Rincon: I agree with your sentiments. If some investor was looking for growth and he bought NPK, then his own research failed him. Clearly this is not and has not been a growth stock for a long time. And we as investors should not buy an "income stock" and try to make the management turn it into a growth stock to satisfy us. NPK's industry does not lend itself to growth.
Personally, I am investing in NPK, money that I would otherwise be investing in a savings account or short-term debt securities and so far it is performing very well in that capacity.