Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) Raised to "Strong-Buy" at Zacks Research

Key Points

• Cheniere Energy was upgraded by Zacks Research from hold to strong-buy, adding to a broadly positive analyst outlook on the stock.
• Other firms have also turned bullish, with several raising price targets; MarketBeat shows an overall Buy consensus and an average price target of $297.71.
• The stock recently opened at $265.05, near its 52-week high of $300.89, while the company remains a major LNG exporter with strong institutional ownership at 87.26%.

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG - Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report released on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Cheniere Energy from $280.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 2nd. Wolfe Research reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $300.00 price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy in a research note on Tuesday, June 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on shares of Cheniere Energy from $275.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their target price on Cheniere Energy from $286.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 14th. Finally, UBS Group set a $290.00 price objective on Cheniere Energy in a research report on Wednesday, May 13th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $297.71.

Cheniere Energy Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:LNG opened at $265.05 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.55. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $241.32 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $238.40. Cheniere Energy has a 1-year low of $186.20 and a 1-year high of $300.89. The stock has a market cap of $55.54 billion, a PE ratio of 43.59 and a beta of -0.01.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cheniere Energy

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in LNG. First Horizon Corp lifted its position in Cheniere Energy by 7.7% in the first quarter. First Horizon Corp now owns 517 shares of the energy company's stock valued at $147,000 after buying an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. Signal Advisors Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Cheniere Energy by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. Signal Advisors Wealth LLC now owns 1,497 shares of the energy company's stock valued at $425,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the period. Independence Bank of Kentucky lifted its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy by 6.8% in the 1st quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 725 shares of the energy company's stock worth $206,000 after acquiring an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Optiver Holding B.V. lifted its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy by 54.5% in the 1st quarter. Optiver Holding B.V. now owns 136 shares of the energy company's stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quest Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Cheniere Energy by 6.1% during the 3rd quarter. Quest Investment Management LLC now owns 875 shares of the energy company's stock worth $206,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the period. 87.26% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Cheniere Energy

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.

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