Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NVGS) Receives Average Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from Brokerages

Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NVGS - Get Free Report) has received an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the five brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $21.50.

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Navigator from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Sunday, March 15th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Navigator from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Navigator in a research report on Friday, March 27th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Navigator

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of NVGS. Geode Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Navigator during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $5,677,000. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Navigator in the third quarter valued at $6,091,000. Ameriprise Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Navigator in the second quarter valued at $4,773,000. First Manhattan CO. LLC. raised its stake in Navigator by 27.8% during the fourth quarter. First Manhattan CO. LLC. now owns 1,430,009 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $24,768,000 after acquiring an additional 311,259 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LSV Asset Management acquired a new position in Navigator during the fourth quarter worth $3,108,000. 18.95% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Navigator

Here are the key news stories impacting Navigator this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings beat — Navigator reported $0.50 EPS vs. $0.34 consensus and revenue of $140.6M (vs. ~$137M est.), with net income and adjusted EPS up year-over-year; the beat supports valuation and investor confidence. Navigator Holdings (NVGS) Q1 Earnings Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend + buybacks — Board declared a $0.07 quarterly dividend (payable June 10) and plans ~$6.3M of open‑market repurchases tied to the quarter, and raised its capital return target from 30% to 35% of net income going forward — a clear shareholder‑friendly move. Navigator Holdings Ltd. Declares $0.07 Cash Dividend and Announces Revised Capital Return Policy
• Positive Sentiment: Asset sales boosted profits & liquidity — recent vessel disposals produced meaningful gains and cash proceeds; total liquidity stood near $291M at quarter end, improving balance‑sheet visibility for buybacks/dividends and newbuild financing. Navigator Q1 release / Quiver summary
• Neutral Sentiment: Conference call / transcript available — management hosted the Q1 webcast and provided slide deck and call transcript for more detail on guidance, fleet employment and market outlook. Useful for investors wanting management color. Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Q1 operational details — utilization ~90.6%, average daily TCE ~$29,684 (down slightly YoY), and planned newbuild financing/deliveries disclosed; these are material longer‑term factors but not immediate negatives. Navigator Holdings: Q1 Earnings Snapshot
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks downgrade — Zacks moved NVGS from “hold” to “strong sell,” which could pressure short‑term sentiment despite the beat and capital returns. Zacks Research
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue/TCE slightly weaker and adjusted EBITDA down — operating revenues fell ~7% YoY and average TCE declined modestly; adjusted EBITDA was lower after adjusting for vessel sale effects, which could cap multiple expansion. Quiver / Company release
• Negative Sentiment: Precautionary credit draw — the company drew ~$91.4M of revolving credit as a liquidity precaution amid geopolitical uncertainty; while on deposit now, it highlights market risk sensitivity. Quiver / Company release

Navigator Trading Up 1.1%

Navigator stock opened at $22.92 on Friday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $20.19 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $18.59. The company has a quick ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58. Navigator has a 12 month low of $13.18 and a 12 month high of $23.22. The stock has a market cap of $1.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.45.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The shipping company reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $140.62 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $139.35 million. Navigator had a return on equity of 6.96% and a net margin of 18.84%. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Navigator will post 1.16 EPS for the current year.

Navigator Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.07 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 20th. This represents a $0.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. Navigator's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 18.92%.

About Navigator

Navigator Holdings Ltd. is a global shipping company specializing in the seaborne transportation of liquefied gases. The company's fleet is purpose-built to carry a range of petrochemical gases, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), ethylene, propylene and ammonia. Navigator's vessels are designed to meet the stringent safety and environmental standards required for handling pressurized and refrigerated gases, offering flexible capacity to customers across the energy and chemical sectors.

Navigator operates one of the largest and most modern fleets of gas carriers in the industry, with vessels ranging from fully pressurized gas carriers to specialized very large ethane carriers (VLECs).

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