Cheniere Energy: 7% Stake Increase, 5,000-Share Insider Buy and $278 Target
Bensler LLC increased its Cheniere Energy stake by 7.0% to 45,541 shares worth $10.7 million in the third quarter, while director W. Benjamin Moreland purchased 5,000 shares at an average price of $208.22, doubling his holding to 9,856 shares. Analysts meanwhile revised targets, with Raymond James boosting its price objective to $278 and Jefferies setting $251, versus a MarketBeat consensus of $263.29.
1. Institutional Investor Activity
During the third quarter, Bensler LLC raised its stake in Cheniere Energy by 7.0%, acquiring an additional 2,999 shares to bring its total holding to 45,541 shares valued at approximately $10.70 million, according to its latest Form 13F filing. Other institutional moves in the period included Salomon & Ludwin LLC initiating a new position worth $25,000, Westside Investment Management Inc. expanding its holding by 473.7% to 109 shares valued at $26,000, Hilltop National Bank establishing a $28,000 stake, Richardson Financial Services Inc. acquiring $30,000 of shares, and Pin Oak Investment Advisors Inc. adding $34,000 in exposure. Institutional and hedge fund ownership now accounts for 87.26% of the company’s outstanding shares.
2. Insider Buying Spikes
Director W. Benjamin Moreland doubled his personal holding in the company, purchasing 5,000 additional shares on November 4 for a total transaction value of $1,041,100. Following the purchase, Moreland’s direct ownership stands at 9,856 shares—a 102.97% increase in his position. Insider ownership across the board remains modest at 0.26%, underscoring the significance of this director-level bet on the company’s prospects.
3. Analyst Ratings and Price Targets
Equities research firms have recently adjusted their views on Cheniere Energy. Wells Fargo & Company lowered its price target from 284 to 280 while maintaining an overweight rating. Zacks Research downgraded the name from strong-buy to hold, whereas Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a strong-buy rating and raised its target to 278. Jefferies set a new target of 251, and Weiss Ratings cut its rating from buy to hold. Of the 20 analysts covering the stock, one rates it a strong buy, 16 have buy ratings and three issue hold ratings. MarketBeat data indicates a consensus target of 263.29 and an overall moderate-buy consensus.
4. Recent Financial Performance and Key Metrics
In its most recent quarterly report, Cheniere posted earnings per share of 4.75, surpassing consensus estimates by 2.00, on revenues of 4.44 billion, slightly below forecasts of 4.87 billion. The company achieved a net margin of 21.12% and a return on equity of 37.52%, while revenue grew 18.0% year-over-year. Balance sheet metrics include a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.94, current ratio of 0.94 and quick ratio of 0.81. The firm’s market capitalization stands at approximately 44.4 billion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.67 and a beta of 0.26.