Endangered Dividends List

There have been no dividend cuts in our Energy and Income Advisor coverage universe in the brief time since the previous issue went to post. Rather, the majority of EDL members have elected to maintain the same payout rates for at least another quarter.

There have been no distribution cuts since the previous issue of Energy and Income Advisor. EQM Midstream Partners (NYSE: EQM), its 58.49 percent owner and general partner Equitrans Midstream Corp (NYSE: ETRN), GasLog Partners (NYSE: GLOP), Martin Midstream Partners (NSDQ: MMLP) and Vermilion Energy (TSX: VET, NYSE: VET) have all reported second quarter results and issued guidance.

There have been no distribution cuts since the previous issue of Energy and Income Advisor. We expect that to change over the next few weeks, as the 15 companies currently on the EDL declare payouts.

There have been no distribution cuts since the previous issue of Energy and Income Advisor. Unfortunately, we continue to see elevated risk for a number of companies, and particularly for the 13 currently on our Endangered Dividends List.

The next round of distribution declarations in our Energy and Income Advisor coverage universe isn’t for another month. But Sanchez Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: SNMP) is at elevated risk to announce a cut sooner, now that its parent and largest customer Sanchez Energy (OTC: SNEC) is for all practical purposes bankrupt.

Unfortunately, we continue to see elevated risk for a number of companies, and particularly for the 13 currently on our Endangered Dividends List. For more on where the risk lies at individual midstream energy companies and MLPs, see the comments column in our now updated MLP Ratings table, including analysis of first quarter results, distribution coverage and debt-to-EBITDA figures and prospects for potential roll-up mergers. It’s posted on the Energy and Income Advisor website under the “Portfolios” tab.

Foresight Energy LP (NYSE: FELP) is eliminating its quarterly distribution. That follows a poor first quarter during which the coal mining MLP experienced sharp increases in transportation costs because of flooding and “an accelerated decline in export prices” for its output.

Blueknight Energy Partners (NSDQ: BKEP) is cutting its quarterly distribution for the second time in a year, from 8 to 4 cents per unit. Unfortunately, even after that large of a reduction, the payout still isn’t safe. In fact, the consensus of analysts tracked by Bloomberg is the July distribution will be cut to just a penny a unit.

Amerigas Partners’ (NYSE: APU) merger terms with general partner UGI Corp (NYSE: UGI) imply a roughly 83 percent cut in the dividend when the deal closes. That eventuality has been known by investors for two weeks and is therefore baked into the price. Therefore, while we do advise moving on from Amerigas, the MLP is now off the Endangered Dividends List.

American Midstream Partners (NYSE: AMID) has received its likely best and final takeover offer from general partner ArcLight Capital Partners LLC. ArcLight last year bid $6.10 per share in cash for AMID units, before cutting it to $4.50 in the wake of disappointing operating results. The newly agreed on offer of $5.25 per unit in cash appears likely to win needed approvals and to close in coming weeks.