Stifel Nicolaus Issues Positive Forecast for Golar LNG (NASDAQ:GLNG) Stock Price

Golar LNG (NASDAQ:GLNG - Free Report) had its price target upped by Stifel Nicolaus from $53.00 to $55.00 in a research note published on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the shipping company's stock.

GLNG has been the subject of a number of other research reports. StockNews.com raised shares of Golar LNG to a "sell" rating in a research note on Monday, December 9th. Fearnley Fonds cut Golar LNG from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Golar LNG presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $50.13.

Golar LNG Price Performance

NASDAQ:GLNG traded up $0.96 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $42.80. 699,255 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,227,386. The business's 50-day moving average price is $38.71 and its 200 day moving average price is $35.14. The company has a quick ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The company has a market cap of $4.47 billion, a PE ratio of 305.74 and a beta of 0.61. Golar LNG has a 12-month low of $19.94 and a 12-month high of $44.08.

Golar LNG Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 25th were paid a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.34%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 25th. Golar LNG's dividend payout ratio is presently 714.29%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Golar LNG

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Barclays PLC boosted its stake in shares of Golar LNG by 431.3% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 185,018 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $6,802,000 after purchasing an additional 150,195 shares during the period. De Lisle Partners LLP boosted its position in Golar LNG by 9.1% during the 3rd quarter. De Lisle Partners LLP now owns 249,390 shares of the shipping company's stock valued at $9,169,000 after buying an additional 20,890 shares during the period. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund grew its holdings in Golar LNG by 467.9% in the 3rd quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 2,237,000 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $82,232,000 after acquiring an additional 1,843,100 shares during the last quarter. Murchinson Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Golar LNG in the second quarter valued at about $1,301,000. Finally, Royce & Associates LP boosted its holdings in shares of Golar LNG by 102.5% during the third quarter. Royce & Associates LP now owns 81,000 shares of the shipping company's stock worth $2,978,000 after purchasing an additional 41,000 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 92.21% of the company's stock.

Golar LNG Company Profile

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.