Cozad Asset Management Inc. Sells 1,686 Shares of Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG)

Key Points

• Cozad Asset Management Inc. has reduced its stake in Cheniere Energy, Inc. by 4.8%, now holding 33,306 shares valued at approximately $7.7 million.
• Cheniere Energy's recent quarterly earnings reported an EPS of $1.57, missing estimates by $1.24, despite a revenue increase of 28.0% year-over-year.
• The company has announced a quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share, with an upcoming payment date of August 18th and a current dividend yield of 0.88%.

Cozad Asset Management Inc. lowered its position in shares of Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG - Free Report) by 4.8% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 33,306 shares of the energy company's stock after selling 1,686 shares during the quarter. Cozad Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in Cheniere Energy were worth $7,707,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Two Sigma Advisers LP lifted its holdings in Cheniere Energy by 84.6% in the fourth quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 1,651,500 shares of the energy company's stock valued at $354,858,000 after acquiring an additional 756,900 shares during the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its holdings in Cheniere Energy by 12.9% in the first quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 4,660,545 shares of the energy company's stock valued at $1,078,450,000 after buying an additional 534,033 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its holdings in Cheniere Energy by 16.1% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 3,237,303 shares of the energy company's stock valued at $695,599,000 after buying an additional 450,031 shares during the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy by 346.6% during the first quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 568,627 shares of the energy company's stock worth $131,580,000 after purchasing an additional 441,296 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy by 25,232.4% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 342,241 shares of the energy company's stock worth $79,195,000 after purchasing an additional 340,890 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.26% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently issued reports on LNG. Raymond James Financial reissued a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Cheniere Energy in a report on Wednesday, April 23rd. Cowen reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Cheniere Energy in a research note on Wednesday, June 25th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $267.00 price target on Cheniere Energy and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, June 25th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price target on Cheniere Energy from $255.00 to $247.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Finally, Scotiabank reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of Cheniere Energy in a research note on Tuesday, July 15th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Cheniere Energy currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $260.36.

Insider Transactions at Cheniere Energy

In other Cheniere Energy news, Director Neal A. Shear sold 4,300 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $245.93, for a total value of $1,057,499.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 29,733 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $7,312,236.69. The trade was a 12.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.26% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Cheniere Energy Price Performance

Shares of Cheniere Energy stock traded up $2.76 during trading on Friday, hitting $238.64. 1,362,200 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,136,930. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.24, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 1.06. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $235.23 and its 200 day moving average price is $229.37. Cheniere Energy, Inc. has a twelve month low of $167.66 and a twelve month high of $257.65. The company has a market cap of $52.93 billion, a PE ratio of 17.45 and a beta of 0.42.

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 8th. The energy company reported $1.57 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.81 by ($1.24). Cheniere Energy had a net margin of 18.37% and a return on equity of 32.62%. The business had revenue of $5.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.73 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.13 earnings per share. Cheniere Energy's revenue was up 28.0% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Cheniere Energy, Inc. will post 11.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Cheniere Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared 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. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 8th. Cheniere Energy's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 14.63%.

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.