Principal Securities Inc. Grows Stock Position in Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG)

Principal Securities Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG) by 16.7% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 6,189 shares of the energy company’s stock after acquiring an additional 885 shares during the quarter. Principal Securities Inc.’s holdings in Cheniere Energy were worth $1,330,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Everhart Financial Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Cheniere Energy by 5.2% in the 4th quarter. Everhart Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,884 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $405,000 after acquiring an additional 93 shares during the period. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy by 14.3% in the fourth quarter. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC now owns 18,097 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $3,888,000 after purchasing an additional 2,270 shares during the period. Myriad Asset Management US LP purchased a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy in the fourth quarter worth about $2,102,000. Quaero Capital S.A. purchased a new stake in Cheniere Energy in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $615,000. Finally, Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA increased its holdings in Cheniere Energy by 40.0% in the 4th quarter. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA now owns 97,853 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $21,026,000 after buying an additional 27,975 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.26% of the company’s stock.

Cheniere Energy Stock Performance

LNG opened at $215.43 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $48.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.76 and a beta of 0.98. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $222.56 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $202.72. The company has a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.41. Cheniere Energy, Inc. has a 52-week low of $152.31 and a 52-week high of $257.65.

Cheniere Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 7th will be issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 7th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.93%. Cheniere Energy’s payout ratio is currently 12.77%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on the stock. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy from $232.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 15th. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Cheniere Energy from $202.00 to $253.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on Cheniere Energy from $234.00 to $261.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Cheniere Energy from $195.00 to $255.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, TD Cowen raised their target price on Cheniere Energy from $242.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 27th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Cheniere Energy presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $234.25.

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.