Golar LNG (NASDAQ:GLNG) Trading Down 5.4% – Should You Sell?

Golar LNG Limited (NASDAQ:GLNG)’s stock price fell 5.4% on Friday . The stock traded as low as $40.73 and last traded at $40.25. 1,181,572 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 27% from the average session volume of 1,615,689 shares. The stock had previously closed at $42.55.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently issued reports on GLNG. StockNews.com raised Golar LNG to a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 20th. Fearnley Fonds raised shares of Golar LNG from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 19th. DNB Markets raised shares of Golar LNG from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $48.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. Finally, Dnb Nor Markets raised Golar LNG from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $49.70.

Golar LNG Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $4.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 283.16 and a beta of 0.47. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $36.79 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $38.87.

Golar LNG Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 11th were given a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.52%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 11th. Golar LNG’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 208.33%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Golar LNG

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in GLNG. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in Golar LNG by 358.9% in the first quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 647 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 506 shares during the period. USA Financial Formulas acquired a new position in shares of Golar LNG during the 4th quarter valued at $61,000. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich bought a new position in Golar LNG during the fourth quarter worth $107,000. Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings in Golar LNG by 116.8% in the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,975 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $126,000 after purchasing an additional 1,603 shares during the period. Finally, J.Safra Asset Management Corp bought a new stake in Golar LNG in the fourth quarter valued at $141,000. Institutional investors own 92.21% of the company’s stock.

About Golar LNG

Golar LNG Limited designs, converts, owns, and operates marine infrastructure for the liquefaction of natural gas. The company operates through three segments: FLNG, Corporate and Other, and Shipping. It engages in the regasification, storage, and offloading of liquefied natural gas (LNG); operation of floating liquefaction natural gas (FLNG) vessels or projects; transportation of LNG carriers; and vessel management activities.