Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Rating Increased to Buy at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report published on Friday.

Several other analysts have also issued reports on the company. DNB Markets started coverage on Navigator in a report on Thursday, September 12th. They set a “buy” rating and a $22.00 price target for the company. Alliance Global Partners initiated coverage on shares of Navigator in a report on Monday, October 28th. They set a “buy” rating and a $24.00 price target on the stock. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Navigator in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. They set a “buy” rating and a $22.00 target price on the stock. Clarkson Capital raised shares of Navigator from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $20.00 target price on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $20.00 price target on shares of Navigator in a research report on Thursday. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $21.60.

Navigator Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of NVGS stock traded down $0.06 on Friday, reaching $15.61. 154,111 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 186,561. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 1.13. The stock has a market cap of $1.14 billion, a PE ratio of 13.83 and a beta of 1.50. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $15.97 and a 200 day moving average price of $16.32. Navigator has a one year low of $13.72 and a one year high of $18.18.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 14th. The shipping company reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.32 by $0.02. Navigator had a return on equity of 7.40% and a net margin of 14.48%. The firm had revenue of $129.55 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $117.92 million. Equities research analysts forecast that Navigator will post 1.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Navigator Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Investors of record on Monday, November 25th will be issued a $0.05 dividend. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.28%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 25th. Navigator’s dividend payout ratio is currently 17.70%.

Institutional Trading of Navigator

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in NVGS. Moors & Cabot Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Navigator in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $1,210,000. Royce & Associates LP increased its holdings in Navigator by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. Royce & Associates LP now owns 898,403 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $14,437,000 after purchasing an additional 6,250 shares during the last quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D raised its position in Navigator by 14.9% in the third quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D now owns 43,107 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $693,000 after purchasing an additional 5,592 shares during the period. Graham Capital Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Navigator during the third quarter worth $3,444,000. Finally, Tectonic Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Navigator by 3.5% during the third quarter. Tectonic Advisors LLC now owns 63,900 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $1,027,000 after buying an additional 2,152 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 18.95% of the company’s stock.

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.