March 28, 2024

Ron Finklestien

Investing Perseverance: Weathering Storms in the Oil & Gas Industry

Challenges Abound Amidst Stability

Although the midstream energy business is generally shielded from oil and gas price fluctuations, the Oil and Gas – Pipeline MLP industry still faces uncertainties. The conservative capital spending by upstream players may impede production volume growth, impacting the demand for midstream assets.

Amidst this backdrop, companies like Enterprise Products Partners LP EPD, Energy Transfer LP ET, and Plains All American Pipeline LP PAA remain at the forefront.

Indispensable Industry Insights

The Zacks Oil and Gas – Pipeline MLP sector encompasses master limited partnerships engaged in transporting oil, natural gas, and more across North America. With vast storage capacities and stable fee-based revenues, these partnerships offer crucial midstream services to the energy market.

Shaping the Future of Oil & Gas Pipelines

Soft Pipeline Demand: Persisting inflation and energy market volatility could curtail fuel demand, impacting commodity production and, subsequently, pipeline assets.

Shift to Renewables: The global push for sustainable energy solutions may decrease reliance on oil and gas, affecting pipeline demands.

Explorers’ Conservative Capital Spending: Investor pressure on exploration companies to prioritize returns over production growth could reduce the need for pipeline assets.

Industry Outlook: Heading South?

The Zacks Industry Rank of #161 places the Oil and Gas – Pipeline MLP industry in the bottom 36% of all Zacks industries, hinting at a challenging road ahead.

Performance Amidst Adversity

Surprisingly, the Oil and Gas – Pipeline MLP industry has outperformed both the Oil – Energy sector and the S&P 500, with a notable 37.1% surge over the past year.

One-Year Price Performance

Valuation in Turbulent Times

Valuing midstream-focused partnerships based on EV/EBITDA ratios indicates a current industry ratio of 11.29X. Though below the S&P 500’s 15.15X, it still exceeds the sector’s 4.21X.

Historically, the industry has traded between 6.69X and 14.04X over the past five years, with a median of 9.81X.

Trailing 12-Month Enterprise Value-to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) Ratio

Pipeline Players Navigating Troubled Waters

Enterprise Products: With a vast infrastructure network and strong balance sheet, it stands resilient in the face of economic uncertainties.

The Zacks #3 Ranked stock is witnessing upward earnings estimate revisions for 2024.

Price and Consensus: EPD

Plains All American Pipeline: Leveraging its oil and gas assets, this Zacks #3 Ranked stock surpassed industry growth by 51.5% over the past year.

Price and Consensus: PAA

Energy Transfer: Bolstered by a robust pipeline network, this player navigates the industry challenges with a stable business model.

The Energy Transfer LP Success Story Unveiled

Revealing The Backbone of Energy Infrastructure

Energy Transfer LP, a comprehensive midstream service provider with a whopping network of pipelines spanning 125,000 miles, stands tall amongst its competitors. The partnership strategically positions itself with midstream assets in key basins throughout the US, ensuring a constant flow of fee-based revenues.

Financial Stability and Growth Potential

Boasting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), Energy Transfer LP has consistently delivered a higher dividend yield compared to industry peers over the past year. Additionally, the partnership has witnessed an optimistic trend in earnings estimate revisions over the last 60 days, signaling a promising outlook for investors.

Price and Consensus: ET

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Explore Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (EPD) Stock Analysis Report

Dive into Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (PAA) Stock Analysis Report

Get insights on Energy Transfer LP (ET) with the Free Stock Analysis Report

For more industry insights, read the full article on Zacks.com by clicking here.

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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


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