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

Cheniere Energy (NYSE:LNG) announced its 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 net margin of 21.12% and a return on equity of 37.52%. The business had revenue of $5.45 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.48 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.33 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue 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 Cheniere Energy stock opened at $232.44 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $206.43 and a 200-day simple moving average of $216.40. Cheniere Energy has a 12-month low of $186.20 and a 12-month high of $246.42. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.94. The stock has a market cap of $50.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.95 and a beta of 0.27.

Cheniere Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.555 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 6th. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. Cheniere Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 12.37%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently commented on LNG shares. Barclays decreased their price objective on Cheniere Energy from $262.00 to $259.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Zacks Research cut Cheniere Energy from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Morgan Stanley set a $236.00 price target on shares of Cheniere Energy and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Wolfe Research set a $220.00 price objective on Cheniere Energy and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their target price on shares of Cheniere Energy from $282.00 to $271.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $262.67.

Cheniere Energy announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program on Thursday, February 26th that authorizes the company to buyback $10.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the energy company to buy up to 21.1% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Key Stories Impacting Cheniere Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board authorizes up to $10.0 billion share repurchase (about 21% of shares), a big capital‑return move that typically supports the stock and signals management confidence. RTT News Stock Buybacks
• Positive Sentiment: Signed a multi‑decade LNG sale and purchase agreement with CPC Corporation (Taiwan), extending contracted revenue through 2050 and reducing short‑term marketing exposure. The company also reported record LNG exports in 2025. Cheniere Energy Weighs LNG Growth Plans Against Contracted Cash Flow Risks
• Positive Sentiment: U.S. DOE approved a roughly 12% increase in exports from the Corpus Christi terminal and Cheniere filed a Stage‑4 expansion application that would raise Corpus Christi capacity toward ~49 mtpa — regulatory approvals and growth optionality support longer‑term volume and EBITDA upside. Reuters: Cheniere Corpus Christi export approval
• Positive Sentiment: Company reported a strong 2025 financial year (profit reportedly up sharply) and introduced 2026 guidance (targeting ~$7.25B adjusted EBITDA and 51–53M tonnes production) while completing its prior capital allocation plan — supporting higher cash flow expectations. Chenieres Profit Soars by 64% in 2025
• Neutral Sentiment: Management released Q4 results, an earnings presentation and transcript with details on production, cash flow metrics and the ’20/20 Vision’ completion — useful for modeling but largely confirmatory of public guidance. Earnings Call Presentation
• Negative Sentiment: Some outlets highlighted a Q4 EPS reading that appeared to miss certain consensus measures (differences reflect GAAP vs. adjusted metrics and one‑offs), creating headline confusion and short‑term volatility. Investors should check the company slides/transcript for the reconciliation. Cheniere Energy (LNG) Misses Q4 Earnings Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Industry commentary warns of potential market oversupply risk into 2026 which could pressure margins and merchant LNG prices if global demand growth slows — a macro factor that can cap upside even with company‑specific positives. Cheniere earnings in focus as market oversupply concerns mount

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cheniere Energy

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in LNG. Brighton Jones LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Cheniere Energy during the fourth quarter worth $335,000. Alvarez & Marsal Private Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in Cheniere Energy during the fourth quarter worth $214,000. Quest Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Cheniere Energy by 6.1% in the 3rd quarter. Quest Investment Management LLC now owns 875 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $206,000 after buying an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Index Technologies Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Cheniere Energy in the fourth quarter valued at about $204,000. Finally, Ossiam grew its holdings in Cheniere Energy by 3,968.4% during the 3rd quarter. Ossiam now owns 773 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $182,000 after buying an additional 754 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.26% of the company’s stock.

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.