Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) Given a $288.00 Price Target by Jefferies Financial Group Analysts

Jefferies Financial Group set a $288.00 price objective on Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG - Free Report) in a report issued on Thursday, MarketBeat.com 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. Argus began coverage on Cheniere Energy in a report on Tuesday, March 18th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $255.00 price objective for the company. Raymond James Financial reiterated a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Cheniere Energy in a report on Wednesday, April 23rd. Wall Street Zen downgraded Cheniere Energy from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 9th. Mizuho upped their price objective on Cheniere Energy from $248.00 to $254.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 18th. Finally, Wolfe Research downgraded Cheniere Energy from an "outperform" rating to a "peer perform" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $258.36.

Cheniere Energy Trading Down 0.9%

Shares of LNG traded down $2.22 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $239.87. 2,473,014 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,849,122. The business has a fifty day moving average of $234.64 and a 200-day moving average of $226.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $53.20 billion, a PE ratio of 17.55 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.24. Cheniere Energy has a 1-year low of $167.66 and a 1-year high of $257.65.

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 8th. The energy company reported $1.57 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.81 by ($1.24). The company had revenue of $5.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.73 billion. Cheniere Energy had a net margin of 18.37% and a return on equity of 32.62%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.13 EPS. Analysts expect that Cheniere Energy will post 11.69 EPS for the current year.

Cheniere Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 18th. Investors of record on Friday, August 8th will be issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 8th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.83%. Cheniere Energy's payout ratio is presently 14.63%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Neal A. Shear sold 4,300 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $245.93, for a total transaction of $1,057,499.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 29,733 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,312,236.69. This trade represents a 12.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.26% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. WR Wealth Planners LLC boosted its position in Cheniere Energy by 373.1% during the fourth quarter. WR Wealth Planners LLC now owns 123 shares of the energy company's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC boosted its position in Cheniere Energy by 150.0% during the fourth quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC now owns 125 shares of the energy company's stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares during the last quarter. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in Cheniere Energy during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Banque Transatlantique SA acquired a new position in Cheniere Energy during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Cooksen Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Cheniere Energy during the first quarter valued at approximately $38,000. 87.26% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Cheniere Energy Company Profile

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.