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

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

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

Navigator Trading Up 0.7 %

NYSE:NVGS opened at $16.13 on Tuesday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $16.16 and a 200-day moving average price of $16.10. Navigator has a 12 month low of $13.68 and a 12 month high of $18.18. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The stock has a market cap of $1.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.79 and a beta of 1.50.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) last issued its quarterly 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. The company had revenue of $129.55 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $117.92 million. Navigator had a net margin of 14.76% and a return on equity of 7.35%. Equities analysts predict that Navigator will post 1.38 EPS for the current year.

Navigator Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.24%. Navigator’s dividend payout ratio is presently 17.09%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Navigator

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Point72 Asset Management L.P. purchased a new position in shares of Navigator in the second quarter worth approximately $38,000. Quarry LP purchased a new position in shares of Navigator in the second quarter worth approximately $48,000. Perkins Coie Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of Navigator in the second quarter worth approximately $105,000. XTX Topco Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Navigator in the second quarter worth approximately $279,000. Finally, Aristides Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Navigator in the first quarter worth approximately $252,000. 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.