Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Receives New Coverage from Analysts at Alliance Global Partners

Alliance Global Partners assumed coverage on shares of Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) in a research note issued to investors on Monday, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage issued a buy rating and a $24.00 price objective on the shipping company’s stock.

NVGS has been the topic of several other reports. DNB Markets started coverage on shares of Navigator in a research note on Thursday, September 12th. They set a “buy” rating and a $22.00 price objective on the stock. Citigroup initiated coverage on Navigator in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $22.00 price objective on the stock. StockNews.com lowered Navigator from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 14th. Clarkson Capital upgraded Navigator from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $20.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $20.00 price objective on shares of Navigator in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $21.60.

Navigator Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE NVGS opened at $16.01 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.17 billion, a PE ratio of 14.17 and a beta of 1.49. Navigator has a 52 week low of $13.72 and a 52 week high of $18.18. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $16.13 and a 200 day moving average price of $16.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.19.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) last released its 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. Navigator had a net margin of 14.76% and a return on equity of 7.35%. The business had revenue of $129.55 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $117.92 million. Analysts predict that Navigator will post 1.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Navigator Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 3rd were paid a $0.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 3rd. This represents a $0.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.25%. Navigator’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 17.70%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Navigator

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Graham Capital Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Navigator during the third quarter worth about $3,444,000. First Eagle Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of Navigator by 6.5% in 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 in the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. raised its position in shares of Navigator by 108.6% in the second quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 70,256 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $1,227,000 after buying an additional 36,571 shares in the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC grew its position in Navigator by 145.7% during 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. Finally, Evergreen Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Navigator by 266.1% in the 2nd quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 42,995 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $751,000 after buying an additional 31,250 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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.