Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Sees Large Volume Increase - Still a Buy?

Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NVGS - Get Free Report) saw strong trading volume on Tuesday . 163,329 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 26% from the previous session's volume of 221,964 shares.The stock last traded at $13.02 and had previously closed at $12.71.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $20.00 price objective on shares of Navigator in a research note on Wednesday, March 12th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $21.60.

Navigator Stock Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $903.56 million, a PE ratio of 11.52 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 0.75 and a quick ratio of 0.71. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $13.44 and a 200-day simple moving average of $15.09.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 12th. The shipping company reported $0.38 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $144.03 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $120.87 million. Navigator had a net margin of 14.48% and a return on equity of 7.40%. Equities research analysts expect that Navigator Holdings Ltd. will post 1.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Navigator Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, April 3rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 24th were given a dividend of $0.05 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 24th. This represents a $0.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.54%. Navigator's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 16.67%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Navigator

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. JPMorgan Chase & Co. bought a new stake in shares of Navigator during the third quarter worth $907,000. Hodges Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Navigator by 24.8% during the 4th quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. now owns 686,148 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $10,532,000 after buying an additional 136,160 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC boosted its position in Navigator by 10.7% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 19,640 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $316,000 after buying an additional 1,895 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. grew its stake in Navigator by 30.8% in the 4th quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 117,108 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $1,798,000 after acquiring an additional 27,584 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Harvey Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Navigator during the fourth quarter worth approximately $2,504,000. 18.95% of the stock is owned by 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.

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