Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Buys 24,152 Shares of Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG)

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG - Free Report) by 2,236.3% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 25,232 shares of the energy company's stock after acquiring an additional 24,152 shares during the period. Jefferies Financial Group Inc.'s holdings in Cheniere Energy were worth $5,839,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

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

Cheniere Energy Stock Performance

Shares of LNG stock opened at $238.39 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $235.42 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $229.34. Cheniere Energy, Inc. has a one year low of $167.66 and a one year high of $257.65. The stock has a market cap of $52.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.44 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.24, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 1.06.

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 (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.81 by ($1.24). Cheniere Energy had a net margin of 18.37% and a return on equity of 32.62%. The firm had revenue of $5.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.73 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.13 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Cheniere Energy, Inc. will post 11.69 EPS for the current year.

Cheniere Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 8th will be paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 8th. Cheniere Energy's payout ratio is currently 14.63%.

Insider Activity at Cheniere Energy

In related news, Director Neal A. Shear sold 4,300 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 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 position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.26% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on LNG. Barclays reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $262.00 price objective (up previously from $253.00) on shares of Cheniere Energy in a research report on Tuesday, July 15th. Bank of America increased their target price on 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. lifted their price target on Cheniere Energy from $252.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, April 28th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $288.00 price objective on Cheniere Energy and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, June 26th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on Cheniere Energy from $255.00 to $247.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Two research 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, Cheniere Energy presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average 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.

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