Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Stock Rating Lowered by StockNews.com

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

Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Citigroup started coverage on Navigator in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. They set a “buy” rating and a $22.00 price objective for the company. Clarkson Capital raised Navigator from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $20.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $20.00 price target on shares of Navigator in a report on Thursday, August 15th.

Navigator Stock Down 2.8 %

Shares of NYSE:NVGS opened at $15.53 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $16.50 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $16.07. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.27 and a beta of 1.50. Navigator has a 12-month low of $13.56 and a 12-month high of $18.18.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The shipping company reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) 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 for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $117.92 million. On average, research analysts anticipate that Navigator will post 1.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Navigator

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of NVGS. Acadian Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Navigator by 32.8% in the second quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,442,150 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $25,146,000 after purchasing an additional 356,134 shares in the last quarter. Encompass Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Navigator in the second quarter valued at $23,571,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its stake in Navigator by 15.8% in the second quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 787,700 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $13,753,000 after buying an additional 107,300 shares during the last quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. increased its position in Navigator by 17.9% in the 1st quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 673,500 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $10,338,000 after acquiring an additional 102,224 shares during the period. Finally, Millennium Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Navigator by 14.4% in the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 661,288 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $11,546,000 after acquiring an additional 83,344 shares during the period. 18.95% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.