NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC Acquires 5,284 Shares of Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG)

NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC raised its position in shares of Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG) by 17.8% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 34,993 shares of the energy company’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,284 shares during the period. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC’s holdings in Cheniere Energy were worth $8,097,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. WR Wealth Planners LLC grew its stake in Cheniere Energy by 373.1% during the 4th 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 increased its stake in Cheniere Energy by 150.0% during the 4th quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC now owns 125 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in Cheniere Energy during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Banque Transatlantique SA purchased a new stake in Cheniere Energy during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Nemes Rush Group LLC grew its position in shares of Cheniere Energy by 2,022.2% in the fourth quarter. Nemes Rush Group LLC now owns 191 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares in the last quarter. 87.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Neal A. Shear sold 4,300 shares of the 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 transaction, the director now directly owns 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 sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Cheniere Energy Stock Performance

Shares of LNG opened at $234.76 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.41, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The company has a market capitalization of $52.07 billion, a PE ratio of 16.50 and a beta of 0.43. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $230.91 and its 200 day moving average price is $225.12. Cheniere Energy, Inc. has a one year low of $154.82 and a one year high of $257.65.

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 8th. The energy company reported $1.57 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.81 by ($1.24). Cheniere Energy had a net margin of 20.71% and a return on equity of 37.19%. 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 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Cheniere Energy, Inc. will post 11.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Cheniere Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, May 19th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 9th were given a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.85%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 9th. Cheniere Energy’s payout ratio is presently 14.63%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently weighed in on LNG. Scotiabank lowered their price objective on Cheniere Energy from $243.00 to $242.00 and set a “sector outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 29th. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Cheniere Energy in a report on Wednesday, April 23rd. Wolfe Research cut Cheniere Energy from an “outperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 30th. Mizuho raised their price target on Cheniere Energy from $248.00 to $254.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 18th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Cheniere Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, May 9th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Cheniere Energy presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $252.23.

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.