Cheniere Energy Partners (NYSE:CQP) Shares Gap Up – Still a Buy?

Cheniere Energy Partners (NYSE:CQP)’s stock price gapped up prior to trading on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $59.57, but opened at $61.37. Cheniere Energy Partners shares last traded at $61.02, with a volume of 5,522 shares changing hands.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus cut shares of Cheniere Energy Partners from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $50.00 to $51.00 in a research note on Friday, February 21st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Cheniere Energy Partners from $49.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Cheniere Energy Partners from $46.00 to $54.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 16th.

Cheniere Energy Partners Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $29.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.34 and a beta of 0.57. The company has a 50 day moving average of $62.44.

Cheniere Energy Partners (NYSE:CQP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 20th. The company reported $1.05 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.07 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $2.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.37 billion. Cheniere Energy Partners had a negative return on equity of 325.95% and a net margin of 28.84%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Cheniere Energy Partners will post 4.14 earnings per share for the current year.

Cheniere Energy Partners Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th were given a dividend of $0.775 per share. This represents a $3.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.07%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 10th. This is an increase from Cheniere Energy Partners’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.04. Cheniere Energy Partners’s dividend payout ratio is 72.77%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cheniere Energy Partners

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Hennessy Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners by 1.8% in the first quarter. Hennessy Advisors Inc. now owns 10,790 shares of the company’s stock valued at $713,000 after acquiring an additional 190 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in Cheniere Energy Partners by 65.5% in the 1st quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 8,499 shares of the company’s stock valued at $561,000 after purchasing an additional 3,364 shares in the last quarter. Birch Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Cheniere Energy Partners by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. Birch Capital Management LLC now owns 9,839 shares of the company’s stock worth $650,000 after purchasing an additional 376 shares during the last quarter. Dividend Assets Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners by 4.5% during the first quarter. Dividend Assets Capital LLC now owns 16,090 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,063,000 after buying an additional 700 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners in the first quarter valued at about $34,000. 46.55% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Cheniere Energy Partners

Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P., through its subsidiaries, provides liquefied natural gas (LNG) to integrated energy companies, utilities, and energy trading companies worldwide. The company owns and operates natural gas liquefaction and export facility at the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.