Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NVGS) Receives $21.60 Consensus Price Target from Analysts

Shares of Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NVGS) have earned an average rating of “Buy” from the five brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a buy recommendation. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $21.60.

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on NVGS shares. Alliance Global Partners assumed coverage on shares of Navigator in a report on Monday, October 28th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $24.00 target price on the stock. DNB Markets initiated coverage on Navigator in a research note on Thursday, September 12th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $22.00 price objective on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $20.00 target price on shares of Navigator in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. Finally, StockNews.com raised Navigator from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 8th.

Navigator Stock Up 1.2 %

Navigator stock opened at $14.93 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $15.68 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $16.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 0.75. Navigator has a 52-week low of $14.47 and a 52-week high of $18.18. The firm has a market cap of $1.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.21 and a beta of 1.47.

Navigator Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 25th were paid a $0.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 25th. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.34%. Navigator’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 17.70%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Navigator

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Encompass Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Navigator during the 2nd quarter valued at $23,571,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Navigator by 32.8% during the second quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,442,150 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $25,146,000 after acquiring an additional 356,134 shares in the last quarter. Graham Capital Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Navigator in the 3rd quarter worth about $3,444,000. First Sabrepoint Capital Management LP acquired a new position in Navigator during the 3rd quarter valued at about $2,994,000. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP increased its holdings in Navigator by 361.3% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 207,039 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $3,615,000 after purchasing an additional 162,160 shares in the last quarter. 18.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.