Penbrook Management LLC Reduces Stock Holdings in Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NVGS)

Penbrook Management LLC lowered its stake in shares of Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NVGS) by 8.3% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 99,900 shares of the shipping company’s stock after selling 9,000 shares during the period. Navigator comprises about 1.0% of Penbrook Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest holding. Penbrook Management LLC owned 0.14% of Navigator worth $1,533,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Hodges Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Navigator by 89.3% during the 1st quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. now owns 522,535 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $8,021,000 after purchasing an additional 246,505 shares in the last quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd increased its stake in shares of Navigator by 152.8% in the 3rd quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd now owns 72,370 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $1,069,000 after purchasing an additional 43,742 shares in the last quarter. M&T Bank Corp purchased a new position in Navigator during the fourth quarter worth approximately $437,000. SG Americas Securities LLC purchased a new position in Navigator during the fourth quarter worth approximately $383,000. Finally, Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd purchased a new stake in Navigator in the 4th quarter worth $319,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 18.95% of the company’s stock.

Navigator Stock Performance

Navigator stock traded down $0.11 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $17.91. 189,247 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 216,819. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.15. Navigator Holdings Ltd. has a 12-month low of $12.69 and a 12-month high of $18.07. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $16.48 and its 200 day simple moving average is $15.70. The stock has a market cap of $1.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.40 and a beta of 1.51.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 15th. The shipping company reported $0.31 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.31. The business had revenue of $119.97 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $121.51 million. Navigator had a net margin of 15.68% and a return on equity of 6.86%. Equities research analysts predict that Navigator Holdings Ltd. will post 1.44 EPS for the current year.

Navigator Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 25th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 4th were paid a dividend of $0.05 per share. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.12%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, June 4th. Navigator’s dividend payout ratio is currently 17.09%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. StockNews.com upgraded Navigator from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 21st. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $20.00 target price on shares of Navigator in a research note on Thursday, March 14th.

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.