Cheniere Partners Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates on Higher Margins

Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. CQP recorded fourth-quarter 2025 earnings per unit of $1.08, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.04. The bottom line also improved from $1.05 reported in the year-ago quarter.

Total quarterly revenues of $2.9 billion increased from $2.5 billion reported in the year-ago quarter. The top line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.6 billion.

Strong quarterly results can be attributed to higher total margins per million British thermal units (Btu) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and lower total operating costs.

CQP’s Operations

Cheniere Partners sent 114 cargoes in the fourth quarter, up from 110 cargoes in the prior-year quarter. The total LNG volume in the quarter was 416 trillion British thermal units (TBtu), higher than the year-ago level of 401 TBtu.

Adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter totaled $1,014 million, up 14% from the year-ago level of $890 million. The increase can be primarily attributed to higher total margins per million Btu of LNG delivered.

CQP’s Costs & Expenses

The cost of sales in the quarter amounted to $968 million, down from the year-ago period’s $1.2 billion. Operating and maintenance expenses increased to $221 million from $214 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Total operating costs and expenses were $1.4 billion, down from $1.6 billion in the December-end quarter of 2024.

Balance Sheet of CQP

As of Dec. 31, 2025, the partnership had $182 million in cash and cash equivalents and a net long-term debt of $14.2 billion.

CQP’s Outlook for 2026

The partnership announced its full-year distribution guidance for 2026, expecting to distribute $3.10-$3.40 per common unit, maintaining a base distribution of $3.10.

CQP’s Zacks Rank and Key Picks

CQP currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks from the energy sector are Archrock Inc. AROC, TechnipFMC plc FTI and Galp Energia GLPEY. While Archrock and TechnipFMC each sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Galp Energia carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Archrock is an energy infrastructure company based in the United States with a focus on midstream natural gas compression. It provides natural gas contract compression services and generates stable fee-based revenues. With natural gas playing an increasingly important role in the energy transition journey, AROC is expected to witness sustained demand for its services.

TechnipFMC is a leading manufacturer and supplier of products, services and fully integrated technology solutions for the energy industry. The company ended the year with a strong backlog of $16.6 billion, providing revenue visibility. FTI prioritizes rewarding its investors, having returned $1 billion to shareholders in 2025.

Galp Energia is a Portuguese energy company engaged in exploration and production activities. The company’s oil exploration efforts have yielded positive results, particularly with the Mopane discovery in the Orange Basin, offshore Namibia. This discovery allows Galp to diversify its global presence with the potential to become a significant oil producer in the region.