Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Sets New 1-Year High – Time to Buy?

Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NVGS) reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $17.94 and last traded at $17.7310, with a volume of 359943 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $17.65.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on NVGS shares. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Navigator from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Navigator in a research note on Thursday, September 25th. They set a “buy” rating and a $24.00 target price on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $19.00 price target on shares of Navigator in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Navigator in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, Navigator currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $21.50.

Navigator Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. The company’s fifty day moving average is $16.15 and its two-hundred day moving average is $15.45. The stock has a market cap of $1.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.00 and a beta of 0.57.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The shipping company reported $0.36 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.36. Navigator had a return on equity of 6.56% and a net margin of 15.57%.The business had revenue of $153.09 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $133.84 million. As a group, research analysts predict that Navigator Holdings Ltd. will post 1.25 earnings per share for the current year.

Navigator Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 25th will be paid a $0.07 dividend. This represents a $0.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.6%. This is a positive change from Navigator’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.05. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, November 25th. Navigator’s payout ratio is presently 18.54%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Navigator

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. California State Teachers Retirement System acquired a new position in shares of Navigator during the second quarter worth $29,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its holdings in Navigator by 2,794.4% during the 3rd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 2,055 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 1,984 shares during the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. purchased a new stake in Navigator during the 3rd quarter worth about $43,000. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new position in shares of Navigator during the 2nd quarter worth about $42,000. Finally, Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Navigator in the 2nd quarter valued at about $47,000. 18.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.