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

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) was downgraded by StockNews.com from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued on Tuesday.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $20.00 target price on shares of Navigator in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. 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. Clarkson Capital upgraded Navigator from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $20.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 22nd. Finally, DNB Markets initiated coverage on Navigator in a report on Thursday, September 12th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $22.00 price objective on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $21.00.

Navigator Stock Performance

Shares of Navigator stock opened at $15.82 on Tuesday. Navigator has a one year low of $13.68 and a one year high of $18.18. The company has a market cap of $1.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.52 and a beta of 1.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.19. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $16.22 and its 200 day moving average price is $16.09.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The shipping company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.32 by $0.02. Navigator had a return on equity of 7.35% and a net margin of 14.76%. The company had revenue of $129.55 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $117.92 million. On average, research analysts predict that Navigator will post 1.38 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Navigator

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Navigator by 32.8% in the 2nd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,442,150 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $25,146,000 after buying an additional 356,134 shares during the period. Encompass Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Navigator during the 2nd quarter worth $23,571,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its stake in Navigator by 15.8% during the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 787,700 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $13,753,000 after purchasing an additional 107,300 shares in the last quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. grew its stake in Navigator by 17.9% during the 1st quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 673,500 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $10,338,000 after purchasing an additional 102,224 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Millennium Management LLC grew its stake in Navigator by 14.4% during the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 661,288 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $11,546,000 after purchasing an additional 83,344 shares in the last quarter. 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.