
$22.9M
$13.2M
Q1 25
$23.9M
$21.2M
Q4 24
$12.8M
$6.3M
Q3 24
$30.7M
$8.9M
Q2 24
$23.9M
$13.9M
Q1 24
$23.8M
$11.0M
Total Debt
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$154.1M
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
$187.9M
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Stockholders' Equity
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$755.3M
$220.0M
Q3 25
$775.6M
$212.4M
Q2 25
$786.7M
$202.5M
Q1 25
$807.7M
$193.0M
Q4 24
$822.6M
$181.9M
Q3 24
$825.7M
$174.3M
Q2 24
$836.8M
$167.8M
Q1 24
$848.8M
$160.0M
Total Assets
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$1.2B
$668.6M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$670.5M
Q2 25
$1.3B
$659.0M
Q1 25
$1.3B
$664.6M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$648.9M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$655.5M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$654.4M
Q1 24
$1.5B
$656.6M
Debt / Equity
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
0.20×
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.23×
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$14.9M
$21.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-44.2M
$11.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-24.6%
3.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
33.0%
2.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.86×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-66.9M
$42.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$14.9M
$21.1M
Q3 25
$27.5M
$15.6M
Q2 25
$21.0M
$2.9M
Q1 25
$25.8M
$34.1M
Q4 24
$37.8M
$2.7M
Q3 24
$35.6M
$24.5M
Q2 24
$40.0M
$12.4M
Q1 24
$31.0M
$20.2M
Free Cash Flow
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
$-44.2M
$11.6M
Q3 25
$-12.2M
$7.5M
Q2 25
$-12.8M
$-4.2M
Q1 25
$2.3M
$27.6M
Q4 24
$-45.5M
$-6.9M
Q3 24
$24.6M
$18.0M
Q2 24
$29.4M
$3.6M
Q1 24
$26.3M
$9.8M
FCF Margin
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
-24.6%
3.4%
Q3 25
-6.2%
2.2%
Q2 25
-6.1%
-1.3%
Q1 25
1.0%
8.2%
Q4 24
-18.8%
-2.1%
Q3 24
9.5%
5.6%
Q2 24
10.7%
1.2%
Q1 24
9.7%
3.2%
Capex Intensity
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
33.0%
2.9%
Q3 25
20.2%
2.4%
Q2 25
16.1%
2.2%
Q1 25
10.7%
1.9%
Q4 24
34.3%
2.9%
Q3 24
4.2%
2.0%
Q2 24
3.8%
2.9%
Q1 24
1.7%
3.4%
Cash Conversion
HTLD
HTLD
NGVC
NGVC
Q4 25
1.86×
Q3 25
1.32×
Q2 25
0.25×
Q1 25
2.60×
Q4 24
0.27×
Q3 24
2.72×
Q2 24
1.35×
Q1 24
2.54×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

HTLD
HTLD

Segment breakdown not available.

NGVC
NGVC

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

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