Dorian LPG (NYSE:LPG) Shares Gap Down – Time to Sell?

Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE:LPG)’s share price gapped down before the market opened on Wednesday . The stock had previously closed at $34.57, but opened at $32.67. Dorian LPG shares last traded at $32.42, with a volume of 299,292 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Dorian LPG in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen lowered Dorian LPG from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Sunday, February 22nd. Finally, Dnb Carnegie upgraded Dorian LPG from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has given a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $35.00.

Dorian LPG Stock Down 7.7%

The firm’s fifty day moving average is $31.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $28.92. The firm has a market cap of $1.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.22 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 2.41 and a quick ratio of 2.40.

Dorian LPG (NYSE:LPG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The shipping company reported $1.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.17 by ($0.06). Dorian LPG had a net margin of 29.88% and a return on equity of 11.82%. The company had revenue of $118.23 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $115.15 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.43 EPS. Dorian LPG’s quarterly revenue was up 48.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Dorian LPG Ltd. will post 2.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Dorian LPG Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a special dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 24th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 9th were paid a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 881.0%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 9th. Dorian LPG’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 35.21%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Theodore B. Young sold 10,000 shares of Dorian LPG stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.84, for a total transaction of $348,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 122,926 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,282,741.84. The trade was a 7.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, insider Tim Truels Hansen sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.85, for a total transaction of $721,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 212,842 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,140,491.70. The trade was a 10.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 13.60% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Dorian LPG

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Dorian LPG by 236.7% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 425,478 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $10,373,000 after purchasing an additional 299,107 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in Dorian LPG by 136.2% during the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 368,986 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $8,996,000 after purchasing an additional 212,787 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Dorian LPG by 12.4% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,874,907 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $45,635,000 after purchasing an additional 207,575 shares during the period. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL raised its position in shares of Dorian LPG by 425.4% in the third quarter. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL now owns 256,216 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $7,635,000 after buying an additional 207,450 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Millennium Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Dorian LPG by 55.8% during the 3rd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 572,315 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $17,055,000 after acquiring an additional 204,861 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.50% of the company’s stock.

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.