Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Stock Price Up 4.3% – Here’s Why

Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NVGS)’s share price traded up 4.3% on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $16.57 and last traded at $16.55. 104,344 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 48% from the average session volume of 199,979 shares. The stock had previously closed at $15.87.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. DNB Markets initiated coverage on Navigator in a report on Thursday, September 12th. They set a “buy” rating and a $22.00 target price for the company. Citigroup began coverage on Navigator in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $22.00 target price on the stock. Alliance Global Partners began coverage on Navigator in a research report on Monday, October 28th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $24.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com raised Navigator from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 8th. Finally, Clarkson Capital raised 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. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $21.60.

Navigator Price Performance

The company has a 50 day moving average price of $15.94 and a 200-day moving average price of $16.34. The company has a market cap of $1.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.37 and a beta of 1.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The shipping company reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.32 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $129.55 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $117.92 million. Navigator had a return on equity of 7.40% and a net margin of 14.48%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Navigator Holdings Ltd. will post 1.28 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Navigator Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced 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 1.23%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 25th. Navigator’s dividend payout ratio is currently 17.70%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Navigator

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of NVGS. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its stake in Navigator by 13.5% in the 1st quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 29,884 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $459,000 after purchasing an additional 3,546 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. raised its holdings in shares of Navigator by 88.0% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 33,685 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $517,000 after buying an additional 15,771 shares in the last quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Navigator by 6.5% during the 1st 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 in the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Navigator by 145.7% during the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,086,016 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $16,641,000 after buying an additional 644,011 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MQS Management LLC increased its stake in Navigator by 62.8% in the 1st quarter. MQS Management LLC now owns 26,285 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $403,000 after purchasing an additional 10,142 shares during the period. 18.95% of the stock is currently 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.