Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $20.90 EPS

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The energy company reported ($16.65) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.25 by ($20.90), FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $5.87 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.69 billion. Cheniere Energy had a net margin of 7.23% and a return on equity of 36.34%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.57 earnings per share.

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

• Strong Q1 performance and upgraded outlook. Consolidated adjusted EBITDA exceeded $2.3 billion and DCF was ~ $1.7 billion, with a record 187 cargoes exported; full‑year guidance was raised to $7.25–$7.75B EBITDA and $4.75–$5.25B DCF.
• Execution and production upside from Stage 3 and mid‑scale trains. CCL Stage 3 is ~97% complete (Train 5 substantially complete, Train 6 first LNG imminent, Train 7 ahead of the prior schedule) and mid‑scale Trains 8–9 are ~37% complete, supporting a ~1 million ton increase to 52–54 million tons guidance.
• Geopolitical supply shocks are tightening markets and boosting demand for U.S. LNG. Closure of the Strait of Hormuz and damage to Qatari facilities removed material supply (many millions of tons), driving higher regional prices and highlighting U.S. LNG flexibility and Cheniere’s reliability in customer discussions.
• GAAP volatility from derivative accounting produced a net loss. The company reported a GAAP net loss of ~ $3.5 billion driven by unrealized, non‑cash mark‑to‑market losses on long‑term IPM derivatives (adjusted net income was positive at ~ $1 billion), creating headline earnings volatility until those positions unwind.
• Disciplined capital allocation and strong liquidity. Repurchased ~2.7M shares (~$535M) with a $9B buyback authorization, declared a $0.555 dividend, repaid >$250M of debt, issued long‑dated notes extending maturities, maintained ~ $1.8B cash plus undrawn capacity, and received Moody’s upgrades.

Cheniere Energy Trading Down 2.8%

LNG stock traded down $6.86 during trading on Friday, reaching $239.92. 2,659,952 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,400,141. 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 business has a 50 day moving average price of $263.74 and a 200-day moving average price of $226.73. Cheniere Energy has a 1 year low of $186.20 and a 1 year high of $300.89. The firm has a market capitalization of $50.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.46 and a beta of 0.07.

Cheniere Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 19th. Investors of record on Monday, May 11th will be given a dividend of $0.555 per share. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, May 11th. Cheniere Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.51%.

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

LNG has been the subject of a number of research reports. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of Cheniere Energy from $280.00 to $271.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 13th. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Cheniere Energy from $286.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 14th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy from $250.00 to $255.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, February 27th. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Cheniere Energy from $265.00 to $306.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. Finally, Barclays raised their target price on shares of Cheniere Energy from $259.00 to $271.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $295.56.

Key Cheniere Energy News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Cheniere reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter revenue and adjusted earnings, with EPS of $4.77 versus estimates of $3.91 and revenue of $5.87 billion versus $5.69 billion expected. The company also raised full-year 2026 guidance, which is a supportive signal for investors. Article link
• Positive Sentiment: Management lifted 2026 distributable cash flow guidance to $4.75 billion-$5.25 billion and increased production outlook to 52-54 million tons, reinforcing confidence in cash generation and LNG export growth. Article link
• Positive Sentiment: Reports that Cheniere now has its largest LNG shipping fleet yet and that LNG exports are hitting record highs highlight expanding operational capacity and strong market demand. Article link
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector news around broader energy stocks being weaker Thursday may have added some short-term pressure to LNG alongside the company-specific earnings reaction. Article link
• Negative Sentiment: The headline quarterly loss was driven by large derivative mark-to-market and hedge losses tied to LNG price volatility, which weighed on reported earnings and likely contributed to the stock’s decline despite solid underlying cash flow. Article link

Insider Activity at Cheniere Energy

In other Cheniere Energy news, EVP Sean N. Markowitz sold 22,246 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $290.98, for a total value of $6,473,141.08. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 64,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $18,622,720. This represents a 25.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CFO Zach Davis sold 29,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $300.00, for a total transaction of $8,700,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 87,146 shares in the company, valued at approximately $26,143,800. This represents a 24.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 0.55% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cheniere Energy

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of LNG. Strive Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new position in Cheniere Energy in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. purchased a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $53,000. Finally, Prosperity Bancshares Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Cheniere Energy during the fourth quarter worth about $58,000. 87.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.