AMZA

Update: US and Iran Now De-escalating Tensions

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By Callum Turcan On January 7, Iran retaliated against the US for the killing of Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani (leader of a group that the US has deemed a terror threat under the Trump administration) less than a week earlier by firing missiles from Iranian soil at bases in Iraq that contain US, Iraqi, and coalition troops. The Iranian government aggressively publicized the attack by providing Iranian media outlets with footage of missiles leaving Iran that were targeted towards Iraq. Fortunately, no US, Iraqi, or coalition casualties were reported. We are very thankful that nobody was hurt as a result of the Iranian missile strike. For our first article covering recent events regarding Middle East tensions, click here. In … Read more

Middle East Tensions on the Rise

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By Callum Turcan Early Friday (Arabian Standard Time) on January 3 (the strike was carried out late Thursday evening Eastern Standard Time), under the orders of President Trump, the US took out major general Qasem Soleimani who was the leader of Iran’s Quds military group within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (‘IRGC’). Please note the US designated the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in April 2019, and that the justification for the strike was due to there being an immediate threat to US lives (namely soldiers and contractors stationed in the Middle East), according to the Pentagon. It’s important to note that the strike occurred on Iraqi soil. The Quds force is known to be Iran’s extraterritorial military outfit, … Read more

Chesapeake Energy’s Pain Indicates Nothing “Safe” About Energy MLP Distributions

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Summary There is nothing “safe” in the stock market, and given the track record of the distributions of pipeline MLPs, there is nothing “safe” about pipeline MLP distributions. The MLP business model continues to be phased out, a trend that we anticipated when we made our bearish call on the group in June 2015. Chesapeake Energy’s pain is a yet another reminder of the pipeline MLP group’s exposure to energy resource pricing through the health (or rather ill-health) of its customer base. We continue to encourage pipeline operators to disclose free cash flow (cash flow from operations less all gross capital spending) prominently in press releases, alongside other industry-specific metrics. Investors of Chesapeake could get completely wiped out in a … Read more

High Yield Dividend Newsletter Portfolio Holding Magellan Midstream Keeps Growing

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Image Shown: Magellan Midstream is focusing heavily on growing its fee-based operations, with an eye towards expanding its refined products pipeline segment. Image Source: Magellan Midstream Partners L.P. – August 2019 IR Presentation If you may wish to add the High Yield Dividend Newsletter to your membership, please click here. By Callum Turcan On October 31, Magellan Midstream Partners L.P. (MMP) — 6.6% yield — reported third quarter 2019 earnings. Its quarterly GAAP operating income climbed 8% year-over-year due to a combination of top-line growth (GAAP revenues up 3% year-over-year) and lower operating expenses (GAAP operating expenses down 3% year-over-year). Cost reductions were largely a function of reduced cost of products sales, meaning Magellan Midstream’s marketing division had a decent quarter … Read more

Saudi Arabia Attacked, Oil Prices Shoot Higher

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Image Shown: Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure was attacked over the weekend, causing WTI and Brent to rally at the start of the trading session. By Callum Turcan Disaster struck this weekend when several drones took out the Abqaiq oil processing facility and the massive onshore Khurais oil field in Saudi Arabia (KSA) on Saturday, with WTI and Brent both surging on the news once trading resumed at the start of the week. The Khurais oil field produces around 1.5 million barrels of crude per day and the Abqaiq oil processing facility is the largest in the world. Saudi Arabia’s oil production capacity was reduced by 5.7 million barrels of crude per day due to these attacks and the country is … Read more

Tallgrass Energy’s Growth Runway Shorter Than Expected

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Image Source: Tallgrass Energy LP – IR Presentation By Callum Turcan Valuentum’s High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio parted ways with Tallgrass Energy LP (TGE) on August 1, as we wanted to reduce our exposure to the midstream space. We don’t like TGE as much as we once did and think it’s best to move on to better opportunities. Please note Blackstone Group Inc (BX), through affiliates of Blackstone Infrastructure Partners, closed its purchase of Tallgrass’ general partner in March 2019 which included those parties acquiring a 44% economic interest in Tallgrass. In 2018, Tallgrass reorganized as a C-Corp which we were very supportive of. Additionally, the midstream company has been very free cash flow positive historically (when defined as net … Read more

S&P Global: “Enterprise’s shift on cash flow reflects ‘metamorphosis’ of US pipeline firms”

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S&P Global: “While several major U.S. energy pipeline companies spent 2018 shedding cash-leaking habits and forging a more conventional financial structure as stocks languished, adopting reporting practices that are more accessible to the investing public could be a gradual process for the industry, if it takes flight at all.” S&P Global: “Enterprise’s shift on cash flow reflects ‘metamorphosis’ of US pipeline firms” Click here to read the article. Tickerized for holdings in the Alerian MLP ETF (AMLP). Pipelines – Oil & Gas: BPL, DCP, ENB, EPD, ET, GMLP, HEP, KMI, MMP, NS, PAA, WES —– Valuentum members have access to our 16-page stock reports, Valuentum Buying Index ratings, Dividend Cushion ratios, fair value estimates and ranges, dividend reports and more. Not … Read more

Kinder Morgan Reiterates Dividend Growth Intention

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Image shown: Kinder Morgan’s pipeline network and estimated breakdown of 2018 EBDA. Source: Kinder Morgan investor presentation Pipeline operator Kinder Morgan has benefited from a significant increase in natural gas supply and demand of late, and it expects more of the same in 2019. Management continues to execute on its capital allocation priorities, and it reiterated previously-announced guidance for dividend growth in the years ahead.  By Kris Rosemann 2018 was a transformative year for Kinder Morgan (KMI). The once-troubled pipeline operator has come a long way in terms of capital allocation since its massive dividend cut in late 2015, but management continues to expect significant growth in the payout in the years ahead. The company’s growth in 2018 (fourth quarter … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending January 18

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending January 18. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week Alliant Energy (LNT): now $0.355 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.335. Ally Financial (ALLY): now $0.17 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. Antero Midstream GP (AMGP): now $0.164 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.144. Antero Midstream Partners (AM): now $0.47 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.44. Apogee (APOG): now $0.175 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.1575. BlackRock (BLK): now $3.30 per share quarterly dividend, was $3.13. … Read more

Midstream Energy Pounded, MLP Distribution Cut at Golar LNG Partners

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Image shown: The midstream MLP space continues to suffer. Performance of the group since mid-June 2015. By Kris Rosemann and Brian Nelson, CFA There aren’t many calls that have been as large as Valuentum’s was in midstream energy in mid-June 2015. Midstream energy equities comprised some $500-$600 billion in market capitalization at their peak, and our work was prominently highlighted in Barron’s for all to see. Within the High Yield Dividend Newsletter, we’ve received great praise in continuing to highlight the risks of the space, but we can’t change that high yield, itself, is risky, as almost by definition, it means that companies will have poor Dividend Cushion ratios. This doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to find opportunities … Read more