StealthGas Inc. (NASDAQ:GASS) Short Interest Update

StealthGas Inc. (NASDAQ:GASS - Get Free Report) was the target of a significant increase in short interest in the month of May. As of May 31st, there was short interest totalling 20,500 shares, an increase of 336.2% from the May 15th total of 4,700 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 86,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.2 days. Approximately 0.1% of the company's stock are sold short.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of StealthGas from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, May 30th.

StealthGas Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:GASS traded up $0.13 during trading on Thursday, reaching $6.43. 78,422 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 124,505. The firm has a market capitalization of $237.77 million, a PE ratio of 3.63 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a quick ratio of 2.59, a current ratio of 2.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. StealthGas has a 52 week low of $4.82 and a 52 week high of $8.00. The company's 50 day moving average is $5.48 and its two-hundred day moving average is $5.54.

StealthGas (NASDAQ:GASS - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 28th. The shipping company reported $0.44 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.33 by $0.11. StealthGas had a return on equity of 11.36% and a net margin of 40.87%. The company had revenue of $42.03 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $40.40 million.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Towerview LLC boosted its holdings in StealthGas by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Towerview LLC now owns 2,770,000 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $15,650,000 after acquiring an additional 7,500 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP lifted its holdings in StealthGas by 11.9% during the 4th quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 366,203 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $2,069,000 after purchasing an additional 39,027 shares in the last quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP boosted its position in shares of StealthGas by 22.5% in the fourth quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 335,200 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $1,894,000 after acquiring an additional 61,500 shares during the period. Inspire Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of StealthGas by 22.4% during the 4th quarter. Inspire Advisors LLC now owns 121,206 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $685,000 after purchasing an additional 22,203 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Navellier & Associates Inc. boosted its stake in StealthGas by 18.5% during the first quarter. Navellier & Associates Inc. now owns 82,572 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $453,000 after buying an additional 12,886 shares during the period. 66.32% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About StealthGas

StealthGas Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides seaborne transportation services to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) producers and users worldwide. The company's carriers carry various petroleum gas products in liquefied form, including propane, butane, butadiene, isopropane, propylene, and vinyl chloride monomer, as well as ammonia; refined petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, and jet fuel; and edible oils and chemicals.