Longbow Finance SA Sells 22,949 Shares of Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG)

Key Points

• Longbow Finance SA reduced its stake in Cheniere Energy by 32.3%, holding 48,081 shares valued at approximately $11.1 million as of the end of the most recent quarter.
• Cheniere Energy's latest earnings report showed a miss in EPS at $1.57 compared to estimates of $2.81, although revenue increased by 28% year-over-year to $5.44 billion.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share, with a yield of 0.89%, reflecting a dividend payout ratio of 14.63%.

Longbow Finance SA reduced its stake in shares of Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG - Free Report) by 32.3% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 48,081 shares of the energy company's stock after selling 22,949 shares during the period. Cheniere Energy makes up approximately 1.3% of Longbow Finance SA's holdings, making the stock its 18th biggest holding. Longbow Finance SA's holdings in Cheniere Energy were worth $11,126,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. REAP Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in Cheniere Energy by 150.0% during the fourth quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC now owns 125 shares of the energy company's stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 75 shares during the last quarter. Banque Transatlantique SA acquired a new position in Cheniere Energy during the fourth quarter worth $32,000. Cooksen Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Cheniere Energy during the first quarter worth $38,000. Nemes Rush Group LLC increased its holdings in Cheniere Energy by 2,022.2% during the fourth quarter. Nemes Rush Group LLC now owns 191 shares of the energy company's stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameriflex Group Inc. acquired a new position in Cheniere Energy during the fourth quarter worth $42,000. 87.26% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Neal A. Shear sold 4,300 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $245.93, for a total transaction of $1,057,499.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 29,733 shares of the company's stock, valued at $7,312,236.69. This represents a 12.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.26% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Cheniere Energy Stock Performance

Shares of Cheniere Energy stock traded up $4.88 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $233.36. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,194,555 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,140,508. Cheniere Energy, Inc. has a 52 week low of $167.66 and a 52 week high of $257.65. The business's 50-day moving average price is $234.94 and its 200-day moving average price is $229.25. The company has a quick ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.24. The firm has a market cap of $51.76 billion, a PE ratio of 17.07 and a beta of 0.42.

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 return on equity of 32.62% and a net margin of 18.37%. The firm had revenue of $5.44 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.73 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.13 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Cheniere Energy, Inc. will post 11.69 earnings per share 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 given a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 8th. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.86%. Cheniere Energy's dividend payout ratio is 14.63%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

LNG has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Cheniere Energy from $258.00 to $271.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, June 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy from $252.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, April 28th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $288.00 price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, June 26th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $267.00 price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, June 25th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy from $255.00 to $247.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $260.36.

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.