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MLP Monthly Report: December 2018

Dec 13, 2018

View all Rohan Reddy's ArticlesRohan ReddyRohan Reddy

The December MLP Monthly Report can be found here offering insights on MLP industry news, the asset class’s performance, yields, valuations, and fundamental drivers.

Summary

News:

1) Equitrans Midstream Corporation (ETRN), the general partner (GP) of EQGP Holdings, LP (EQGP), will acquire 100% ownership in EQGP and all of the incentive distribution rights (IDRs) and the economic GP interest in EQM Midstream Partners, LP (EQM) in a simplification transaction. After the transaction, which is expected to be completed in Q1 2019, EQM will be the only partnership under ETRN that will be publicly traded, and have no IDRs.

2) Western Gas Equity Partners, LP (WGP), the GP of Western Gas Partners, LP (WES), will acquire all units of WES, together with the units owned by its parent Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (APC). WES and WGP will become a single publicly traded partnership.

3) Williams (WMB) and Brazos Midstream announced a new strategic joint venture (JV) in the Permian Basin. Under the agreement, WMB will receive a 15% position in the partnership by contributing its existing Delaware Basin assets. Brazos will own the remaining 85% and operate the JV, which is estimated to have 260MMcf/d of natural gas processing and 75,000 barrels of oil storage.

Sources: EQGP Holdings, LP, Western Gas Partners, LP, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Williams Companies Inc, O&G Links.

Performance: Midstream MLPs, as measured by the Solactive MLP Infrastructure Index, fell by -1.4% on broad market weakness and lower oil prices. The index is down -3.5% since last November. (Source: Bloomberg)

Yield: The current yield on MLPs stands at 8.52%. MLP yields remained higher than the broad market benchmarks for High Yield Bonds (7.22%), Emerging Market Bonds (7.10%), Fixed Rate Preferreds (6.11%), and Investment Grade Bonds (4.60%).1 MLP yield spreads versus 10-year Treasuries currently stand at 5.19%, higher than the long-term average of 4.38%.2 (Sources: Bloomberg, AltaVista Research, and Fed Reserve)

Valuations: The Enterprise Value to EBITDA ratio (EV-to-EBITDA), which seeks to provide more color on the valuations of MLPs, fell -3.34% last month. Since November 2017, the EV-to-EBITDA ratio has fallen by approximately -0.88%. (Source: Bloomberg).

Crude Production: The Baker Hughes Rig Count rose last month to 1076 rigs, rising by 8 rigs from last month’s count of 1068 rigs. The rig count has more than doubled since its recent low point in May 2016 of 404 rigs. US production of crude oil rose to 11.700 mb/d in the last week of November compared to 11.200 mb/d at the end of October. (Source: Baker Hughes & EIA)

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month- and quarter-end, please click here

As of 11/30/2018, EQM Midstream Partners, LP (EQM) was a holding in the Global X MLP and Energy Infrastructure ETF (MLPX), with a 0.82% weighting and the Global X MLP ETF (MLPA) with a 4.86% weighting.  Western Gas Partners, LP (WES) was a holding in the MLPX ETF, with a 0.87% weighting and the MLPA ETF, with a 4.73% weighting.  Williams Companies Inc (WMB) was a holding in the MLPX ETF, with an 8.47% weighting.

MLPA ETF and MLPX ETF do not have any holding in Equitrans Midstream Corporation (ETRN), EQGP Holdings, LP (EQGP), Western Gas Equity Partners, LP (WGP), Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (APC) and Brazos Midstream.

Category: Reports

Topics: MLPs

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This information is not intended to be individual or personalized investment or tax advice. Please consult a financial advisor or tax professional for more information regarding your tax situation.

Global X Management Company, LLC serves as an advisor to the Global X Funds. The Funds are distributed by SEI Investments Distribution Co. (SIDCO, 1 Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA, 19456), which is not affiliated with Global X Management Company, LLC.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. International investments may involve risk of capital loss from unfavorable fluctuation in currency values, from differences in generally accepted accounting principles or from economic or political instability in other nations. Investments in securities of MLPs involve risk that differ from investments in common stock including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP. MLP common units and other equity securities can be affected by macro-economic and other factors affecting the stock market in general, expectations of interest rates, investor sentiment towards MLPs or the energy sector, changes in a particular issuer’s financial condition, or unfavorable or unanticipated poor performance of a particular issuer (in the case of MLPs, generally measured in terms of distributable cash flow). The Global X MLP Funds invest in the energy industry, which entails significant risk and volatility. The Funds invest in small and mid-capitalization companies, which pose greater risks than large companies. MLPA has a different and more complex tax structure than traditional ETFs and investors should consider carefully the significant tax implications of an investment in the Fund. The Funds are non-diversified. Current and future holdings are subject to risk.

MLPA is taxed as a regular corporation for federal income tax purposes, which differs from most investment companies. Due to its investment in MLPs, the fund will be obligated to pay applicable federal and state corporate income taxes on its taxable income as opposed to most other investment companies. The fund expects that a portion of the distributions it receives from MLPs may be treated as tax-deferred return of capital. The amount of taxes currently paid by the fund will vary depending on the amount of income and gains derived from MLP interests and such taxes will reduce an investor’s return from an investment in the fund. The fund will accrue deferred income taxes for any future tax liability associated certain MLP interests. Upon the sale of an MLP security, the fund may be liable for previously deferred taxes which may increase expenses and lower the fund’s NAV.

The potential tax benefits from investing in MLPs depend on them being treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. If the MLP is deemed to be a corporation then its income would be subject to federal taxation at the entity level, reducing the amount of cash available for distribution to the fund which could result in a reduction of the fund’s value.

Bonds and bond funds will decrease in value as interest rates rise. High yield bonds involve greater risks of default or downgrade and are more volatile than investment grade securities, due to the speculative nature of their investments. In addition to the normal risks associated with investing, real estate and REIT investments are subject to changes in economic conditions, credit risk and interest rate fluctuations. Emerging markets involve heightened risks related to the same factors as well as increased volatility and lower trading volume. Preferred stock is subject to many of the risks associated with debt securities, including interest rate risk. In addition, preferred stock may not pay a dividend, an issuer may suspend payment of dividends on preferred stock at any time, and in certain situations an issuer may call or redeem its preferred stock or convert it to common stock.

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