Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $6.78 EPS

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The energy company reported $10.68 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.90 by $6.78, FiscalAI reports. Cheniere Energy had a return on equity of 37.52% and a net margin of 21.12%.The firm had revenue of $5.45 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.48 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $4.33 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 22.9% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are the key takeaways from Cheniere Energy’s conference call:

• Cheniere delivered strong FY‑2025 results with ~$6.94 billion consolidated adjusted EBITDA, ~$5.3 billion distributable cash flow (above guidance), and a record 670 cargoes (~46+ million tons) of LNG, driven by improved reliability and Stage 3 volumes.
• The company guided 2026 to ~51–53 million tons of production and consolidated adjusted EBITDA of $6.75–$7.25 billion, noting higher volumes but lower spot margins and a one‑time alternative fuel tax credit benefit.
• Capital allocation was accelerated: the 2020 Vision plan was completed ahead of schedule, >$20 billion deployed, the board upsized share‑repurchase authorization to >$10 billion through 2030, and management targets ~$30 run‑rate DCF per share by decade‑end.
• Growth projects are progressing—Corpus Christi Stage 3 ~95% complete with first LNG at Train 5, Midscale Trains 8–9 under construction, and SPL/CCL brownfield expansions advancing toward permits and a planned FID cadence that could grow capacity toward ~75 mtpa.
• Management expects a multi‑year LNG supply wave starting in 2026 that should moderate spot prices and stimulate Asian demand (China demand highlighted), with Cheniere citing delivered price sensitivity in the ~$8–$9 range for Chinese demand growth.

Cheniere Energy Trading Up 5.3%

Shares of LNG traded up $11.76 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $232.44. 3,472,652 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,881,634. Cheniere Energy has a 12 month low of $186.20 and a 12 month high of $246.42. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.94. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $205.58 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $216.29. The company has a market capitalization of $50.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.95 and a beta of 0.27.

Cheniere Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Investors of record on Friday, February 6th will be issued a $0.555 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 6th. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. Cheniere Energy’s payout ratio is 12.37%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Brighton Jones LLC bought a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy during the fourth quarter valued at $335,000. Bank of Nova Scotia grew its position in Cheniere Energy by 13.3% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 8,825 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $2,149,000 after purchasing an additional 1,035 shares during the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. increased its stake in Cheniere Energy by 23.1% during the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 183,153 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $44,600,000 after purchasing an additional 34,422 shares in the last quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina increased its stake in Cheniere Energy by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 103,040 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $25,092,000 after purchasing an additional 805 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ieq Capital LLC raised its holdings in Cheniere Energy by 87.0% in the second quarter. Ieq Capital LLC now owns 36,502 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $8,889,000 after buying an additional 16,977 shares during the last quarter. 87.26% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Cheniere Energy

Here are the key news stories impacting Cheniere Energy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company-reported results show a large profit pickup for 2025 (GAAP net income and strong per‑share earnings cited by several outlets), supporting the rally; Reuters coverage highlights rising 2025 profit on robust LNG demand. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Management authorized a substantially larger share‑repurchase program and announced completion of its ‘20/20 Vision’ capital plan — a major capital-return signal that typically supports the share price. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Operational strength: Cheniere reported record LNG export volumes in 2025 and says expansion projects are progressing, underpinning future revenue visibility. Read More. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Commercial progress: Cheniere signed a new long‑term LNG sale and purchase agreement (CPC), supporting contracted revenue and utilization. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Company issued 2026 financial guidance and provided conference materials — new guidance reduces uncertainty but will be parsed for margin and volume drivers. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Street view: brokerages maintain a positive tilt (consensus “Moderate Buy”), which can support momentum but leaves room for divergent analyst reaction. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Conflicting earnings headlines: Zacks reported a Q4 EPS miss on an adjusted metric ($2.87 vs. $3.83 estimate), creating headline risk and investor confusion about which earnings metric to trust. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Market concern: analysts and coverage note potential LNG market oversupply risks that could pressure realizations and margins over time. Read More.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

LNG has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings lowered Cheniere Energy from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Cheniere Energy in a research note on Thursday. Erste Group Bank cut shares of Cheniere Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Bank of America reduced their price target on shares of Cheniere Energy from $274.00 to $271.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $254.00 price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $262.67.

Cheniere Energy Company Profile

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.