Highlights of Viking Global Investors' 4Q14 Positions (Part 7 of 17)
(Continued from Part 6)
Viking Global and Cheniere Energy
Viking Global increased its position in Cheniere Energy (LNG) by over $265 million in the stock. It represented 3.22% of the total portfolio in 4Q14—up from 1.75% in the third quarter.
About Cheniere Energy
Cheniere Energy is a Houston-based energy company. It’s primarily engaged in businesses related to LNG (liquefied natural gas). Cheniere owns and operates the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal. It also operates the Creole Trail Pipeline through a partial ownership interest and management agreements with Cheniere Energy Partners LP—a publicly traded partnership created in 2007.
Cheniere’s organizational structure
Cheniere Energy owns 100% of Cheniere Energy Partners’ general partner—Cheniere Energy Partners GP, LLC. Also, Cheniere Energy owns an 84.5% general partner interest in Cheniere Energy Partners LP Holdings (CQH)—a publicly traded, limited liability company formed in 2013. Cheniere also owns 100% of Cheniere Marketing and the Corpus Christi liquefaction project.
EIG Management funds Cheniere Energy for LNG project
In January 2015, Cheniere Energy announced that it completed and finalized a funding agreement with EIG Management Company—a private equity firm. According to the agreement, EIG Management will buy convertible notes from Cheniere Energy worth $1.5 billion. The proceeds will be used to fund a portion of the costs of developing, constructing, and placing into service the Corpus Christi liquefaction project.
The purchase of the convertible notes is expected to be completed in the first half of 2015. The Corpus Christi Liquefaction project is expected to cost $11.5–$12 billion.
Cheniere partners with Kinder Morgan
In December 2014, Kinder Morgan (KMI) announced that it signed a 15-year contract for transportation and storage for its Corpus Christi Liquefaction project. According to the contract, Kinder Morgan will provide transportation service for 550,000 dekatherms per day, or Dth/d, of natural gas. It can be increased to 800,000 Dth/d after the expansion of its pipeline system in Texas.
Also, Kinder Morgan will provide storage services to accommodate 3 billion cubic feet, or Bcf, of natural gas in order to serve the Corpus Christi Liquefaction project.
Cheniere’s 4Q14 results miss estimates
In February 2015, Cheniere Energy announced that its 4Q14 and full-year results reported a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $158.6 million, or $0.70 per share—compared to a net loss of $135.2 million, or $0.61 per share for 4Q13. For the year ending December 31, 2014, the company reported a net loss of $547.9 million, or $2.44 per share—compared to a net loss of $507.9 million, or $2.32 per share, in 2013.
The significant items for full-year 2014 were related to “development expenses primarily for the liquefaction facilities being developed near Corpus Christi, Texas, losses on early extinguishment of debt related to the write-off of debt issuance costs by Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC in connection with the refinancing of a portion of its credit facilities in May 2014 and April 2013, and derivative gains (losses) due primarily to changes in long-term LIBOR during the respective periods.”
You can gain exposure to Cheniere Energy by investing in the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF). Cheniere Energy accounts for 0.16% of IWF. IWF tracks the performance of 35 companies in the oil and gas sector.
In contrast, Kinder Morgan has a 4.43% exposure in the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE). This ETF tracks the performance of 45 publicly listed companies in the energy sector.
In the next part of this series, we’ll discuss Viking Global’s position in Actavis Plc.
Continue to Part 8
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