Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Share Price Passes Above 50 Day Moving Average - Should You Sell?

Navigator Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NVGS - Get Free Report)'s share price passed above its 50-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of $13.89 and traded as high as $14.43. Navigator shares last traded at $14.27, with a volume of 579,519 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Navigator from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 13th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $20.00 target price on shares of Navigator in a research note on Wednesday, March 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $21.60.

Navigator Stock Up 6.1%

The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $13.89 and a 200 day simple moving average of $14.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.10. The company has a market cap of $1.05 billion, a PE ratio of 11.84 and a beta of 0.78.

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 14th. The shipping company reported $0.36 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.30 by $0.06. Navigator had a return on equity of 7.83% and a net margin of 15.42%. The company had revenue of $151.41 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $128.26 million. Equities research analysts predict that Navigator Holdings Ltd. will post 1.25 EPS for the current year.

Navigator Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 17th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 29th were issued a $0.05 dividend. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.32%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 29th. Navigator's dividend payout ratio is currently 15.63%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in Navigator by 18.0% during the first 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 lifted its position in shares of Navigator by 674.7% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 85,843 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $1,143,000 after buying an additional 74,762 shares during the last quarter. SCS Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Navigator in the 1st quarter worth about $1,250,000. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Navigator in the 1st quarter valued at about $818,000. Finally, Petrus Trust Company LTA grew its position in shares of Navigator by 96.8% during the 1st quarter. Petrus Trust Company LTA now owns 90,002 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $1,198,000 after buying an additional 44,270 shares during the last quarter. 18.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.