Forget Oil Prices, Focus on Differentials
Over the past two weeks the big story in energy markets has been oil price differentials, which was a major theme at this year’s MLP and Energy Infrastructure Conference (MEIC) conference. However, scratch beneath the surface and there’s a lot more going on.
Around the Portfolios
Fourth-quarter earnings season was anything but uneventful for some of our Portfolio holdings.
Portfolio News and Moves
Fourth-quarter earnings season is in full swing. Recent results and developments have prompted us to adjust our buy targets on a few holdings.
Paradigm Shift in MLP Land
Big changes are afoot in the midstream segment. Many master limited partnerships appear to have taken Enterprise Products Partners LP’s lead and shifted their focus to building distribution coverage and reducing equity. We explore which names will be able to make this transition with relative ease and which names face more of a slog to put themselves on a path to sustainability.
Focus Up
Our Focus List has continued to outperform the S&P 500 Energy Index over equivalent holding periods. Note that we have dropped MPLX LP (NYSE: MPLX) from the Focus List after the stock gained more than 25 percent since early December and traded above our value-based buy target for more than a month.
Water Technologies and Sustainable Fracking
The energy industry’s growing consumption of fresh water for hydraulic fracturing and approaches to disposing the resulting wastewater have created significant challenges. We highlight some of the solutions.
New Additions
After attending the DUG Midcontinent conference and reviewing third-quarter results, we have added two midstream operators to the MLP Portfolio’s aggressive sleeve.
What’s Behind the Recovery in the Midcontinent Rig Count?
These emerging shale plays are driving the recent recovery in Midcontinent drilling activity.
Upstream Takeover Targets
Some of the biggest winners from mergers and acquisitions activity in the US upstream space have been the acquirers. Deal flow will continue to focus on assets and private-equity outfits monetizing their investments. We prefer names with solid balance sheets and exposure to franchise assets with low production costs; these names will continue to take market share, outperform their and grow their inventories of potential drilling locations.
US Shale Plays: Separate and Unequal
US oil production appears to be bottoming, but investors seeking to profit in an environment where prices will likely range between $40 and $60 per barrel must pay attention to basin-specific trends as well as companies’ balance sheets and acreage quality.
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Live Chat with
Elliott and Roger on Jan. 30, 2020
Portfolios & Ratings
Model Portfolios
Balanced portfolios of energy stocks for aggressive and conservative investors.
Producers and Drillers
Our take on more than 50 energy-related equities, from upstream to downstream and everything in between.
MLPs and Midstream
Our assessment of every energy-related master limited partnership.
International Coverage
Roger Conrad’s coverage of more than 70 dividend-paying energy names.
Experts
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Elliott H. Gue
Founder and Chief Analyst: Capitalist Times and Energy & Income Advisor
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Roger S. Conrad
Founder and Chief Analyst: Capitalist Times and Energy & Income Advisor