Genco Shipping & Trading (NYSE:GNK) Upgraded at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Genco Shipping & Trading (NYSE:GNK) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Genco Shipping & Trading in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen cut Genco Shipping & Trading from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Sunday, December 14th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $21.00.

Genco Shipping & Trading Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:GNK opened at $23.54 on Tuesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $19.83 and a 200-day moving average of $18.22. The company has a market capitalization of $1.02 billion, a PE ratio of -213.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.31 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a current ratio of 2.36. Genco Shipping & Trading has a one year low of $11.20 and a one year high of $23.90.

Genco Shipping & Trading (NYSE:GNK) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 17th. The shipping company reported $0.39 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.35 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $109.92 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $78.52 million. Genco Shipping & Trading had a negative return on equity of 0.12% and a negative net margin of 1.28%.The business’s revenue was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.29 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Genco Shipping & Trading will post 0.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Genco Shipping & Trading Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 11th will be given a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.5%. This is a positive change from Genco Shipping & Trading’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 11th. Genco Shipping & Trading’s payout ratio is currently -352.94%.

Insider Transactions at Genco Shipping & Trading

In related news, CFO Peter George Allen sold 6,232 shares of Genco Shipping & Trading stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.27, for a total transaction of $145,018.64. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 52,002 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,210,086.54. This trade represents a 10.70% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CAO Joseph Adamo sold 3,227 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.27, for a total transaction of $75,092.29. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 30,772 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $716,064.44. This trade represents a 9.49% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 17,719 shares of company stock valued at $412,321 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 2.37% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Genco Shipping & Trading

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. CSM Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Genco Shipping & Trading during the 2nd quarter valued at about $3,876,000. Millennium Management LLC increased its holdings in Genco Shipping & Trading by 100.3% in the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 543,290 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $10,013,000 after acquiring an additional 272,094 shares in the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. raised its position in Genco Shipping & Trading by 727.6% during the third quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 215,412 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $3,834,000 after acquiring an additional 189,383 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Genco Shipping & Trading by 705.9% in the third quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 133,631 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $2,379,000 after purchasing an additional 117,049 shares during the period. Finally, Credit Agricole S A purchased a new stake in shares of Genco Shipping & Trading during the third quarter worth about $1,801,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.62% of the company’s stock.

Key Genco Shipping & Trading News

Here are the key news stories impacting Genco Shipping & Trading this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.50 (annualized $2.00, ~8.6% yield) — a 233% increase from the prior payout, signaling stronger cash flow and returning capital to shareholders. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat: GNK reported stronger-than-expected revenue (~$109.9M) and EPS that topped estimates, supporting improved profitability and cash generation. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Management flagged TCE (time charter equivalent) rising more than 50% YoY amid fleet expansion — suggests core shipping earnings are improving and underpin the larger dividend. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded GNK to a Rank #1 (Strong Buy), which can attract fresh buying and momentum flows after the earnings/dividend news. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: GNK hit a new 52-week high after the results and payout — a technical/momentum signal but not a standalone fundamental change. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Full Q4 earnings call transcript and slide deck are available for detail on guidance, fleet additions and capex assumptions — useful for validating sustainability of higher TCE. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst divergence: Alliance Global Partners cut GNK from Buy to Neutral — a reminder not all brokers see sustained upside. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: several senior executives (CAO, CFO, CCO) sold blocks at ~ $23.27 — raises short-term governance/insider-sentiment questions despite remaining holdings. SEC filings available. Read More.

About Genco Shipping & Trading

Genco Shipping & Trading Limited is a leading global owner and operator of drybulk vessels, providing seaborne transportation services for major commodities such as iron ore, coal, grain and fertilizers. The company’s fleet comprises Capesize, Panamax and Supramax vessels, which are chartered to a broad base of international charterers under both spot and period contracts. Genco’s focus on modern, fuel-efficient tonnage supports reliable cargo delivery across a variety of trade routes and market conditions.

In addition to vessel ownership and operation, Genco offers ship management, maintenance and technical support services designed to maximize fleet performance and safety.