Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Cut to “Hold” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com lowered shares of Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Tuesday morning.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on NVGS. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a buy rating and set a $20.00 price objective on shares of Navigator in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. DNB Markets initiated coverage on shares of Navigator in a research report on Thursday, September 12th. They set a buy rating and a $22.00 price objective on the stock. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Navigator in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. They set a buy rating and a $22.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Clarkson Capital upgraded shares of Navigator from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $20.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Navigator currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $21.00.

Navigator Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:NVGS opened at $16.13 on Tuesday. 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 1-year low of $13.68 and a 1-year high of $18.18. The company has a market capitalization of $1.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.79 and a beta of 1.50. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $16.16 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $16.10.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The shipping company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $129.55 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $117.92 million. Navigator had a net margin of 14.76% and a return on equity of 7.35%. Research analysts expect that Navigator will post 1.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Navigator Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be paid a $0.05 dividend. This represents a $0.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.24%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 3rd. Navigator’s dividend payout ratio is currently 17.09%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Ghisallo Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Navigator in the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,746,000. Point72 Asset Management L.P. purchased a new position in Navigator during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $38,000. Quarry LP purchased a new position in shares of Navigator during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $48,000. Millennium Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Navigator by 14.4% during the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 661,288 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $11,546,000 after purchasing an additional 83,344 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Encompass Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Navigator during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $23,571,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 18.95% of the company’s stock.

Navigator Company Profile

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.