Natural Gas Services Group (NYSE:NGS) Downgraded to “Sell” Rating by StockNews.com

Natural Gas Services Group (NYSE:NGS) was downgraded by investment analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report issued on Tuesday.

Natural Gas Services Group Trading Down 7.7 %

Shares of NYSE NGS traded down $1.82 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $21.82. The stock had a trading volume of 130,007 shares, compared to its average volume of 74,431. The firm has a market cap of $272.47 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.04 and a beta of 1.13. Natural Gas Services Group has a twelve month low of $16.70 and a twelve month high of $29.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a current ratio of 1.76. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $25.86 and its 200 day moving average price is $23.92.

Natural Gas Services Group (NYSE:NGS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, March 17th. The oil and gas company reported $0.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.27 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $40.66 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $40.84 million. Natural Gas Services Group had a net margin of 10.55% and a return on equity of 6.60%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.14 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Natural Gas Services Group will post 1.42 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Stephen Charles Taylor sold 19,400 shares of Natural Gas Services Group stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.80, for a total value of $558,720.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 438,387 shares in the company, valued at $12,625,545.60. The trade was a 4.24 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 7.25% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Natural Gas Services Group

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of NGS. Proficio Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Natural Gas Services Group in the 4th quarter valued at $5,733,000. First Eagle Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Natural Gas Services Group by 119.8% in the 4th quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 229,294 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $6,145,000 after acquiring an additional 124,978 shares in the last quarter. Crown Advisors Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Natural Gas Services Group in the 4th quarter valued at $2,680,000. EAM Investors LLC bought a new stake in Natural Gas Services Group during the 4th quarter valued at $1,089,000. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Natural Gas Services Group during the 4th quarter valued at $1,001,000. Institutional investors own 65.62% of the company’s stock.

About Natural Gas Services Group

Natural Gas Services Group, Inc provides natural gas compression equipment and services to the energy industry in the United States. It engineers and fabricates, operates, rents, and maintains natural gas compressors for oil and natural gas production and plant facilities. It also designs, fabricates, and assembles compressor units for rental or sale; and designs, manufactures, and sells a line of reciprocating natural gas compressor frames, cylinders, and parts.