Cheniere Energy's Mixed Q2 Results: Earnings Decline Amid Lower Gas Prices
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Aug 08 2024
0mins
Should l Buy LNG?
Source: Benzinga
Financial Performance: Cheniere Energy reported a 21% decline in second-quarter FY24 revenue to $3.251 billion, missing expectations, while adjusted EBITDA fell 29% to $1.32 billion due to lower gas prices and long-term contract sales. However, EPS of $3.84 exceeded consensus estimates.
Future Outlook and Plans: The company raised its FY24 adjusted EBITDA guidance to $5.7 billion - $6.1 billion and plans to increase its quarterly dividend by 15% starting in Q3 2024, alongside a $4 billion share repurchase authorization through 2027.
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Analyst Views on LNG
Wall Street analysts forecast LNG stock price to rise
11 Analyst Rating
11 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 261.420
Low
258.00
Averages
274.09
High
290.00
Current: 261.420
Low
258.00
Averages
274.09
High
290.00
About LNG
Cheniere Energy, Inc. is the producer and exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the United States. It provides clean, secure and affordable LNG to integrated energy companies, utilities and energy trading companies around the world. It operates two natural gas liquefaction and export facilities at Sabine Pass, Louisiana (Sabine Pass LNG Terminal) and near Corpus Christi, Texas (Corpus Christi LNG Terminal). It owns and operates over 30 million tons per annum (mtpa) of total production capacity in operation from natural gas liquefaction facilities located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana at Sabine Pass (the SPL Project). The Sabine Pass LNG Terminal also has five LNG storage tanks, vaporizers and three marine berths. The Corpus Christi LNG Terminal also has three LNG storage tanks and two marine berths. It also owns an approximately 21-mile natural gas supply pipeline that interconnects the Corpus Christi LNG Terminal with several large interstate and intrastate natural gas pipelines.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Earnings Announcement: Cheniere Energy is set to announce its Q1 earnings on May 7 before market open, with a consensus EPS estimate of $4.69, reflecting a substantial year-over-year increase of 198.7%, which could solidify its leadership in the LNG market.
- Strong Revenue Expectations: The anticipated revenue of $5.85 billion for Q1, representing a 7.5% year-over-year growth, indicates the company's ability to maintain stable revenue growth amid rising global LNG demand, thereby boosting investor confidence.
- Performance Beat Record: Over the past year, Cheniere has exceeded EPS and revenue estimates 75% of the time, and this consistent performance not only raises market expectations for its future results but also provides substantial returns for shareholders.
- Upward Revision Trends: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen two upward revisions with no downward adjustments, while revenue estimates have experienced five upward revisions, reflecting analysts' optimistic outlook on Cheniere's future performance, which may further drive stock price increases.
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- Earnings Beat: Cheniere Energy reported a Q1 EPS of -$3.50 and revenue of $5.87 billion, exceeding market expectations by $20 million, indicating strong performance in the global LNG market.
- Project Expansion Plans: Cheniere is actively advancing its LNG project expansions, which are expected to further enhance its market share and solidify its critical position in the global energy supply chain.
- Global Market Impact: The disruptions in the global LNG supply chain have led to widespread recognition of Cheniere's long-term growth potential, although this positive factor is already partially reflected in the stock price.
- Investor Confidence Boost: As Cheniere continues to expand in the LNG export sector, investor confidence in its future performance has significantly increased, likely attracting more capital to support its growth strategy.
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- Earnings Report: Cheniere Energy reported a Q1 2026 EPS of -$3.50, significantly below the consensus estimate of $4.69, indicating substantial profitability challenges that may negatively impact stock performance.
- Revenue Growth: Despite the net loss, Cheniere's revenue reached $5.87 billion, a 7.9% year-over-year increase, surpassing market expectations by $20 million, suggesting robust sales in the LNG market that could lay the groundwork for future recovery.
- EBITDA and Cash Flow: The company generated approximately $2.3 billion in adjusted EBITDA and $1.7 billion in distributable cash flow during the quarter, demonstrating healthy operational cash flow despite losses, which supports future investment and expansion plans.
- Guidance Upgrade: Cheniere raised its full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance from $6.75 billion - $7.25 billion to $7.25 billion - $7.75 billion, and distributable cash flow guidance from $4.35 billion - $4.85 billion to $4.75 billion - $5.25 billion, reflecting management's confidence in future performance.
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- Revenue and Net Income Changes: In Q1 2026, Cheniere Partners reported revenues of $3.6 billion, a 20% increase year-over-year, but net income plummeted to $186 million, a 71% decline primarily due to $599 million in unfavorable changes in the fair value of derivative instruments, highlighting the company's vulnerability amid market volatility.
- Adjusted EBITDA Growth: Despite the significant drop in net income, Adjusted EBITDA rose to $1.175 billion, a 13% increase, indicating improvements in total margins per MMBtu of liquefied natural gas (LNG) delivered, showcasing the company's enhanced cost control and operational efficiency.
- Cash Distribution Plan: Cheniere Partners announced a cash distribution of $0.790 per common unit to be paid on May 15, 2026, with a base amount of $0.775, reflecting the company's commitment to shareholder returns despite profit pressures, and full-year distribution guidance remains at $3.10 to $3.40 per unit.
- Capital Resources and Liquidity: As of March 31, 2026, the company reported total available liquidity of $2.132 billion, demonstrating strong capacity for debt repayment and capital expenditures, maintaining a stable financial position despite market fluctuations and losses in derivative fair value.
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- Price Range Analysis: VDE ETF's 52-week low is $111.6801 and high is $179.335, with a recent trading price of $162.57, indicating relative stability in the current market environment, which may attract investor interest.
- Technical Analysis Tool: Comparing the current share price to the 200-day moving average provides valuable insights for investors, helping them assess market trends and potential buying opportunities.
- ETF Unit Trading Mechanism: ETFs trade like stocks, where investors buy and sell 'units' that can be created or destroyed based on demand, impacting the liquidity and market performance of the ETF.
- Inflows and Outflows Monitoring: Weekly monitoring of changes in shares outstanding helps identify ETFs experiencing significant inflows (new units created) or outflows (old units destroyed), assessing their impact on underlying assets and market sentiment.
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