Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) Given New $208.00 Price Target at Stifel Nicolaus

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) had its price objective raised by Stifel Nicolaus from $204.00 to $208.00 in a research report report published on Monday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the energy company’s stock.

LNG has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Redburn Atlantic started coverage on Cheniere Energy in a report on Tuesday, April 16th. They issued a neutral rating and a $162.00 target price for the company. UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy from $223.00 to $206.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 24th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy from $192.00 to $194.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. StockNews.com downgraded Cheniere Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, April 8th. Finally, TD Cowen dropped their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy from $185.00 to $178.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, February 27th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Cheniere Energy currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $196.40.

Cheniere Energy Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE LNG traded up $1.44 during trading on Monday, hitting $158.26. 103,218 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,928,747. Cheniere Energy has a 12-month low of $135.30 and a 12-month high of $183.46. The company’s fifty day moving average is $157.87. The stock has a market cap of $36.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.67 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.59, a current ratio of 1.63 and a quick ratio of 1.51.

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 3rd. The energy company reported $2.13 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.30 by ($0.17). Cheniere Energy had a return on equity of 48.95% and a net margin of 28.55%. The business had revenue of $4.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.97 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $6.89 EPS. The business’s revenue was down 41.8% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that Cheniere Energy will post 8.4 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Cheniere Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 10th will be given a $0.435 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 9th. This represents a $1.74 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.10%. Cheniere Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 8.48%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cheniere Energy

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy during the fourth quarter valued at about $308,910,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its holdings in Cheniere Energy by 73.0% during the 3rd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,496,100 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $248,293,000 after acquiring an additional 631,100 shares during the period. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Cheniere Energy by 702.1% in the third quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 490,606 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $81,421,000 after buying an additional 429,438 shares in the last quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec lifted its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy by 35.6% during the 3rd quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 1,399,852 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $232,319,000 after acquiring an additional 367,275 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lord Abbett & CO. LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy by 126.8% in the 3rd quarter. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC now owns 645,523 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $107,131,000 after purchasing an additional 360,915 shares in the last quarter. 87.26% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Cheniere Energy

Cheniere Energy, Inc, an energy infrastructure company, primarily engages in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) related businesses in the United States. It owns and operates the Sabine Pass LNG terminal in Cameron Parish, Louisiana; and the Corpus Christi LNG terminal near Corpus Christi, Texas. The company also owns Creole Trail pipeline, a 94-mile natural gas supply pipeline that interconnects the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal with several interstate and intrastate pipelines; and operates Corpus Christi pipeline, a 21.5-mile natural gas supply pipeline that interconnects the Corpus Christi LNG terminal with various interstate and intrastate natural gas pipelines.