Golar LNG Limited (NASDAQ:GLNG) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Golar LNG Limited (NASDAQ:GLNG) has earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the nine brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and three have given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $49.50.

Several research analysts have commented on GLNG shares. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Golar LNG in a research note on Friday, October 10th. They set a “buy” rating and a $51.00 price objective for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Golar LNG in a report on Monday, September 29th. They set a “buy” rating and a $54.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Golar LNG in a research report on Monday. Wall Street Zen lowered Golar LNG from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, December 20th. Finally, Zacks Research cut Golar LNG from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Friday, November 7th.

Golar LNG Price Performance

Shares of Golar LNG stock opened at $37.04 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $3.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 64.98 and a beta of 0.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a quick ratio of 1.32 and a current ratio of 1.32. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $38.08 and a 200-day moving average price of $40.05. Golar LNG has a one year low of $29.56 and a one year high of $45.98.

Golar LNG Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, November 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 17th were paid a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 17th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. Golar LNG’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 175.44%.

Institutional Trading of Golar LNG

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Signaturefd LLC raised its holdings in shares of Golar LNG by 64.6% in the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 856 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 336 shares in the last quarter. ARS Investment Partners LLC raised its stake in Golar LNG by 14.7% in the third quarter. ARS Investment Partners LLC now owns 296,059 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $11,964,000 after buying an additional 38,040 shares in the last quarter. Levin Capital Strategies L.P. lifted its holdings in Golar LNG by 8.0% during the second quarter. Levin Capital Strategies L.P. now owns 496,819 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $20,464,000 after buying an additional 36,770 shares during the period. Two Seas Capital LP boosted its position in Golar LNG by 76.2% during the 2nd quarter. Two Seas Capital LP now owns 909,355 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $37,456,000 after acquiring an additional 393,406 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. increased its holdings in shares of Golar LNG by 213.3% in the 2nd quarter. Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. now owns 22,756 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $937,000 after acquiring an additional 15,493 shares during the period. 92.21% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Golar LNG

Golar LNG Ltd. is a leading owner and operator of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers and floating infrastructure. The company specializes in the transportation of LNG on long-term and spot charters for major energy firms around the world. In addition to shipping, Golar LNG has broadened its services to include project development and the conversion of existing carriers into Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) and Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) vessels.

Since pioneering the first purpose-built FLNG conversion project, Golar LNG has been at the forefront of offshore gas monetization.