Wall Street Zen Downgrades Dorian LPG (NYSE:LPG) to Buy

Dorian LPG (NYSE:LPG) was downgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued on Sunday.

Several other research analysts have also weighed in on LPG. Dnb Carnegie raised Dorian LPG from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Dorian LPG in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Pareto Securities lowered shares of Dorian LPG from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, November 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has given a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $35.00.

Dorian LPG Stock Up 0.8%

Shares of LPG stock opened at $35.44 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $28.34 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $28.49. The company has a current ratio of 2.41, a quick ratio of 2.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. Dorian LPG has a 1 year low of $16.66 and a 1 year high of $35.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.48 and a beta of 0.58.

Dorian LPG (NYSE:LPG) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The shipping company reported $1.11 earnings per share 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 quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.43 EPS. Dorian LPG’s revenue was up 48.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Dorian LPG will post 2.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Dorian LPG

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Dorian LPG

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in shares of Dorian LPG by 0.5% during the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,493,668 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $74,312,000 after purchasing an additional 13,241 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Dorian LPG by 12.4% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,874,907 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $45,635,000 after buying an additional 207,575 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in Dorian LPG by 6.2% during the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,697,048 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $50,572,000 after buying an additional 99,485 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Dorian LPG by 0.9% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,116,702 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $27,184,000 after buying an additional 10,480 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Dorian LPG by 3.7% in the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 678,899 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $16,524,000 after acquiring an additional 23,974 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.50% of the company’s stock.

Dorian LPG Company Profile

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.