Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) Price Target Raised to $312.00

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) had its target price lifted by The Goldman Sachs Group from $276.00 to $312.00 in a report released on Tuesday morning,Benzinga reports. The Goldman Sachs Group currently has a buy rating on the energy company’s stock.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on LNG. Weiss Ratings raised Cheniere Energy from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 18th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price target on Cheniere Energy from $282.00 to $271.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Citigroup cut their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy from $283.00 to $280.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 12th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy from $277.00 to $301.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Cheniere Energy from $265.00 to $306.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Cheniere Energy currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $277.71.

Cheniere Energy Trading Up 2.5%

Shares of Cheniere Energy stock opened at $291.46 on Tuesday. Cheniere Energy has a fifty-two week low of $186.20 and a fifty-two week high of $299.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 0.94. The company has a market capitalization of $61.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.99 and a beta of 0.25. The company has a fifty day moving average of $233.31 and a 200 day moving average of $219.84.

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The energy company reported $10.68 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.90 by $6.78. Cheniere Energy had a return on equity of 32.04% and a net margin of 26.68%.The business had revenue of $5.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.48 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.33 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 22.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Cheniere Energy will post 11.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Cheniere Energy declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase plan on Thursday, February 26th that permits the company to buyback $10.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the energy company to repurchase up to 21.1% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are typically an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Cheniere Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 27th. Investors of record on Friday, February 6th were given a $0.555 dividend. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 6th. Cheniere Energy’s payout ratio is currently 9.14%.

Institutional Trading of Cheniere Energy

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC purchased a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy in the fourth quarter valued at $335,000. MAI Capital Management raised its stake in Cheniere Energy by 5.7% during the second quarter. MAI Capital Management now owns 4,786 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $1,165,000 after purchasing an additional 256 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Cheniere Energy by 2.5% during the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,082,872 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $263,701,000 after purchasing an additional 26,806 shares during the last quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in Cheniere Energy by 12.5% during the second quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,885 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $703,000 after purchasing an additional 321 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy in the 2nd quarter worth $3,059,000. Institutional investors own 87.26% of the company’s stock.

Cheniere Energy News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Cheniere Energy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Near?term supply shock from the Iran conflict is elevating global LNG prices and demand, lifting sentiment for large U.S. exporters like Cheniere. Institutional calls to buy LNG names on this backdrop have supported multiple sector rallies. These 3 LNG Stocks Still Have Room to Rise, Says Goldman Sachs
• Positive Sentiment: Management says Cheniere is operating at or near maximum terminal capacity and is accelerating the ramp of the next Corpus Christi train (CCL Stage 3 / Train 5), which should increase near?term volumes and cash flow. That operational leverage is a near?term positive for earnings. Cheniere already operating at maximum capacity, CEO says, as Asia calls for more LNG
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and brokers have turned more bullish: price?target raises and upgrades (including a higher PT published this week) are reinforcing the buy case and attracting flows. Upgrades/raises typically amplify momentum in a stock already benefiting from higher spot/contract pricing expectations. The Goldman Sachs Group Increases Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) Price Target to $312.00
• Neutral Sentiment: Cheniere closed a US$1.75bn senior notes offering and is highlighting first production from CCL Stage 3 — transactions that fund growth but also add leverage; investors will watch how incremental cash flow covers debt costs. A Look At Cheniere Energy (LNG) Valuation As LNG Exports Grow On Geopolitical Tensions And New CCL Stage 3 Output
• Neutral Sentiment: Some industry commentary argues that US export flows remain insulated from domestic supply disruption concerns, which lessens regulatory/demand risk domestically but doesn’t change global price dynamics. Investors should treat this as stability rather than a catalyst. Middle East crisis proof US LNG exports don’t disrupt domestic market, oil execs say
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and executives warn that sustained high LNG prices could incentivize customers to accelerate fuel switching or new supply projects, which would weigh on long?term demand and margins for U.S. exporters. This is a structural risk to monitor beyond the current price spike. Why High LNG Prices Could Spell Bad News for U.S. Exporters
• Negative Sentiment: At least one analyst trimmed Q1 EPS estimates recently; any near?term misses or guidance that softens as the company absorbs financing costs and ramp timing could pressure sentiment after the initial rally. Q1 EPS Estimates for Cheniere Energy Reduced by Analyst

Cheniere Energy Company Profile

Cheniere Energy, Inc is a U.S.-based energy company that develops, owns and operates liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure and markets LNG to global customers. The company’s core activities include natural gas liquefaction, long?term and short?term LNG sales and marketing, and the associated midstream services required to move gas from production basins to international markets. Cheniere focuses on converting domestic natural gas into LNG for export, providing a bridge between North American supply and overseas demand.

Cheniere’s principal operating assets are large-scale LNG export terminals located on the U.S.