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Cheniere Energy (LNG)
NYSE:LNG

Cheniere Energy (LNG) AI Stock Analysis

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Cheniere Energy

(NYSE:LNG)

Rating:77Outperform
Price Target:
$265.00
â–²(9.01%Upside)
Cheniere Energy's overall stock score is driven by its strong financial performance and strategic achievements highlighted in the earnings call. Despite some balance sheet risks and market volatility challenges, the company's operational progress and fair valuation provide a solid investment profile.
Positive Factors
Capital Deployment
LNG is tracking ahead of its $20B capital deployment goal before the end of 2025 vs its goal of 2026, and could provide an updated framework before end of year.
Flexibility and Growth
Aggressive permitting strategy will optimize flexibility on growth, allowing Cheniere to pursue more targeted expansions and maximize project accretion.
Production Outlook
The outlook for upside in FY25 appears greater given LNG’s higher production outlook and unsold, uncontracted CCIII volumes.
Negative Factors
Geopolitical Risks
The company took a constructive view on potential peace talks in relation to the Russia-Ukraine War, noting that lower international prices are good for long-term contract.
Market Impact
The introduction of tariffs from the US and potential retaliatory tariffs has weighed on energy equities.
Spot Margins
LNG maintained guide despite spot margins falling from >$8/mcf to <$6/mcf.

Cheniere Energy (LNG) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Cheniere Energy Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCheniere 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. It is also involved in the LNG and natural gas marketing business. The company was incorporated in 1983 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
How the Company Makes MoneyCheniere Energy makes money through the production and export of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The company's revenue model primarily revolves around long-term contracts with customers worldwide, ensuring a steady and predictable cash flow. These contracts often include take-or-pay agreements, where customers are obligated to pay for LNG regardless of whether they take delivery, providing Cheniere with financial stability. Additionally, Cheniere generates revenue through spot market sales, where LNG is sold at market rates based on supply and demand dynamics. Significant partnerships with global energy companies and investments in infrastructure expansions further enhance Cheniere's earnings potential, as they enable the company to increase production capacity and efficiency. The company's strategic positioning in the LNG value chain and its ability to access diverse markets contribute significantly to its financial performance.

Cheniere Energy Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:May 08, 2025
(Q1-2025)
|
% Change Since: 2.03%|
Next Earnings Date:Jul 31, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
Cheniere Energy's Q1 2025 earnings call highlighted strong operational and financial performance, significant project progress, and robust capital allocation strategies. However, these positive aspects were balanced by market volatility, pricing pressures, and challenges in key regions like Europe and China.
Q1-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record LNG Export and Operational Milestone
Cheniere safely produced and exported its 4,000th cargo of LNG, becoming the fastest company to achieve this milestone in just over nine years.
Strong Financial Performance
Cheniere generated consolidated adjusted EBITDA of approximately $1.9 billion, distributable cash flow of approximately $1.3 billion, and net income of approximately $350 million in Q1 2025.
Corpus Christi Stage 3 Progress
Substantial completion of the first train of the Corpus Christi Stage 3 project was achieved ahead of schedule and within budget, with overall project completion at 82.5%.
FERC Permit for Midscale Trains 8 and 9
Cheniere received a FERC permit for mid-scale Trains 8 and 9, a key step ahead of an expected FID later this year.
Robust Capital Allocation
Cheniere deployed over $1.3 billion towards shareholder returns, balance sheet management, and disciplined growth, with approximately $15 billion of the $20 billion target by 2026 already allocated.
Negative Updates
Market Volatility and LNG Pricing Pressure
Spot prices for LNG dropped sharply after reaching 15-month highs in early February, with TTF and JKM currently trading below $12 per MMBtu due to various market dynamics.
European Vulnerability
Europe's LNG imports rose due to cooler winter temperatures, but storage levels are at multi-year lows, and natural gas flows from Russia to Ukraine have ceased.
China LNG Demand Decline
LNG imports into China declined 25% year-on-year, influenced by stronger domestic natural gas production and increased pipeline gas imports.
Company Guidance
During Cheniere Energy's first quarter 2025 earnings call, the company reported strong financial performance, with consolidated adjusted EBITDA of approximately $1.9 billion, distributable cash flow of about $1.3 billion, and net income of around $350 million. The company reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance, projecting consolidated adjusted EBITDA between $6.5 billion and $7 billion and distributable cash flow ranging from $4.1 billion to $4.6 billion. Cheniere highlighted significant operational milestones, including the substantial completion of Train 1 of the Corpus Christi Stage 3 project ahead of schedule and within budget, with overall project completion at 82.5%. The company also indicated progress towards the final investment decision (FID) for midscale Trains 8 and 9, anticipating an addition of up to 5 million tons of volume to its platform. Despite facing geopolitical and market volatility, Cheniere emphasized its strategic focus on maintaining operational excellence and delivering on its commitments to customers and stakeholders.

Cheniere Energy Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Cheniere Energy showcases strong financial performance marked by high profitability margins and effective cash flow management. Despite solid income and cash flow metrics, the balance sheet indicates moderate leverage and a weaker equity position, suggesting some financial risk.
Income Statement
85
Very Positive
Cheniere Energy's income statement shows solid performance in TTM with a gross profit margin of 54.57%, net profit margin of 18.37%, and an EBIT margin of 35.13%. The revenue growth rate is 7.56% from the previous annual period, indicating positive business momentum. However, the EBITDA margin decreased compared to EBIT, suggesting higher depreciation or amortization costs.
Balance Sheet
70
Positive
The balance sheet of Cheniere Energy reflects a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, showing moderate leverage compared to the industry. The equity ratio stands at 12.82%, indicating a weaker equity position relative to total assets. The return on equity for TTM is an impressive 55.61%, driven by strong net income, but the overall capital structure still poses potential risks due to relatively high liabilities.
Cash Flow
78
Positive
Cheniere Energy's cash flow statement demonstrates robust operating cash flow to net income ratio of 1.73, indicating efficient cash generation from operations. The free cash flow to net income ratio is 1.94, highlighting strong free cash generation relative to net income. However, the free cash flow growth rate is a modest 90.95%, reflecting a decline compared to the previous period.
Breakdown
TTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income StatementTotal Revenue
16.89B15.70B20.39B33.43B15.86B9.36B
Gross Profit
9.22B6.61B16.01B5.00B-364.00M2.94B
EBIT
5.93B6.13B15.49B4.56B-701.00M2.63B
EBITDA
7.31B4.27B16.91B5.62B171.00M3.57B
Net Income Common Stockholders
3.10B3.25B9.88B1.43B-2.34B-85.00M
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
2.64B2.64B4.07B1.35B1.40B1.63B
Total Assets
43.86B43.86B43.08B41.27B39.26B35.70B
Total Debt
25.59B25.59B26.79B27.95B31.95B31.66B
Net Debt
22.95B22.95B22.72B26.60B30.55B30.03B
Total Liabilities
33.80B33.80B34.06B41.44B39.29B33.48B
Stockholders Equity
5.70B5.70B5.06B-2.97B-2.57B-191.00M
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
6.03B3.16B6.30B8.69B1.50B-574.00M
Operating Cash Flow
5.38B5.39B8.42B10.52B2.47B1.26B
Investing Cash Flow
-2.16B-2.28B-2.20B-1.84B-912.00M-1.95B
Financing Cash Flow
-5.18B-4.45B-4.18B-8.01B-1.82B-235.00M

Cheniere Energy Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price243.09
Price Trends
50DMA
229.76
Positive
100DMA
227.10
Positive
200DMA
212.07
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
3.35
Negative
RSI
61.45
Neutral
STOCH
81.32
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For LNG, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 243.09 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 235.18, above the 50-day MA of 229.76, and above the 200-day MA of 212.07, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 3.35 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 61.45 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 81.32 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for LNG.

Cheniere Energy Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (57)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
LNLNG
77
Outperform
$54.09B17.8263.13%0.79%-2.16%-33.56%
EPEPD
77
Outperform
$67.37B11.6720.49%6.83%9.10%4.37%
ETET
75
Outperform
$60.16B13.3113.73%7.33%1.04%22.31%
KMKMI
73
Outperform
$62.28B24.428.43%4.09%2.02%5.40%
WMWMB
71
Outperform
$73.94B32.4918.32%3.18%8.63%-20.98%
CQCQP
59
Neutral
$28.51B14.08124.29%5.54%3.94%9.35%
57
Neutral
$7.14B3.09-4.49%5.67%0.82%-49.15%
* Energy Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
LNG
Cheniere Energy
243.09
84.98
53.75%
CQP
Cheniere Energy Partners
58.84
13.61
30.09%
ET
Energy Transfer
17.93
3.55
24.69%
EPD
Enterprise Products Partners
31.46
5.01
18.94%
KMI
Kinder Morgan
28.14
9.41
50.24%
WMB
Williams Co
60.56
20.99
53.05%

Cheniere Energy Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Cheniere Energy Holds 2025 Annual Shareholders Meeting
Neutral
May 16, 2025

On May 15, 2025, Cheniere Energy, Inc. held its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, where approximately 87.99% of the company’s common stock was represented. During the meeting, shareholders elected directors for a one-year term, approved the compensation for the company’s named executive officers for 2024, and ratified KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for 2025. These decisions reflect the company’s ongoing governance and operational strategies, potentially impacting its market positioning and stakeholder confidence.

The most recent analyst rating on (LNG) stock is a Buy with a $217.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Cheniere Energy stock, see the LNG Stock Forecast page.

Dividends
Cheniere Energy Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend
Positive
Apr 29, 2025

On April 29, 2025, Cheniere Energy, Inc. declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.500 per share, payable on May 19, 2025, to shareholders of record as of May 9, 2025. This announcement reflects Cheniere’s ongoing commitment to returning value to its shareholders and may enhance its attractiveness to investors, potentially impacting its market positioning positively.

Executive/Board Changes
Cheniere Energy Appoints Matthew Runkle to Board
Neutral
Apr 2, 2025

On April 1, 2025, Matthew Runkle was appointed to the Board of Directors of Cheniere Energy, Inc., following a right granted to CQP Holdco LP in an agreement from 2012. Concurrently, Scott Peak resigned from the Board. This change in the board composition could influence the company’s strategic direction and stakeholder interests.

Glossary
OutperformA stock rated as "Outperform" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider this stock a good buying opportunity.
NeutralA stock rated as "Neutral" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly attractive nor unattractive for investment. Investors may consider holding onto the stock, as it is not expected to either significantly outperform or underperform the market.
UnderperformA stock rated as "Underperform" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock may deliver lower returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider selling the stock or avoiding it as an investment.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.