Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
What: Shares of drybulk and container vessel owner Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (NYSE: NMM) jumped 11% late in trading today after being up graded by an analyst.
So what: Analysts at Deutsche Bank upgraded the stock from a hold rating to a buy rating, but kept their $15 price target unchanged. They pointed to a distribution yield of 18% and the company's average charter duration of 3.4 years as strengths that should keep cash flow coming to investors.
Now what: The company is transitioning from drybulk to container vessels, which currently have an 8 year charter duration for Navios. That's a strategic strength and one reason Deutsche Bank said Navios was like "the baby (Navios shares) being thrown out with the bathwater (dry bulk)".
Given the fact that management committed to a $1.77 per share distribution through the end of 2016 it could be true that the upside is tremendous for investors. I just don't see a high distribution as the best reason to buy a stock and think the payout could be cut dramatically by 2017 or before. So, I'll stay cautious on Navios Maritime Partners for the moment because this looks more like a value trap than a fundamental value to me.
