Lewis Asset Management LLC Boosts Holdings in Cheniere Energy, Inc. $LNG

Lewis Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG) by 127.4% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 8,751 shares of the energy company’s stock after buying an additional 4,903 shares during the quarter. Lewis Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Cheniere Energy were worth $1,701,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new stake in Cheniere Energy during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy in the third quarter worth $27,000. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. increased its position in shares of Cheniere Energy by 250.0% during the third quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 140 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the period. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Cheniere Energy by 47.6% during the third quarter. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. now owns 155 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the period. Finally, Rakuten Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Cheniere Energy in the third quarter valued at $38,000. 87.26% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Cheniere Energy Stock Performance

Shares of LNG stock opened at $293.40 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $236.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $220.47. The company has a market cap of $61.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.07 and a beta of 0.25. Cheniere Energy, Inc. has a 12 month low of $186.20 and a 12 month high of $300.89.

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The energy company reported $10.68 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.90 by $6.78. The company had revenue of $5.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.48 billion. Cheniere Energy had a return on equity of 32.04% and a net margin of 26.68%.Cheniere Energy’s quarterly revenue was up 22.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.33 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Cheniere Energy, Inc. will post 11.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Cheniere Energy Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 6th were issued a $0.555 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 6th. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Cheniere Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 9.14%.

Cheniere Energy announced that its board has authorized a stock repurchase program on Thursday, February 26th that allows the company to buyback $10.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the energy company to reacquire up to 21.1% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually an indication that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Cheniere Energy from $280.00 to $271.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 13th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Cheniere Energy from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 18th. Citigroup reduced their price target on Cheniere Energy from $283.00 to $280.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Wolfe Research set a $220.00 price objective on Cheniere Energy and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Cheniere Energy in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Cheniere Energy presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $282.00.

About Cheniere Energy

Cheniere Energy, Inc is a U.S.-based energy company that develops, owns and operates liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure and markets LNG to global customers. The company’s core activities include natural gas liquefaction, long‑term and short‑term LNG sales and marketing, and the associated midstream services required to move gas from production basins to international markets. Cheniere focuses on converting domestic natural gas into LNG for export, providing a bridge between North American supply and overseas demand.

Cheniere’s principal operating assets are large-scale LNG export terminals located on the U.S.