Cheniere Energy Inc

The following table summarizes the sources and uses of our cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents (in millions). The table presents capital expenditures on a cash basis; therefore, these amounts differ from the amounts of capital expenditures, including accruals, which are referred to elsewhere in this report. Additional discussion of these items follows the table.

Operating Cash Flows

The $2.1 billion decrease between the periods was primarily related to lower cash receipts from the sale of LNG cargoes due to lower pricing per MMBtu as a result of decreased pricing and a reduction of volumes sold under short-term agreements, as well as a decrease in regasification revenues. A discussion of our revenues, including LNG and regasification revenues, can be found in Note 13—Revenues of our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The decrease was partially offset by lower cash outflows for natural gas feedstock, mostly due to lower U.S. natural gas prices.

As described in Future Sources and Uses of Liquidity, our future operating cash flows will be impacted by CAMT, which may result in greater volatility in our cash tax payments, including potentially higher cash payments in the near-term relative to the year ended December 31, 2023. See Future Sources and Uses of Liquidity for additional discussion.

Investing Cash Flows

Our investing net cash outflows in both years primarily were for the construction costs for the Liquefaction Projects. The $358 million increase in 2023 compared to 2022 was primarily due to $1.5 billion of cash outflows during the year ended December 31, 2023 related to construction of the Corpus Christi Stage 3 Project following our issuance of full notice to proceed to Bechtel in June 2022 compared to $880 million in the comparable period of 2022, partially offset by a decrease in spend due to the completion of Train 6 of the SPL Project in February 2022. We expect to incur a similar level of capital expenditures in the upcoming year as construction work progresses on the Corpus Christi Stage 3 Project. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we also made investments in infrastructure expected to support the development, construction and operations of the Corpus Christi Stage 3 Project, including an investment in pipeline capacity for natural gas feedstock. Also during the year ended December 31, 2023, we acquired an existing power generation facility located near Corpus Christi, Texas to mitigate power price risk associated with our anticipated increased power load at the Corpus Christi LNG Terminal.

Financing Cash Flows

The following table summarizes our financing activities (in millions):

Debt Issuances

During the year ended December 31, 2023, CQP issued an aggregate principal amount of $1.4 billion of 2033 CQP Senior Notes, the proceeds of which were used, together with cash on hand, to redeem $1.4 billion of the 2024 SPL Senior Notes. Additionally, during the year ended December 31, 2023, SPL purchased $200 million of the 2024 SPL Senior Notes in the open market and redeemed an additional $100 million of the 2024 SPL Senior Notes. As of December 31, 2023, the only bonds maturing in 2024 are the remaining $300 million outstanding of the 2024 SPL Senior Notes. During the year ended December 31, 2022, SPL issued $430 million of 5.900% Senior Secured Amortizing Notes due 2037 and $70 million of 2037 SPL Private Placement Senior Secured Notes, and we had total borrowings of $1.1 billion under our credit facilities. The proceeds from the borrowings during the year ended December 31, 2022, together with cash on hand, were used to redeem or repurchase $6.8 billion of outstanding indebtedness, entirely associated with redemptions of our outstanding notes or repayment of amounts outstanding under our credit facilities.

Debt Redemptions, Repayments and Repurchases

The following table shows the redemptions, repayments and repurchases of debt, including intra-year repayments (in millions):

Non-Controlling Interest Distributions

We own a 48.6% limited partner interest in CQP with the remaining non-controlling limited partner interest held by Blackstone Inc., Brookfield Asset Management Inc. and the public. Distributions of $1.0 billion and $947 million were paid during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, to non-controlling interests.

Repurchase of Common Stock

During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we paid $1.5 billion and $1.4 billion to repurchase 9.5 million and 9.4 million shares of our common stock, respectively, under our share repurchase program. As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately $2.1 billion remaining under our share repurchase program.

Cash Dividends to Stockholders

During the year ended December 31, 2023, we paid aggregate dividends of $1.62 per share of common stock, for a total of $393 million. We paid aggregate dividends of $1.385 per share of common stock, for a total of $349 million during the year ended December 31, 2022.

On January 26, 2024, we declared a quarterly dividend of $0.435 per share of common stock that is payable on February 23, 2024 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 6, 2024.