Cheniere Energy Partners (NYSE:CQP) Downgraded by Stifel Nicolaus to “Sell”

Stifel Nicolaus lowered shares of Cheniere Energy Partners (NYSE:CQP) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The brokerage currently has $51.00 target price on the stock, up from their prior target price of $50.00.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Barclays upped their target price on Cheniere Energy Partners from $46.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Cheniere Energy Partners from $49.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th.

Cheniere Energy Partners Trading Down 1.3 %

Cheniere Energy Partners stock opened at $62.31 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $58.78. Cheniere Energy Partners has a 1-year low of $45.51 and a 1-year high of $66.47. The company has a market capitalization of $30.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.46 and a beta of 0.76.

Cheniere Energy Partners (NYSE:CQP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 20th. The company reported $1.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.07 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $2.46 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.37 billion. Cheniere Energy Partners had a net margin of 31.28% and a negative return on equity of 328.60%. As a group, analysts predict that Cheniere Energy Partners will post 4.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Cheniere Energy Partners Increases Dividend

The company 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 is a positive change from Cheniere Energy Partners’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.04. This represents a $3.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.98%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 10th. Cheniere Energy Partners’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 66.95%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cheniere Energy Partners

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CQP. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Valley National Advisers Inc. lifted its holdings in Cheniere Energy Partners by 30.1% during the fourth quarter. Valley National Advisers Inc. now owns 1,341 shares of the company’s stock worth $71,000 after acquiring an additional 310 shares during the period. IFP Advisors Inc lifted its holdings in Cheniere Energy Partners by 53.7% during the fourth quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,825 shares of the company’s stock worth $97,000 after acquiring an additional 638 shares during the period. Millburn Ridgefield Corp purchased a new position in Cheniere Energy Partners in the third quarter worth $116,000. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in Cheniere Energy Partners by 64.5% in the 4th quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 2,550 shares of the company’s stock valued at $135,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares during the period. 46.55% of the stock is owned by 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.