Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Issues Earnings Results

Key Points

• Navigator Holdings reported quarterly earnings of $0.14 per share, which was $0.19 short of the consensus estimate of $0.33.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.05, yielding 1.2%, with a payout ratio of 15.63%.
• Despite the earnings miss, Wall Street analysts have a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" on the stock with a target price of $21.50.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS - Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The shipping company reported $0.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.36 by ($0.22), Zacks reports. Navigator had a return on equity of 7.83% and a net margin of 15.42%. The firm had revenue of $129.64 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $126.73 million.

Navigator Stock Up 2.1%

Shares of Navigator stock opened at $16.01 on Wednesday. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $15.19 and its 200-day moving average price is $14.49. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. Navigator has a 52-week low of $10.55 and a 52-week high of $17.52. The company has a market cap of $1.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.50 and a beta of 0.74.

Navigator Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 17th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 29th were given a $0.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 29th. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. Navigator's payout ratio is presently 15.63%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Navigator from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $21.50.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Millennium Management LLC grew its position in Navigator by 16.4% during the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 542,756 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $7,224,000 after purchasing an additional 76,287 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its position in Navigator by 18.0% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 50,885 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $677,000 after purchasing an additional 7,777 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC grew its position in Navigator by 674.7% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 85,843 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $1,143,000 after purchasing an additional 74,762 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Navigator during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $5,677,000. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its position in Navigator by 118.1% during the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 79,438 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $1,124,000 after purchasing an additional 43,008 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.