Energy Markets Update: Midstream
About the Video
The first in a 3-part series on timely issues related to North American energy focusing on Midstream Pipelines, Energy Stock Valuations, and Natural Gas Demand Growth.
Energy Markets Update: Midstream

I'm Michael Roomberg, a portfolio manager with Miller/Howard Investments. This video is the first in a three-part series on timely issues related to North American energy focusing on Midstream Pipelines, Energy Stock Valuations, and Natural Gas Demand Growth.

Midstream companies and MLPs will begin to report earnings in the coming weeks. We expect that favorable commodity price and volume trends will continue to benefit the sector, and anticipate that most reports will feature favorable results relative to consensus expectations. We believe that some companies in particular will benefit from temporary arbitrage opportunities that—in very simple terms—will result from the fact that in many regions, prices for commodities like natural gas, natural gas liquids, and oil at one end of a pipeline are much lower than the other end of the pipeline.

How can that be? It's mainly due to the fact that growing production is now exceeding existing pipeline takeaway capacity, and producers are competing to get their products to market in any way they can—and in particular are competing on price. Pipelines are the cheapest and the safest route to market, and so these producers prefer to ship via pipeline, if possible, but if necessary will do so by more expensive rail and truck. In certain circumstances, pipeline owners can capture the wide differentials between prices at each end of their pipeline, collecting fees that can be up to 10 times the normal fee for transporting commodities from field to market. While this is great business and sort of bonus cash (for the companies that own the pipelines), as investors we recognize that these earnings are temporary in nature. So more importantly for us, this market dynamic is creating tightness that is the favorable basis for new long-term contracting, and in fact a number of our portfolio holdings have received sufficient long-term contractual commitments to proceed with major new pipeline developments that will enter service and begin flowing oil, natural gas liquids, and gas—and most importantly for us, cash flow—in coming quarters.

NOTE:
NGL: Natural Gas Liquids are components of natural gas that are separated from the gas state in the form of liquids.

MLP: Master Limited Partnership is a type of business venture that exists in the form of a publicly traded limited partnership. It combines the tax benefits of a partnership—profits are taxed only when investors actually receive distributions—with the liquidity of a public company.

DISCLOSURE

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: ARE NOT FDIC INSURED - MAY LOSE VALUE - ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED

Opinions and estimates offered constitute Miller/Howard Investments' judgment and are subject to change without notice, as are statements of financial market trends, which are based on current market conditions. Nothing stated herein, including the mention of specific company names, should be construed as a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any security, sector, or MLPs in general. To receive a list of all recommendations for the previous year, please email compliance@mhinvest.com. All investments carry a certain degree of risk, including possible loss of principal. It is important to note that there are risks inherent in any investment and there can be no assurance that any asset class will provide positive performance over any period of time. The material may also contain forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainty, and there is no guarantee they will come to pass.

Common stocks do not assure dividend payments. Dividends are paid only when declared by an issuer’s board of directors, and the amount of any dividend may vary over time. Dividend yield is one component of performance and should not be the only consideration for investment.

The information above is from sources deemed to be reliable and is provided strictly for the convenience of our investors and their advisors. These materials are solely informational. Legal, accounting and tax restrictions, transaction costs, and changes to any assumptions may significantly affect the economics of any transaction.

Risk Factors to Consider When Investing in Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs)

  • Cash distributions are not guaranteed and may fluctuate with the MLP's operating or business performance.
  • MLPs have a General Partner. Unit holders will have limited voting rights and do not own an interest in, vote with, or control the General Partner. The General Partner often cannot be removed without its own consent, and the General Partner has conflicts of interest and limited fiduciary responsibilities, which may permit it to favor its own interests to the detriment of unit holders.
  • The MLP may issue additional common units, diluting existing unit holders' interests.
  • Unit holders may be required to pay taxes on income from the MLP even if they do not receive cash distributions.
  • The IRS could reclassify the MLP as a taxable entity, which could reduce the cash available for distribution to unit holders.
  • If at any time the GP owns 85% or more of the issued and outstanding limited partner interests, the GP will have the right to purchase all of the limited partnership interests not held by the GP at a price that may be undesirable.

Tax Considerations of MLPs
The tax treatment for investors in MLPs is different from that of an investment in stock, including: (a) the investor's share of the MLP's income, deductions, and expenses are reported on Schedule K-1, not Form 1099; (b) because of the possibility of unrelated business taxable income, charitable remainder trusts should not invest in this portfolio, and other nontaxable investors (such as ERISA and IRA accounts) should carefully consider whether to invest in this portfolio; (c) investors may have to file income tax returns in states in which the MLP's do business; and (d) MLP tax information is sent directly from the partnership, which generally has until April 15th to provide this information. You should discuss these and any other tax implications with your tax advisor.

The information and analyses contained herein are not intended as tax, legal, or investment advice and may not be appropriate for your specific circumstances; accordingly, you should consult your own tax, legal, investment, or other advisors, at both the outset of any transaction and on an ongoing basis, to determine such appropriateness. Any investment returns — past, hypothetical, or otherwise — are not indicative of future performance.

Investment Decisions: Do not use this report as the sole basis for investment decisions. Do not select an allocation, investment discipline, or investment manager based on performance alone. Consider, in addition to performance results, other relevant information about each investment manager, as well as matters such as your investment objectives, risk tolerance, and investment time horizon.

The returns on a portfolio that utilizes environmental, social, or governance (ESG) criteria for stock selection may be lower or higher than portfolios where ESG factors are not considered, and the investment opportunities available to such portfolios may differ.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

© 2024 Miller/Howard Investments.

DISCLOSURE

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: ARE NOT FDIC INSURED - MAY LOSE VALUE - ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED

Opinions and estimates offered constitute Miller/Howard Investments' judgment and are subject to change without notice, as are statements of financial market trends, which are based on current market conditions. Nothing stated herein, including the mention of specific company names, should be construed as a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any security, sector, or MLPs in general. To receive a list of all recommendations for the previous year, please email compliance@mhinvest.com. All investments carry a certain degree of risk, including possible loss of principal. It is important to note that there are risks inherent in any investment and there can be no assurance that any asset class will provide positive performance over any period of time. The material may also contain forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainty, and there is no guarantee they will come to pass.

Common stocks do not assure dividend payments. Dividends are paid only when declared by an issuer’s board of directors, and the amount of any dividend may vary over time. Dividend yield is one component of performance and should not be the only consideration for investment.

The information above is from sources deemed to be reliable and is provided strictly for the convenience of our investors and their advisors. These materials are solely informational. Legal, accounting and tax restrictions, transaction costs, and changes to any assumptions may significantly affect the economics of any transaction.

Risk Factors to Consider When Investing in Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs)

  • Cash distributions are not guaranteed and may fluctuate with the MLP's operating or business performance.
  • MLPs have a General Partner. Unit holders will have limited voting rights and do not own an interest in, vote with, or control the General Partner. The General Partner often cannot be removed without its own consent, and the General Partner has conflicts of interest and limited fiduciary responsibilities, which may permit it to favor its own interests to the detriment of unit holders.
  • The MLP may issue additional common units, diluting existing unit holders' interests.
  • Unit holders may be required to pay taxes on income from the MLP even if they do not receive cash distributions.
  • The IRS could reclassify the MLP as a taxable entity, which could reduce the cash available for distribution to unit holders.
  • If at any time the GP owns 85% or more of the issued and outstanding limited partner interests, the GP will have the right to purchase all of the limited partnership interests not held by the GP at a price that may be undesirable.

Tax Considerations of MLPs
The tax treatment for investors in MLPs is different from that of an investment in stock, including: (a) the investor's share of the MLP's income, deductions, and expenses are reported on Schedule K-1, not Form 1099; (b) because of the possibility of unrelated business taxable income, charitable remainder trusts should not invest in this portfolio, and other nontaxable investors (such as ERISA and IRA accounts) should carefully consider whether to invest in this portfolio; (c) investors may have to file income tax returns in states in which the MLP's do business; and (d) MLP tax information is sent directly from the partnership, which generally has until April 15th to provide this information. You should discuss these and any other tax implications with your tax advisor.

The information and analyses contained herein are not intended as tax, legal, or investment advice and may not be appropriate for your specific circumstances; accordingly, you should consult your own tax, legal, investment, or other advisors, at both the outset of any transaction and on an ongoing basis, to determine such appropriateness. Any investment returns — past, hypothetical, or otherwise — are not indicative of future performance.

Investment Decisions: Do not use this report as the sole basis for investment decisions. Do not select an allocation, investment discipline, or investment manager based on performance alone. Consider, in addition to performance results, other relevant information about each investment manager, as well as matters such as your investment objectives, risk tolerance, and investment time horizon.

The returns on a portfolio that utilizes environmental, social, or governance (ESG) criteria for stock selection may be lower or higher than portfolios where ESG factors are not considered, and the investment opportunities available to such portfolios may differ.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

© 2024 Miller/Howard Investments.