Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) Issues Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $0.07 EPS

Navigator (NYSE:NVGS) announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The shipping company reported $0.32 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.39 by ($0.07), FiscalAI reports. Navigator had a net margin of 17.85% and a return on equity of 6.83%. The firm had revenue of $152.83 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $136.15 million.

Navigator Stock Down 11.4%

Navigator stock traded down $2.33 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $18.11. 268,532 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 278,547. Navigator has a 52-week low of $10.55 and a 52-week high of $21.36. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $18.99 and its 200-day moving average price is $17.45. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 0.37.

Navigator Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Monday, March 23rd will be issued a dividend of $0.07 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 23rd. This represents a $0.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.5%. Navigator’s payout ratio is 18.54%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. Zacks Research lowered Navigator from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Navigator from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 7th. Pareto Securities assumed coverage on shares of Navigator in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Navigator in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $21.50.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Navigator

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. California State Teachers Retirement System bought a new position in Navigator in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its position in shares of Navigator by 2,794.4% in the third quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 2,055 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 1,984 shares in the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Navigator during the 3rd quarter valued at $43,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in Navigator during the 2nd quarter worth about $42,000. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. grew its holdings in Navigator by 21,406.3% during the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 3,441 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 3,425 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 18.95% of the company’s stock.

Navigator Company Profile

Navigator Holdings Ltd. is a global shipping company specializing in the seaborne transportation of liquefied gases. The company’s fleet is purpose-built to carry a range of petrochemical gases, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), ethylene, propylene and ammonia. Navigator’s vessels are designed to meet the stringent safety and environmental standards required for handling pressurized and refrigerated gases, offering flexible capacity to customers across the energy and chemical sectors.

Navigator operates one of the largest and most modern fleets of gas carriers in the industry, with vessels ranging from fully pressurized gas carriers to specialized very large ethane carriers (VLECs).