Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Sets New 12-Month High at $17.95

Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NVGS) shares reached a new 52-week high on Monday . The company traded as high as $17.95 and last traded at $17.95, with a volume of 199819 shares. The stock had previously closed at $17.46.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have weighed in on NVGS. StockNews.com raised shares of Navigator from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 21st. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $20.00 target price on shares of Navigator in a report on Thursday, March 14th.

Navigator Trading Up 3.0 %

The firm has a market capitalization of $1.32 billion, a PE ratio of 14.92 and a beta of 1.51. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $16.42 and its 200-day moving average price is $15.68. 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 (NYSE:NVGS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 15th. The shipping company reported $0.31 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.31. Navigator had a net margin of 15.68% and a return on equity of 6.86%. The firm had revenue of $119.97 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $121.51 million. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Navigator Holdings Ltd. will post 1.44 earnings per share for the current year.

Navigator Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, June 4th. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.11%. Navigator’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 17.09%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Navigator

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. CWM LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Navigator in the fourth quarter worth $54,000. Semanteon Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of Navigator in the 4th quarter worth about $221,000. Aristides Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Navigator in the 1st quarter worth about $252,000. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd bought a new stake in Navigator in the 4th quarter valued at about $319,000. Finally, Levin Capital Strategies L.P. lifted its position in Navigator by 74.7% in the 1st quarter. Levin Capital Strategies L.P. now owns 22,449 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $345,000 after purchasing an additional 9,600 shares during 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.