LAKEWOOD, Colo., July 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (Natural Grocers) announced today the pricing of its initial public offering of 7,142,857 shares of common stock at a price to the public of $15.00 per share.  Natural Grocers expects the common stock to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "NGVC" on July 25, 2012.  The closing of the offering is expected to occur on July 30, 2012, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

A total of 3,623,793 shares are being offered by Natural Grocers and 3,519,064 shares are being offered by the selling stockholders.  Additionally, Natural Grocers and certain selling stockholders have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 543,574 shares and 527,854 shares, respectively, to cover over-allotments, if any.  Natural Grocers will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholders.

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. and Piper Jaffray & Co. are acting as joint book-running managers and as the representatives of the underwriters for the offering.  William Blair & Company, L.L.C. and Canaccord Genuity Inc. are co-managers for the offering.  The offering of these securities is being made only by means of a prospectus.  A copy of the prospectus may be obtained from SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., Attention: Prospectus Department, 3333 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30326, by email request at STRH.Prospectus@SunTrust.com, or by calling 404-926-5744; or Piper Jaffray & Co., 800 Nicolette Mall, J12S03, Minneapolis, MN 55402, by e-mail request at prospectus@pjc.com, or by calling (800) 747‑3924.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with, and declared effective by, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

Natural Grocers is a specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries and dietary supplements with stores in eleven states: Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

SOURCE Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc.