StealthGas (NASDAQ:GASS) Shares Up 1.8% - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• StealthGas shares rose 1.8% to $8.14, while trading volume was 27% below its average.
• Analyst sentiment is cautious: the stock has an average Hold rating. Its latest reported quarter missed estimates, with EPS of $0.46 versus $0.53 expected and revenue of $42.91 million versus $44.90 million expected.
• Director Michael Jolliffe sold 36,200 shares at an average price of $9.25, reducing his stake by 39.91%; insiders retain 22.1% of the company’s stock.

StealthGas, Inc. (NASDAQ:GASS - Get Free Report)'s share price was up 1.8% during trading on Thursday. The stock traded as high as $8.14 and last traded at $8.14. 109,048 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 27% from the average session volume of 148,493 shares. The stock had previously closed at $8.00.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

GASS has been the subject of a number of research reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded StealthGas from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 21st. Wall Street Zen lowered StealthGas from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, August 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating. According to MarketBeat, StealthGas has an average rating of "Hold".

StealthGas Trading Up 1.8%

The stock has a market cap of $306.31 million, a P/E ratio of 5.12 and a beta of 0.32. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $8.75 and its 200-day simple moving average is $8.98.

StealthGas (NASDAQ:GASS - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, September 2nd. The shipping company reported $0.46 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.53 by ($0.07). The business had revenue of $42.91 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $44.90 million. StealthGas had a return on equity of 7.87% and a net margin of 34.97%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Michael Jolliffe sold 36,200 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $9.25, for a total value of $334,850.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 54,500 shares in the company, valued at approximately $504,125. This represents a 39.91% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 22.10% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On StealthGas

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. WINTON GROUP Ltd boosted its stake in StealthGas by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter. WINTON GROUP Ltd now owns 41,680 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $329,000 after buying an additional 1,483 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its stake in StealthGas by 5.0% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 50,094 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $460,000 after acquiring an additional 2,388 shares in the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its stake in StealthGas by 12.7% during the third quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 33,571 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $298,000 after acquiring an additional 3,780 shares in the last quarter. R Squared Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of StealthGas by 28.1% during the third quarter. R Squared Ltd now owns 48,470 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $435,000 after acquiring an additional 10,623 shares during the period. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its holdings in shares of StealthGas by 2.4% during the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 514,871 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $4,727,000 after acquiring an additional 12,142 shares during the period. 66.32% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About StealthGas

StealthGas Inc. is an international shipping company focused primarily on owning and operating liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers. Its vessels transport LPG, including propane and butane, for energy companies, commodity traders and other customers involved in the global gas supply chain. The company specializes in small- and medium-sized LPG carriers, which serve regional routes and ports that may not accommodate larger gas vessels. Its ships operate across international markets, carrying LPG between producers, distributors and end users.

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