Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Earns Buy Rating from Analysts at DNB Markets

DNB Markets initiated coverage on shares of Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) in a research note issued to investors on Thursday morning, Marketbeat reports. The firm issued a buy rating and a $22.00 price objective on the shipping company’s stock.

NVGS has been the topic of several other reports. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a $20.00 price target on shares of Navigator in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. StockNews.com cut Navigator from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, September 7th. Citigroup initiated coverage on Navigator in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. They set a buy rating and a $22.00 price target for the company. Finally, Clarkson Capital raised Navigator from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $20.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $21.00.

Navigator Stock Performance

Shares of NVGS opened at $15.66 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.38 and a beta of 1.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 1.13. Navigator has a one year low of $13.68 and a one year high of $18.18. The business has a fifty day moving average of $16.25 and a 200 day moving average of $16.08.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The shipping company reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.02. Navigator had a return on equity of 7.35% and a net margin of 14.76%. The business had revenue of $129.55 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $117.92 million. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Navigator will post 1.38 EPS for the current year.

Navigator Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be issued a $0.05 dividend. This represents a $0.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.28%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. Navigator’s dividend payout ratio is currently 17.09%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Navigator

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of NVGS. Hodges Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Navigator by 89.3% during the first quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. now owns 522,535 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $8,021,000 after purchasing an additional 246,505 shares in the last quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of Navigator by 6.5% during the first quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 539,538 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $8,282,000 after buying an additional 33,100 shares during the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Navigator by 145.7% in the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,086,016 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $16,641,000 after buying an additional 644,011 shares in the last quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. boosted its position in shares of Navigator by 17.9% during the first quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 673,500 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $10,338,000 after acquiring an additional 102,224 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC grew its stake in Navigator by 13.5% during the first quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 29,884 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $459,000 after acquiring an additional 3,546 shares in the last quarter. 18.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Navigator

Navigator Holdings Ltd. engages in owning and operating a fleet of liquefied gas carriers worldwide. It provides international and regional seaborne transportation services of petrochemical gases, liquefied petroleum gases, and ammonia for energy companies, industrial users, and commodity traders. The company also offers ship shore infrastructure and consultancy services.