logo
#

Latest news with #MPLX

Kinder Morgan Surpasses Industry Gains: What Investors Should Know
Kinder Morgan Surpasses Industry Gains: What Investors Should Know

Globe and Mail

timea day ago

  • Business
  • Globe and Mail

Kinder Morgan Surpasses Industry Gains: What Investors Should Know

Shares of Kinder Morgan, Inc. KMI have gained 45.4% in the past year, outperforming the oil-energy sector's gain of 26.5% and the S&P 500's gain of 11.3%. The company has a market capitalization of $63 billion. The company also outperformed its peers, such as MPLX LP MPLX and Enbridge, Inc. ENB, which have gained 20.3% and 26.7%, respectively, over the same time frame. Positive Outlook on KMI's Growth Trajectory The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KMI's 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.26, implying a year-over-year improvement of 9.6%. The consensus estimate for KMI's 2025 revenues is pegged at $16.5 billion, implying a year-over-year improvement of 9.4%. Kinder Morgan's earnings grew 4.9% in the last five years, better than the industry average of 4.4%. Long-term earnings growth is expected to be 7.2%, better than the industry average of 6.7%. Average Target Price for KMI Suggests Upside Based on short-term price targets offered by 15 analysts, the Zacks average price target is $31.40 per share. The average suggests a 10.9% upside from the last closing price. Factors to Consider Kinder Morgan presents a compelling investment case grounded in stable cash flows, strategic natural gas infrastructure, and forward-looking capital deployment. At the core of its financial model is a highly predictable earnings stream, approximately 95% of its 2025 budgeted cash flow comes from take-or-pay, fee-based, or hedged contracts. This structure protects the company against commodity price volatility and volume fluctuations. The take-or-pay model, which accounts for 64% of the total, ensures payment from counterparties regardless of actual throughput, while the fee-based and hedged arrangements further stabilize revenue. This setup supports Kinder Morgan's robust 2025 financial guidance of $5.2 billion in distributable cash flow and $1.27 billion in adjusted earnings per share, indicating 10% and 4% year-over-year growth in EPS and EBITDA, respectively. Strategically, Kinder Morgan is deeply embedded in the U.S. natural gas market, which is projected to experience significant growth through the end of the decade. Demand is expected to rise by 20-28 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) by 2030, largely driven by LNG exports, power generation needs (especially as coal retires), and increased industrial usage. The company is positioned to benefit directly from this surge, with long-term contracts already in place. Kinder Morgan's footprint is particularly strong in Texas and Louisiana, regions anticipated to account for over 95% of total U.S. demand growth in this timeframe. The company's dominant position in natural gas transportation is a key differentiator. Kinder Morgan owns and operates 66,000 miles of natural gas pipelines, which move around 40% of U.S. production. It also controls over 700 billion cubic feet of working storage, accounting for 15% of national capacity. The scale of this infrastructure not only supports efficient delivery to high-demand markets, including power plants and export terminals, but also provides operational leverage and competitive moat advantages. Kinder Morgan is also actively participating in the broader energy transition. Through its Energy Transition Ventures group, it is building a portfolio of renewable natural gas (RNG) assets with 6.4 bcf of annual production capacity and is evaluating carbon capture and storage (CCS) opportunities. These investments leverage its existing pipeline expertise and position it to serve emerging low-carbon markets. Furthermore, approximately $8 billion of its current capital project backlog includes components related to lower-carbon initiatives such as RNG and CCS. Lastly, the company has demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability and governance. It received an MSCI ESG rating upgrade to AAA in 2024 and ranks among the top performers in its industry according to Sustainalytics, FTSE, and Refinitiv. Operationally, it has achieved an ~8% reduction in methane emissions since 2021 and surveys 100% of its natural gas compressor stations every quarter. These practices, alongside improved board diversity and employee safety metrics, reinforce Kinder Morgan's positioning as a responsible infrastructure operator. Risks One key risk factor for Kinder Morgan is its partial exposure to commodity price volatility, particularly within its Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) operations and certain natural gas Gathering & Processing (G&P) projects. While 95% of KMI's cash flows are secured through take-or-pay, fee-based, or hedged structures, around 5% remain unhedged, making them sensitive to market fluctuations. The EOR segment, in particular, generates revenue based on oil prices and production volumes, which can lead to earnings variability during periods of commodity price weakness. Hence, it is better to stay cautious about this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Zacks' Research Chief Picks Stock Most Likely to "At Least Double" Our experts have revealed their Top 5 recommendations with money-doubling potential – and Director of Research Sheraz Mian believes one is superior to the others. Of course, all our picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier recommendations like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%. See Our Top Stock to Double (Plus 4 Runners Up) >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Enbridge Inc (ENB): Free Stock Analysis Report Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI): Free Stock Analysis Report

Should You Invest in MPLX LP (MPLX) Based on Bullish Wall Street Views?
Should You Invest in MPLX LP (MPLX) Based on Bullish Wall Street Views?

Yahoo

time6 days ago

  • Business
  • Yahoo

Should You Invest in MPLX LP (MPLX) Based on Bullish Wall Street Views?

When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important? Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about MPLX LP (MPLX) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage. MPLX LP currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.75, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 12 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.75 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy. Of the 12 recommendations that derive the current ABR, seven are Strong Buy and two are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 58.3% and 16.7% of all recommendations. Check price target & stock forecast for MPLX LP here>>> While the ABR calls for buying MPLX LP, it may not be wise to make an investment decision solely based on this information. Several studies have shown limited to no success of brokerage recommendations in guiding investors to pick stocks with the best price increase potential. Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations. In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement. With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), is a reliable indicator of a stock's near-term price performance. So, validating the Zacks Rank with ABR could go a long way in making a profitable investment decision. Although both Zacks Rank and ABR are displayed in a range of 1--5, they are different measures altogether. The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5. It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them. On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements. In addition, the different Zacks Rank grades are applied proportionately to all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide current-year earnings estimates. In other words, this tool always maintains a balance among its five ranks. Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements. Looking at the earnings estimate revisions for MPLX LP, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $4.42. Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for MPLX LP. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for MPLX LP. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report MPLX LP (MPLX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Sign in to access your portfolio

Will Elliott's Push Mean Break-up Boost for Phillips 66?
Will Elliott's Push Mean Break-up Boost for Phillips 66?

Yahoo

time21-06-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

Will Elliott's Push Mean Break-up Boost for Phillips 66?

Following a recent proxy battle and boardroom fight, activist investor Elliott Management is well on its way to oversee an unlocking of substantial value trapped by Phillips 66's (NYSE:PSX) conglomerate structure. This article will look at what has happened between Phillips 66 and Elliott Management and what I expect to happen going forward. Phillips 66, which was spun off from ConocoPhillips (COP) in 2012 is operates in the Oil & Gas Refining & Marketing sector. The term Refining & Marketing can also be known as Downstream in the oil and gasindustry. As at the end of Q1 2025, Phillips 66 had five operating segments: Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, Marketing and Specialities, and Renewable Fuels. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 8 Warning Sign with PSX. By contrast, larger peer Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) has three operating segments: Refining & Marketing, Midstream, and Renewable Diesel. Its midstream operations are primarily conducted through MPLX (MPLX), a master limited partnership listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker MPLX. Marathon Petroleum owns the general partner and a majority limited partner interest in MPLX. Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO), another PSX peer also has just three operating segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol. If we look at ExxonMobil's (XOM) downstream business, which Exxon calls Product Solutions, it consists also of three segments: Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products. Midstream companies tend to run as separate entities, operating in the Oil & Gas Storage & Transportation sub-sector. Examples would include MPLX, or Kinder Morgan (KMI), or Williams (WMB). So, a very simplistic view would suggest Phillips 66 operates in an unwieldy manner. This typically causes a conglomerate discount, which activist investor Elliott is known for attacking. According to Elliott's April 28, 2025 presentation titled Streamline 66: Elliott's Perspectives on Value Creation In September 2023, Elliott approached Phillips 66 with a clear message: its assets were significantly undervalued and underperforming. Initially, the Company acknowledged challenges, particularly in refining, reaffirmed its $14 billion mid-cycle EBITDA target and the Executive Chairman announced his retirement. Elliott released a statement stating the Company leadership deserved investor support so long as they demonstrated meaningful progress against their targets over the following year, but if performance did not improve more change would be needed. To support long-term value creation, Elliott sought to enhance the Board by adding two directors with relevant industry expertise. Yet cooperation quickly stalled. Despite the quality of the candidates proposed, Phillips 66 was slow to act and ultimately rejected several well-qualified individuals. Only after Elliott formally submitted nominations did the Company appoint Bob Pease to the Board in February 2024. In addition, throughout 2024 the Company's operating performance deteriorated and the Company continues to be woefully short of its EBITDA target. Since February 2025, Elliott has been more public about itsposition, with a campaign called Streamline 66. Its goals, according to the Perspectiveson Value Creation presentation, were fourfold: Improve accountability of Phillips 66's management by adding credible directors with a mandate for change Unlock substantial value trapped by Phillips 66's conglomerate structure Refocus the Company on operational excellence by adding deep industry expertise to the Board Instill a culture of ambition where Phillips 66 aims to be the top performing refining company in the world Elliott's core idea is that Midstream should trade at about 9-12x EBITDA, while Refining and Chemicals should trade at 6-7x EBITDA. Elliott notes that PSX trades like a refiner, therefore undervaluing the Midstreambusiness, due to a large conglomerate discount. Elliott is also saying that PSX's refining profitability dramatically lags peers. According to the Perspectives on Value Creation presentation, Elliott also used a third-party refining industry analytics firm, Baker & O'Brien and its PRISM Model to help understand the intrinsic profitability of Phillips 66's refinery assets relative to its actual results and peers. Before I came a full-time investor, I used to work in oil trading, and Baker & O'Brien PRISM Model was a sophisticated tool to understand how refineries could optimize their performance. So, it is quite impressive that Elliott has utilized this in their analysis of PSX's refining business. The Perspectives on Value Creation presentation slides 80 through 87 analyse PSX's regional competitiveness and concludes that PSX's refining assets are comparable to peers Marathon and Valero its underperformance is primarily driven by pooroperational execution, rather than the quality of the assets. But why should we care about what Elliott thinks? Well, Elliott has recent form in Refining & Marketing where it started an engagement with Marathon Petroleum in 2019 which resulted in a new executive leadership, the saleof Speedway to 7-Eleven for about $17 billion, and improved operating performance with proceeds used to repurchase its own shares. The stock has risen dramatically in the last five years. Elliott also pushed other large companies to realize value from their conglomerate discounts. Two recent examples I have followed include GSK plc (GSK) where in 2021 it called for a full separation of its Biopharmaand Consumer Health businesses, resulting ultimately in Haleon plc (HLN) being spun out into an independent Consumer Health business. In 2017 Elliott began pushing for BHP plc (BHP) to unify its dual-listed structure and for the metals and mining company to exit its petroleum business. By 2021, BHP moved its primary listing to Sydney, removing its complex dual-listed structure, and became a more streamlined and focused mining company, returning substantial funds to shareholders. Following more than a year of apparently contentious engagement, Elliott started a proxy fight to replace four board members at the 2025 shareholder meeting. While the campaign was backed by the three main proxyadvisory firms ISS, Glass Lewis and Egan-Jones, Phillips 66's largest passive investors (BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street), who sided with the company. This is likely because many of the shares held by BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street are in index tracking vehicles PSX is a S&P 500 constituent and they don't tend to ever vote against managements. In my opinion each of the four board members Elliott was proposing were highly qualified to sit on the board of a Refining & Marketing company. On May 21, 2025, the proxy contest concluded with a split result. Elliott won two board seats for Sigmund Cornelius and Michael Heim and PSX won the other two seats, for Bob Pease and Nigel Hearne. The case of Bob Pease is interesting. He was originally blessed by Elliott joining PSX's board in February 2024, but a year later, Elliott wanted him replaced. In a letter to shareholders Mr Pease said I do not know why Elliott now wants me off the Board. But Elliott wrote in its Perspectives on Value Creation presentation that Mr. Pease has failed to acknowledge Phillips' clear performance issues and has adopted the Company's empty,self-congratulatory rhetoric. GuruFocus News also noted that a proposal to "declassify the Board of Directors over a three-year period was not approved" by the shareholders. Also, a non-binding shareholder proposal requesting the Board toadopt a policy requiring directors to submit a resignation letter effective at the next annual meeting was not approved. Elliott wanted PSX to have board membership voted on each year, as is best practise for corporate governance but this was rejected in the vote. Elliott in a press release following the vote said it will continue to actively engage with the Company while holding management and the Board accountable for delivering on their commitment to improve shareholdervalue. As we have seen before, Elliott is a patient activist investor. The two board members they have managed to get on the board Sigmund Cornelius and Michael Heim are industry veterans. Cornelius is a former Chief Financial Officer of ConocoPhillips, and was previously on the board of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, now a PSX joint venture with Chevron (CVX) which Elliott wants PSX to divest. Cornelius in an Elliott presentation said of his priorities upon joining the board: It's a different structure than Marathon or Valero and they have been the better performers. I will insist that we take a harder look at this structure. Heim is one of the founders and former President and Chief Operating Officer of Targa Resources (TRGP) which is an important midstream company and one of the New York Stock Exchange's largest stocks in the Oil & Gas Storage & Transportation subsector. Heim served in numerous executive leadership roles over the course of over 16 years at Targa and said in an Elliott presentation Midstream businesses can be growth engines, but they need the right structure to compete. Phillips' midstream business is constrained in so many ways in the current structure. I think people will be amazed at what is possible with these assets. So, it's clear to me that Elliott will still push hard for a separation of PSX's midstream segment. With a consensus Midstream segment EBITDA of about $4.1 billion, and at a 9.7x multiple Elliott sees Midstream achieving gross proceeds of about $39.5 billion. The TEV/EBITDA multiple of 9.7x is based on an average of Midstream peers Enterprise Products Partners (EPD), MPLX, ONEOK, Inc (OKE), and Targa Resources. It also sees a sale of CPChem grossing $13 billion, which is derived as a mid-cycle EBITDA of $1.9 billion at a TEV/EBITDA multiple of 6.4x using Dow Inc (DOW) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) as peers, plus $750 million in saved outlay on capex for a CPChem expansion project. On Elliott's calculations (slide 133 of Perspectives on Value Creation) PSX could be worth between $151 and $169 per share in the near term, based on a sum of the parts valuation: Source: Elliott's Perspectives on Value Creation, April 28, 2025 / The City LetterNote that PSX announced in May it is selling JET business in Germany and Austria $2.8 billion enterprise value, which is close enough to Elliott's $3.0 billion enterprise value assumption. This sale is an indication that PSX is already taking on board some of Elliott's demands. Assuming PSX spins Midstream at $39-40 billion, then the key for the $169 price target is if PSX can achieve refining EBITDA per barrel at parity with Valero, based on 2026 expected throughput. The Baker & O'Brien refining assets analysis suggests that "the kit", the refinery systems themselves, can do this. It's now just a question of management ambition. It may have been better had Brian Coffman been nominated to the board, given his refining expertise, but I expect Elliott will monitor this and revisit it in the future if improvements don't start coming through. Phillips 66 has the GF Score of 72, which implies that the company is Likely to have average performance. Without Elliott shaking things up, that's probably what could be expected going forward. Meanwhile Marathon Petroleum has a GF Score of 80 and Valero Energy has a GF Value score of 78. PSX underperforms mainly because it scores a Growth Rank of 2/10. The Growth Rank is scored through revenue growth and EBITDA growth. PSX's lower growth rank aligns with Elliott's point that PSX has been underperforming and could do better with renewed management drive and better refining performance. Like Marathon Petroleum, PSX has a Moat score of 7, which means Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages This also confirms Elliott's thesis that PSX has a lot of potential if management can beshaken up. As minority investors, we can almost freeride on the back of Elliott. The only things to note are that Elliott could walk away at any time, although I think that is unlikely and that Elliott may have some macro hedges in place founder Paul Singer told the In Good Company podcast earlier this year that that is usually the case in their investments. This means Elliott may be less exposed to the macro risks that are inherent in PSX: refining and chemical margins and midstream volumes. So, any standalone investment, without hedges, would incur these risks. In my opinion, as part of a diversified portfolio, a minority investor can bear these risks and look torealize the significant upside that Elliott is looking to squeeze out, which at the time of writing is about 30%. Elliott has a strong track record of patiently encouraging and sometimes forcing companies to rid their conglomerate discount through business spin-offs and changes at the board and executive management level. The May 2025 annual shareholder vote was a partial victory for Elliott and I expect the new board members Sigmund Cornelius and Michael Heim to put forth the case to spin out the PSX Midstream business, which may take 12-18 months to fully execute. Investors can afford to wait for this value to be realized over time. PSX has an Altman Z-score of 3.43 which is strong and means there is no immediate financial danger. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Evercore initiates coverage on U.S. refiners, sees upside on Phillips 66
Evercore initiates coverage on U.S. refiners, sees upside on Phillips 66

Yahoo

time18-06-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

Evercore initiates coverage on U.S. refiners, sees upside on Phillips 66

-- Evercore ISI initiated coverage on U.S. refining companies, rating Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) as Outperform while assigning neutral ratings to Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) and Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO), citing valuation and operational outlook. The firm said Phillips 66 is positioned to benefit from a multi-year effort to streamline operations and expand its midstream business, including recent acquisitions of DCP Midstream and EPIC. It said improved performance in refining and chemicals, along with progress on cost control and asset sales, could help close the stock's valuation gap with peers. Evercore set a price target of $130, compared with Phillips 66 of $124 on Wednesday trading. Marathon Petroleum was rated In Line, with Evercore noting that the company's strong cash flow and exposure to midstream assets through MPLX (NYSE:MPLX) support significant shareholder returns. However, the stock has already outperformed peers this year, and the firm said further upside may be limited without a new catalyst. Its price target of $170 is in line with its current price. Valero, also rated In Line, was described as a cost-efficient operator with favorable positioning on the U.S. Gulf Coast and steady access to export markets. Evercore said the company is likely to generate stable returns but added that recent gains and current consensus expectations limit near-term upside. It set a $135 price target, below Valero's Thursday trading price of $139 Brokerage cautious stance is on an already run up in the stocks this year, while noting Phillips 66 as a potential beneficiary of operational and portfolio changes in the years ahead. Related articles Evercore initiates coverage on U.S. refiners, sees upside on Phillips 66 Nike and Skims reportedly push back launch of joint brand Barclays weighs in as Coinbase seeks permission to list tokenized equities

1 Energy Stock With a Dividend Yield Over 7% Right Now
1 Energy Stock With a Dividend Yield Over 7% Right Now

Yahoo

time14-06-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

1 Energy Stock With a Dividend Yield Over 7% Right Now

MPLX has a much higher dividend yield than the average energy stock. The master limited partnership's payout is on a sustainable foundation. It has been growing its earnings and distribution at healthy rates, and should continue to do so. 10 stocks we like better than MPLX › The energy sector can be a great place for income investors to find higher-yielding options. The average energy stock in the S&P 500 has a yield of around 3% at its current share price, which is more than double the 1.3% yield of the broad market index. Many energy stocks have even higher yields. One of them is MPLX (NYSE: MPLX). The midstream energy company yields more than 7% right now. Here's why income investors will want to take a closer look at MPLX. A yield above 7% might seem like a higher-risk income stream at first glance. However, that's not the case with MPLX's payout. The master limited partnership (MLP) has a rock-solid financial foundation supporting its big-time distribution. MPLX has a diversified midstream operation that generates lots of stable cash flow backed by long-term contracts and government-regulated rate structures. It produced nearly $1.5 billion in distributable cash flow during the first quarter -- enough to cover its distribution by a comfortable 1.5 times. The MLP produced about $500 million in excess free cash flow during the period. That was enough money to cover its organic capital spending with room to spare. (Its net cash used in investing activities was about $364 million after adjusting for acquisitions.) MPLX also has a robust balance sheet. It ended the first quarter with a leverage ratio of 3.3. That's comfortably below the 4.0 or so ratio its stable cash flows can support. MPLX stands out among higher-yielding dividend stocks because it's growing at a healthy clip. Its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) rose by 7% in the first quarter. Meanwhile, its distributable cash flow was up 8.5%. The company has been growing its earnings and cash flow at a nearly 7% compound annual rate since 2021. That strong growth, along with the company's top-notch financial profile, has allowed MPLX to increase its distribution at a 10.7% compound annual rate since 2021, including by 12.5% last year. The MLP has plenty more growth coming down the pipeline. It has secured several new investments this year. MPLX and its partners recently made a final investment decision to build the Traverse Pipeline, which should enter commercial service in 2027. It's also building two Gulf Coast fractionators and a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) export terminal, expanding its BANGL pipeline, building the Blackcomb and Rio Bravo pipelines, and constructing two more natural gas processing plants. These projects have in-service dates through 2029, giving the MLP lots of visibility into its earnings growth. "We continue to anticipate mid-teen returns on these projects, which will support mid-single digit adjusted EBITDA growth," said CEO Maryann Mannen in the first-quarter earnings press release. "This growth is expected to allow us to reinvest in the business and support annual distribution increases in the future." MPLX also continues to use its strong balance sheet to make acquisitions. Early this year, it agreed to buy the 55% of the BANGL pipeline it didn't already own for $715 million, another 5% interest in the Matterhorn Express pipeline for $151 million, and a crude oil gathering system for $237 million. Given its low leverage ratio, it has ample financial flexibility to continue making bolt-on acquisitions as opportunities arise. These and future deals will further enhance its earnings growth rate, giving it more fuel to increase its distribution. MPLX is currently paying over 7%, which is much higher than the average energy stock and the S&P 500. The MLP's big-time payout is on a very sustainable foundation. Further, it should continue growing for the next several years. That makes it a great option for income-seeking investors as long as they are comfortable receiving the Schedule K-1 federal tax form the MLP sends them each year. Before you buy stock in MPLX, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and MPLX wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $653,702!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $870,207!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 988% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Matt DiLallo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 1 Energy Stock With a Dividend Yield Over 7% Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store