Dorian LPG (NYSE:LPG) Shares Down 4.1% After Insider Selling

Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE:LPG) fell 4.1% during mid-day trading on Thursday after an insider sold shares in the company. The stock traded as low as $27.40 and last traded at $27.4550. 122,448 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 75% from the average session volume of 498,278 shares. The stock had previously closed at $28.62.

Specifically, insider Tim Truels Hansen sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.85, for a total value of $721,250.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 212,842 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,140,491.70. This trade represents a 10.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently issued reports on LPG. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Dorian LPG from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 3rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Dorian LPG in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Pareto Securities cut shares of Dorian LPG from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Dorian LPG presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $35.00.

Dorian LPG Trading Down 1.9%

The company has a quick ratio of 3.30, a current ratio of 3.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $25.63 and its 200-day moving average is $28.08. The company has a market cap of $1.18 billion, a PE ratio of 12.34 and a beta of 0.59.

Dorian LPG (NYSE:LPG) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The shipping company reported $1.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.40 by ($0.09). Dorian LPG had a net margin of 26.02% and a return on equity of 9.13%. The company had revenue of $124.06 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $126.99 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.35 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 50.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Dorian LPG Ltd. will post 2.6 EPS for the current year.

Dorian LPG Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 17th were given a $0.65 dividend. This is a boost from Dorian LPG’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.60. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 17th. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.4%. Dorian LPG’s dividend payout ratio is currently 44.84%.

Institutional Trading of Dorian LPG

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its stake in Dorian LPG by 4.4% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 21,603 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $483,000 after buying an additional 914 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Dorian LPG by 1,003.8% in the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,446 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 1,315 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its position in shares of Dorian LPG by 50.0% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 178,039 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $3,977,000 after acquiring an additional 59,311 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Dorian LPG by 130.6% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 133,850 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $2,990,000 after purchasing an additional 75,818 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Voya Investment Management LLC boosted its position in Dorian LPG by 14.8% during the first quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 18,128 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $405,000 after purchasing an additional 2,337 shares in the last quarter. 62.50% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Dorian LPG

Dorian LPG Ltd., incorporated in Bermuda and headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, is a leading owner and operator of modern very large gas carriers (VLGCs). The company specializes in the maritime transportation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), primarily propane and butane, for energy producers, commodity traders and trading houses around the world.

Dorian LPG’s fleet comprises over 30 state-of-the-art VLGCs, each designed for fuel efficiency and environmental performance. These vessels operate under medium- and long-term time charter agreements, providing predictable employment and supporting a stable charter revenue profile through contracts with major international energy companies.

The company serves global energy markets by transporting LPG cargoes along major trade routes linking production centers in the Middle East, U.S.